car'age roll up wid a flourish, an' de coachman dressed in de fines' git
out an' place de cookie try on de groun'. Den dey all gadder in de
circle an' fo' dey git dey supply, dey got ta do de pigeon wing.

"Chile, you ain't neber seen sich flingin' ob de arms an' legs in yo'
time. Dem pickaninnies dey had de natural born art ob twistin' dey body
any way dey wish. Dat dere ting dey calls truckin' now an' use to be
chimmy, ain't had no time wid de dancin' dem chilluns do. Dey claps dey
hands and keep de time, while dat old brudder ob mine he blows de
quills. Massa he would allus bring de big tray ob 'lasses cookies fo'
all de chilluns. Fast as de tray would empty, Massa send ta de barrel
fo' more. De niggers do no work dat day, but dey jist celebrate.

"Atta de war broke out we wuz all ca'yhed up to de plantation in Early
County to stay 'til atta de war. De day de mancipation wuz read dey wuz
sadness an' gladness. De ole Massa he call us all togedder an' wid tears
in his eyes he say--'You is all free now an' you can go jist whar you
please. I hab no more jurisdiction ober you. All who stay will be well
cared for.' But de most ob us wanted to come back to de place whar we
libed befo'--Liberty County.

"So he outfitted de wagons wid horses an' mules an' gib us what dey wuz
ob privisions on de plantation an' sent us on our way ta de ole
plantation in Liberty County. Dare wuz six horses ta de wagons. 'Long de
way de wagons broke down 'cause de mules ain't had nothin' ta eat an'
most ob dem died. We git in sich a bad fix some ob de people died. When
it seem lak we wuz all gwine die, a planter come along de road an' he
stopped ta find out what wuz de matter. Wan he heard our story an' who
our master wuz he git a message to him 'bout us.