warn't 'lowed to use de old blue-back spellin' book 'cause white folkses
said it larn't 'em too much.

"It was two or three years atter de war 'fore any of de Niggers could
save up enough money to start buyin' land, and den, if dey didn't watch
dey steps mighty keerful, de white folkses would find a way to git dat
land back from de Niggers.

"What! Is I got to tell you 'bout dat old Nigger I got married up wid? I
don't want to talk 'bout dat low down, no 'count devil. Anyhow, I
married Ed Griffeth and, sho dat, I had a weddin'. My weddin' dress was
jus' de purtiest thing; it was made out of parade cloth, and it had a
full skirt wid ruffles from de knees to de hem. De waist fitted tight
and it was cut lowneck wid three ruffles 'round de shoulder. Dem puff
sleeves was full from de elbow to de hand. All dem ruffles was aidged
wid lace and, 'round my waist I wore a wide pink sash. De underskirt was
trimmed wid lace, and dere was lace on de bottom of de drawers laigs.
Dat was sho one purty outfit dat I wore to marry dat no 'count man in. I
had bought dat dress from my young Mist'ess.

"Us had seven chillun and ten grandchillun. Most of 'em is livin' off up
in Detroit. If Ed ain't daid by now he ought to be; he was a good match
for de devil.

"I reckon Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Jeff Davis done right as fur as dey knowed
how and could. If dem northern folkses hadn't fotched us here, us sho
wouldn't never have been here in de fust place. Den dey hauled off and
said de South was mean to us Niggers and sot us free, but I don't know
no diffunce. De North sho let us be atter dat war, and some of de old
Niggers is still mad 'cause dey is free and ain't got no Marster to feed