Memories of Childhoods Slavery Days | Page 5

died, and
his coffin was made from the piece of poplar wood he had bought for
the table.
After his death, I remained in Clayton for two or three weeks with my
people, and then went back to Eufaula, where I stayed two years.
My sweetheart's death made a profound impression on me, and I began
to pray as best I could. Often I remained all night on my knees.
Going on an excursion to Macon, Georgia, one time, I liked the place
so well that I did not go back to Eufaula. I got a place as cook in the
family of an Episcopal clergyman, and remained with them eight years,
leaving when the family moved to New Orleans.
During these eight years, my mother died in Clayton, and I had to take
the three smallest children into my care. My oldest sister was now
married, and had a son.
I now went to live with a Mrs. Maria Campbell, a colored woman, who
adopted me and gave me her name. Mrs. Campbell did washing and
ironing for her living. While living with her, I went six months to
Lewis' High School in Macon. Then I went to Atlanta, and obtained a
place as first-class cook with Mr. E. N. Inman. But I always considered
Mrs. Campbell's my home. I remained about a year with Mr. Inman,
and received as wages ten dollars a month.
One day, when the family were visiting in Memphis, I chanced to pick
up a newspaper, and read the advertisement of a Northern family for a
cook to go to Boston. I went at once to the address given, and made
agreement to take the place, but told the people that I could not leave
my present position until Mr. Inman returned home. Mr. and Mrs.
Inman did not want to let me go, but I made up my mind to go North.
The Northern family whose service I was to enter had returned to
Boston before I left, and had made arrangements with a friend, Mr.
Bullock, to see me safely started North.

After deciding to go North, I went to Macon, to make arrangements
with Mrs. Campbell for the care of my two sisters who lived with her.
One sister was now about thirteen and the other fifteen, both old
enough to do a little for themselves. My brother was dead. He went to
Brunswick in 1875, and died there of the yellow fever in 1876. One
sister I brought in later years to Boston. I stayed in Macon two weeks,
and was in Atlanta three or four days before leaving for the North.
About the 15th of June, 1879, I arrived at the Old Colony Station in
Boston, and had my first glimpse of the country I had heard so much
about. From Boston I went to Newtonville, where I was to work. The
gentleman whose service I was to enter, Mr. E. N. Kimball, was
waiting at the station for me, and drove me to his home on Warner
Street. For a few days, until I got somewhat adjusted to my new
circumstances, I had no work to do. On June 17th the family took me
with them to Auburndale. But in spite of the kindness of Mrs. Kimball
and the colored nurse, I grew very homesick for the South, and would
often look in the direction of my old home and cry.
The washing, a kind of work I knew nothing about, was given to me;
but I could not do it, and it was finally given over to a hired woman. I
had to do the ironing of the fancy clothing for Mrs. Kimball and the
children.
About five or six weeks after my arrival, Mrs. Kimball and the children
went to the White Mountains for the summer, and I had more leisure.
Mr. Kimball went up to the mountains every Saturday night, to stay
with his family over Sunday; but he and his father-in-law were at home
other nights, and I had to have dinner for them.
To keep away the homesickness and loneliness as much as possible, I
made acquaintance with the hired girl across the street.
One morning I climbed up into the cherry tree that grew between Mr.
Kimball's yard and the yard of his next-door neighbor, Mr. Roberts. I
was thinking of the South, and as I picked the cherries, I sang a
Southern song. Mr. Roberts heard me, and gave me a dollar for the
song.

By agreement, Mrs. Kimball was to give me three dollars and a half a
week, instead of four, until the difference amounted to my fare from the
South; after that, I was to have four dollars. I had, however, received
but little money. In the fall, after the