“I did go to my father’s funeral.  When he was taken sick Dr. Holt attended his case, and it was not long before he told Marse John that Father would never get well.  When he died Mother hollered and screamed something terrible.  Miss Sue told her not to cry because, ’the Lord knows best.’  ‘Yes, Miss Sue,’ answered Mother, ’but you have never loved a man to lose.’  With that, they both cried.  When anyone died in those days, the people sat up all night and didn’t go to bed until the funeral was over.  Now, no real sympathy is shown.

“I don’t believe any of Marse John’s slaves ever went to the war.  He was good to them and everyone of them loved him.  I heard of patterollers chasing slaves and whipping them if they were caught away from home without a pass, and sometimes they locked them up.  However, nothing of the kind ever happened to any of Marse John’s slaves.  He was a highly respected citizen and everyone in Athens knew better than to touch his Negroes.

“After the work for the day was finished at the big house, the slaves went to their quarters to weave cloth and sew, but when ten o’clock came and the bell sounded, everything had to be quiet.  Slaves on our place worked Saturday afternoons the same as any other day.  On Saturday nights the young folks and a few of the older folks danced.  Some of them got passes from Marse John so they could visit around.  They popped corn, pulled candy, or just sat around and talked.  Those of us who desired went to Sunday School and church on Sundays; others stayed at home and did their washing and ironing, and there was always plenty of that to be done.

“Christmas was a grand time at Marse John’s.  We had everything good to eat under the sun at that time and, as my mother was the cook, I was sure of getting my share of the good things.  Miss Fannie and Miss Sue played Santa Claus to slave children.  I was sorry when Mary got too smart and peeped to see what it was all about, for after that they just came to our house and handed us the things that would have come as Santa Claus.

“New Year’s Day was no different from other days, except that Marse John gave the grown folks whiskey to drink that day like he did on Christmas morning.  They couldn’t risk giving slaves much whiskey because it made them mean, and then they would fight the white folks.  They had to be mighty careful about things like that in order to keep down uprisings.

“My mother went to cornshuckings, cotton pickings, and quiltings.  They must have had wonderful times, to hear her tell it.  She said that after the corn was shucked, cotton picked, or quilts quilted, they always gave them plenty of good things to eat and drink and let them aloose to enjoy themselves for the balance of the night.  Those things took place at harvest time, and everyone looked forward to having a good time at that season.  Mother said that Marse John was particular with his slaves, and wouldn’t let them go just anywhere to these things.