Slave Narratives: a Folk History of Slavery in the United States - From Interviews with Former Slaves - Ohio Narratives by Work Projects Administration
page 56 of 141 (39%)
page 56 of 141 (39%)
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wuz asleep a dreamin bout it, an a sayin, "Mammy yo reckon axel grease
goin' to he'p it?" Den ah wake up an go to her wheahs she's sleepin an say it. "What fo axel grease gointo hep?--an I tol her, an she say:-- "Axel grease put on hot, wid red flannel goin'to tak it away chile." Ah were an ol' woman mahse'f den--bout fifty, but mammy she climb outa bed an go out in de yard where deys an ol' wagon, an she scrapes dat axel off, an heat it up an put it on wid red flannel. Den ah got easy! Ah sho was thankful when dat grease an flannel got to wukin on me! "You try it sometime when you gets one o' dem col' miseries in de winter time. But go 'long! Folks is too sma't nowadays to use dem good ol' medicines. Dey jes' calls de Doctor an he come an cut 'em wide open fo de 'pendycitus--he sho do! Yas'em ah has de doctor, ef ah needs him. Ah has de rheumatism, no pain--ah jes gets stiffer, an' stiffer right along." Mah sight sho am poor now. Ah cain't wuk no mo. Ah done ironin aftah ah quit cookin--washin an ironin, ah likes a nice wash an iron the bes fo wuk. But lasyear mah eyes done give out on me, an dey tell me not to worry dey gointo give me a pension. De man goes to a heap o' wuk to get dem papers fix jes right." "Yes 'em, I'se de on'y one o' mammy's chillen livin. Mah, gran'ma on pappy's side, she live to be one hundred and ten yeah's ol--powerful ol eve'ybody say. She were part Indian, gran' ma were, an dat made her to be ol." |
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