de cloth for her own fambly's clothes, and she was so smart us allus had
plenty t'eat and wear. I was little and stayed wid Mammy up at de big
'ouse and jus' played all over it and all de folkses up der petted me.
Aunt Tama was a old slave too old to wuk. She was all de time cookin'
gingerbread and hidin' it in a little trunk what sot by de fireplace in
her room. When us chillun was good Aunt Tama give us gingerbread, but if
us didn't mind what she said, us didn't git none. Aunt Tama had de
rheumatiz and walked wid a stick and I could git in dat trunk jus' 'bout
anytime I wanted to. I sho' did git 'bout evvything dem other chillun
had, swappin' Aunt Tama's gingerbread. When our white folkses went off,
Aunt Tama toted de keys, and she evermore did make dem Niggers stand
'round. Marse Frank jus' laughed when dey made complaints 'bout her.

"In summertime dey cooked peas and other veg'tables for us chillun in a
washpot out in de yard in de shade, and us et out of de pot wid our
wooden spoons. Dey jus' give us wooden bowls full of bread and milk for
supper.

"Marse Frank said he wanted 'em to larn me how to wait on de white
folkses' table up at de big 'ouse, and dey started me off wid de job of
fannin' de flies away. Mist'ess Serena, Marse Frank's wife, made me a
white coat to wear in de dinin' room. Missy, dat little old white coat
made me git de onliest whuppin' Marse Frank ever did give me." Here old
Neal paused for a hearty laugh. "Us had comp'ny for dinner dat day and I
felt so big showin' off 'fore 'em in dat white coat dat I jus' couldn't
make dat turkey wing fan do right. Dem turkey wings was fastened on long
handles and atter Marster had done warned me a time or two to mind what
I was 'bout, the old turkey wing went down in de gravy bowl and when I
jerked it out it splattered all over de preacher's best Sunday suit.
Marse Frank got up and tuk me right out to de kitchen and when he got