"I was named for Miss Betty Johnson. Mars Daniel bought me books. I slip
and tear ABC's outen every book he buy for me. Miss Betty say A-B-C-D; I
say after her. She say, 'Betty, you ain't lookin' on the book.' I say,
'Miss Betty, I hear Miss Cornelia's baby woke up. Agin Miss Betty--she
was my young mistress--ABC's me sayin' em long wid her. I say, 'Miss
Betty, I smell ginger bread, can't I go git a piece?' She say,
'Betty--I'm so sorry I name you fer me. I wish I named Mary.' I say,
'Then you name Mary Betty an' give me nother name.' Miss Betty git me
down agin to sayin' the ABC's, I be lookin' off. She say, 'Betty, you
goin' to be a idiot.' I say, 'That what I wanter be--zactly what I
wanter be.' I didn't know what a idiot was then.

"I took up crocheting. Miss Cornelia cut me some quilt pieces. She say
'Betty that's her talent' bout me. Miss Betty say, 'If she goin' to be
mine I want her to be smart.' Miss Mary lernt my sister Mary fast.

"When I was bout fifteen I was goiner to the nigger school. I wanted to
go to the white school wid Miss Mag. Miss Betty say, 'Betty, that white
woman would whoop you every day.' I take my dinner in a bucket and go on
wid Mary. I'd leave fore the teacher have time to have my lesson and git
in late. The teacher said, 'Betty, Miss Cornelia and Miss Betty say they
want you to be smart and you up an' run off and come in late, and do all
sorts er ways. Ain't you shamed?'

"They had a big entertainment. Miss Betty learned me a piece to
say--poetry. I could lern it from sayin' it over wid Miss Betty. They
bought me and Mary our fust calico dresses. I lack to walked myself to
death. I was so proud. It had two ruffles on the bottom of the skirt and
a shash tied at the waist behind. We had red hats wid streamers hanging