her "misery days" she was in the mood to tell us more of her sufferings;
still indelibly impressed in my mind. [TR: illegible handwritten note
here.]

'My ole back is bent ovah from the quick-tempered blows feld by the
red-headed Miss Burton.

'At dinner time one day when the churnin' wasn't finished for the
noonday meal', she said with an angry look that must have been reborn in
mah mammy's eyes--eyes that were dimmed by years and hard livin', 'three
white women beat me from anger because they had no butter for their
biscuits and cornbread. Miss Burton used a heavy board while the missus
used a whip. While I was on my knees beggin' them to quit, Miss Burton
hit the small of mah back with the heavy board. Ah knew no more until
kind Mr. Hamilton, who was staying with the white folks, brought me
inside the cabin and brought me around with the camphor bottle. Ah'll
always thank him--God bless him--he picked me up where they had left me
like a dog to die in the blazin' noonday sun.

'After mah back was broken it was doubted whether ah would evah be able
to work again or not. Ah was placed on the auction block to be bidded
for so mah owner could see if ah was worth anything or not. One man bid
$1700 after puttin' two dirty fingahs in my mouth to see my teeth. Ah
bit him and his face showed angah. He then wanted to own me so he could
punish me.

'Thinkin' his bid of $1700 was official he unstrapped his buggy whip to
beat me, but my mastah saved me. My master declared the bid unofficial.

'At this auction my sister was sold for $1900 and was never seen by us