our hands and shake hands, then we would play: "Come and see."

I never had but one doll, bought out of a store, it was given to me by
Dr. Jackson for taking my medicine, when I was sick. We made rag
dolls out of dresses. My delight was to have one of the colored women's
babies. We would go visiting and take our dolls, and would tell of the
dreadful times we had and of how mean our husbands were to the children;
sometimes one would tell of how good instead. And then we would
catch bees in the althea blooms. One of the delightful pastimes was to
make mud cakes and put them on boards to dry. We had some clay that
we could mould anything out of--all kind of animals, and, indeed, there
were shapes worked out by little fingers never seen before.

The race question is a serious one. The kindly feeling between black
and white is giving place to bitterness with the rising generations. One
reason of this seems to be a jealousy of the whites for fear the negroes
will presume to be socially equal with them. The negro race should
avoid this, should not desire it, it would be of no real value to them.
They are a distinct race with characteristics which they need not wish
to exchange. When a negro tries to imitate white folks, he is a mongrel.
I will say to my colored brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus; Never
depart from your race lines and bearings, keep true to your nature,
your simplicity, and happy disposition--and above all come back to the
'Oldtime' religion, you will never strand on that rock.



CHAPTER III.

MOVED TO WOODFORD COUNTY, KENTUCKY.--ALSO MOVED TO MISSOURI.--SAVED