Slave Narratives Vol. XIV. South Carolina, Part 2 | Page 9

been know de Yankees was comin back through to free dem. But
my mammy, she was a widow woman en old man Anthony Ross never
left nothin to her house."
"I tell you, honey, some of de colored people sho been speak praise to
dem Yankees. I don' know how-come, but dey never know no better, I
say. Dey know en dey never know. One old man been ridin one of dese
stick horses en he been so glad, he say, 'Thank God! Thank God!"
=Source:= Ryer Emmanuel colored, age 78, Claussens, S.C. Personal
interview by Annie Ruth Davis, Marion, S.C. December, 1937.

Code No. Project, 1885-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place,
Marion, S.C. Date, January 7, 1938
MOM RYER EMMANUEL EX-SLAVE, 78 YEARS
"Good evenin, child. How you is? How Miss Sue gettin along over dere
to Marion? I hope she satisfied, but dere ain' nowhe' can come up to
restin in your own home, I say. No, Lord, people own home don' never
stop to cuss dem no time. Dere Koota's mamma all de time does say,
'Ma, ain' no need in you en Booker stayin over dere by yourself. Come
en live wid us.' I say, 'No, child. Father may have, sister may have,
brother may have, en chillun may have, but blessed be he dat have he
own.' I tell all my chillun I rather stay here under my own roof cause
when I takes a notion, I can go in en bake me a little hoecake en draw

me a pot of coffee en set down to eat it in satisfaction."
"After you was gone de other day, I thought bout right smart to speak
to you, but when I gets tired, I just get all fray up somehow. My sister,
she come to see me Sunday en I had dem all laughin bout what I say
dat I had tell you. My sister, she make out like she don' know nothin
bout dem olden times. Her husband, he done gone en die en she out
lookin round for another one. Reckon dat what ails her. I tell her, I ain'
see none nowhe' dat I would be pleased to take in. But I don' care what
she say, us sho been here in slavery time cause my mother didn' have
but one free born child en dat one come here a corpse."
"I remember, Ma used to tell we chillun bout how dey couldn' never do
nothin in slavery time, but what de white folks say dey could do. I say,
'If I been big enough in dem days, I would sho a let out a fight for you.'
You see, I was a little small child den en I never know no better den to
speak dat way."
"My mother, she was de house woman to de big house in slavery time,
but she never didn' get no money for what she been do. No, mam, white
folks never didn' pay de poor colored people no money in dat day en
time. See, old boss would give dem everything dey had en provide a
plenty somethin to eat for dem all de time. Yes'um, all de niggers used
to wear dem old Dutch shoes wid de brass in de toes en de women, dey
never didn' have nothin 'cept dem old coarse shoes widout no linin.
Couldn' never wear dem out. Yes'um, dey always give us a changin of
homespuns, so as to strip on wash day en put on a fresh one."
"Den I recollects we chillun used to ax us mammy whe' us come from
en she say, 'I got you out de hollow log.' Well, just like I tell you,
slavery chillun had dey daddy somewhe' on de plantation. Cose dey had
a daddy, but dey didn' have no daddy stayin in de house wid dem.
White folks would make you take dat man whe' if you want him or no.
Us chillun never didn' know who us daddy been till us mammy point
him out cause all us went in Massa Anthony Ross' name. Yes, mam, all
us had a different daddy, so my mammy say."
"Who dat come here wid you? Lord, dat don' look like no wife. How

long you is been married, honey? You ain' say so. Look like you is just
bloomin, I say."
"Oh, I tell you, I see a heap of things in dem days, but I ain' got my
studyin cap on right now en I can' call up nothin right sharp. Us never
know nothin bout us was gwine get free in dat day en time. Us was
same as brutes en cows back dere cause us been force to go by what
white man say all de time. Oh, dey