Slave Narratives Vol. XIV | Page 7

me and you and
dat 'possum gonna be pretty soon!'
"I b'longs to de Peays. De father of them all was, Korshaw Peay. My

marster was his son, Nicholas; he was a fine man to just look at. My
mistress was always tellin' him 'bout how fine and handsome-like he
was. He must of got use to it; howsomever, marster grin every time she
talk like dat.
"My pappy was bought from de Adamson peoples; they say they got
him off de ship from Africa. He sho' was a man; he run all de other
niggers 'way from my mammy and took up wid her widout askin' de
marster. Her name was Lavinia. When us got free, he 'sisted on
Adamson was de name us would go by. He name was William
Adamson. Yes sir! my brothers was: Justus, Hillyard, and Donald, and
my sisters was, Martha and Lizzettie.
"'Deed I did work befo' freedom. What I do? Hoed cotton, pick cotton,
'tend to calves and slop de pigs, under de 'vision of de overseer. Who he
was? First one name Mr. Cary, he a good man. Another one Mr. Tim
Gladden, burn you up whenever he just take a notion to pop his whip.
Us boys run 'round in our shirt tails. He lak to see if he could lift de
shirt tail widout techin' de skin. Just as often as not, though, he tech de
skin. Little boy holler and Marster Tim laugh.
"Us live in quarters. Our beds was nailed to de sides of de house. Most
of de chillun slept on pallets on de floor. Got water from a big spring.
"De white folks 'tend to you all right. Us had two doctors, Doctor
Carlisle and Doctor James.
"I see some money, but never own any then. Had plenty to eat: Meat,
bread, milk, lye hominy, horse apples, turnips, collards, pumpkins, and
dat kind of truck.
"Was marster rich? How come he wasn't? He brag his land was ten
miles square and he had a thousand slaves. Them poor white folks
looked up to him lak God Almighty; they sho' did. They would have
stuck their hands in de fire if he had of asked them to do it. He had a
fish pond on top of de house and terraces wid strawberries, all over de
place. See them big rock columns down dere now? Dats all dats left of
his grandness and greatness. They done move de whippin' post dat was

in de backyard. Yes sah, it was a 'cessity wid them niggers. It stood up
and out to 'mind them dat if they didn't please de master and de
overseer, they'd hug dat post, and de lend of dat whip lash gwine to flip
to de hide of dat back of their's.
"I ain't a complainin'. He was a good master, bestest in de land, but he
just have to have a whippin' post, 'cause you'll find a whole passle of
bad niggers when you gits a thousand of them in one flock.
"Screech owl holler? Women and men turn socks and stockings wrong
side out quick, dat they did, do it now, myself. I's black as a crow but
I's got a white folks heart. Didn't ketch me foolin' 'round wid niggers in
radical times. I's as close to white folks then as peas in a pod. Wore de
red shirt and drunk a heap of brandy in Columbia, dat time us went
down to General Hampton into power. I 'clare I hollered so loud goin'
'long in de procession, dat a nice white lady run out one of de houses
down dere in Columbia, give me two biscuits and a drum stick of
chicken, patted me on de shoulder, and say: 'Thank God for all de big
black men dat can holler for Governor Hampton as loud as dis one
does.' Then I hollers some more for to please dat lady, though I had to
take de half chawed chicken out dis old mouth, and she laugh 'bout dat
'til she cried. She did!
"Well, I'll be rockin' 'long balance of dese days, a hollerin' for Mr.
Roosevelt, just as loud as I holler then for Hampton.
"My young marsters was: Austin, Tom, and Nicholas; they was all right
'cept they tease you too hard maybe some time, and want to mix in wid
de 'fairs of slave 'musements.
"Now what make you ask dat? Did me ever do any courtin'? You
knows I did. Every he thing from a he king down to a bunty rooster gits
cited 'bout she things. I's lay wake many nights 'bout sich things. It's de
nature of a he, to take after de she. They do say dat a he angel ain't got
dis to worry 'bout.