contained four rooms. It was surrounded with shrubbery, and was a
pleasant country seat. But I did not like it here. I grieved continually
about my mother. It came to me, more and more plainly, that I would
never see her again. Young and lonely as I was, I could not help crying,
oftentimes for hours together. It was hard to get used to being away
from my mother. I remember well "Aunt Sylvia," who was the cook in the
Reid household. She was very kind to me and always spoke consolingly to
me, especially if I had been blue, and had had one of my fits of crying.
At these times she would always bake me an ash cake for supper, saying
to me; "My child, don't cry; 'Aunt Sylvia' will look after you." This
ash cake was made of corn meal and water, a little salt to make it
palatable, and was baked by putting it between cabbage leaves and
covering it with hot ashes. A sweeter or more delicious cake one could
not desire, and it was common upon the tables of all the Virginia
farmers. I always considered it a great treat to get one of these cakes
from "Aunt Sylvia."

The appellations of "aunt" and "uncle" for the older slaves were not
only common among the blacks, but the whites also addressed them in the
same way.

* * * * *

ON THE AUCTION BLOCK

I was sick a great deal--in fact, I had suffered with chills and fever
ever since Mr. Reid bought me. He, therefore, concluded to sell me, and,
in November, 1844, he took me back to Richmond, placing me in the
Exchange building, or auction rooms, for the sale of slaves. The sales
were carried on in a large hall where those interested in the business