<strong>Slave</strong> <strong>Narratives</strong>: a <strong>Folk</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Slave</strong>ry by Various 106wuz cattle, but Marse Peter wouldn' 'low no beat<strong>in</strong>' <strong>of</strong> his niggers.Marse Peter had acres an' acres <strong>of</strong> woods dat wuz his hunt<strong>in</strong>' 'zerve. Dey wuz every k<strong>in</strong>d <strong>of</strong> bird an' animal <strong>in</strong>dem woods <strong>in</strong> shoot<strong>in</strong>' season. Dey wuz snipes, pheasants, patridges, squirrels, rabbits, deers, an' foxes; deywuz even bears, an' dey wuz wolfs too dat would come an' catch de sheeps at night.Dey wuz always a crowd at Easy Acres hunt<strong>in</strong>' rid<strong>in</strong>' danc<strong>in</strong>' an' hav<strong>in</strong>' a good time. Marse Peter's stables wuzfull <strong>of</strong> hunters an' saddlers for mens an' ladies. De ladies <strong>in</strong> dem days rode side saddles. Mis' Laura's saddlewuz all studded wid sho nuff gol' tacks. De fr<strong>in</strong>ge wuz tipped wid gol', an' de buckles on de bridle wuz solidgol'. When de ladies went to ride dey wore long skirts <strong>of</strong> red, blue, an' green velvet, an' dey had plumes on deyhats dat blew <strong>in</strong> de w<strong>in</strong>'. Dey wouldn' be caught wear<strong>in</strong>' britches an' rid<strong>in</strong>' straddle like de womens do desedays. In dem times de women wuz ladies.Marse Peter kept de bes' sideboa'd <strong>in</strong> Pr<strong>in</strong>cess Anne County. His cut glass decanters cos' near 'bout as much asMis' Laura's diamon' ear r<strong>in</strong>gs I's go<strong>in</strong>' tell yo' 'bout. De decanters wuz all set out on de sideboard wid deglasses, an' de w<strong>in</strong>e an' brandy wuz so ole dat one good size dram would make yo' will<strong>in</strong>' to go to de jail housefor sixty days. Some <strong>of</strong> dat w<strong>in</strong>e an' likker done been <strong>in</strong> dat cellar ever s<strong>in</strong>ce Ole Marse Caleb Hamilton'stime, an' de done built Easy Acres befo' Mistah George Wash<strong>in</strong>gton done cut down his pappy's cherry tree.Dat likker done been down <strong>in</strong> dat cellar so long dat yo' had to scrape de dus' <strong>of</strong>f wid a knife.I wuz Marse Peter's ma<strong>in</strong> sideboa'd man. When he had shoot<strong>in</strong>' company I didn' do noth<strong>in</strong>' but shake drams.De mens would come <strong>in</strong> from de hunt<strong>in</strong>' field col' an' tired, an' Marse Peter would say: 'Hustle up, Hecter, fixus a dram <strong>of</strong> so an' so.' Dat mean dat I wuz to mix de special dram dat I done learned from my gran'pappy. So,I pours <strong>in</strong> a little <strong>of</strong> dis an' a little <strong>of</strong> dat, den I shakes it 'twell it foams, den I fills de glasses an' draps <strong>in</strong> de icean' de m<strong>in</strong>t. Time de mens dr<strong>in</strong>k dat so an' so dey done forgot dey's tired; dey 'lax, an' when de ladies comedown de stairs all dredd up, dey th<strong>in</strong>ks dey's angels walk<strong>in</strong>' <strong>in</strong> gol' shoes. Dem wuz good times befo' de waran' befo' Marse Peter got shot. From de day Marse Peter rode his big grey hoss <strong>of</strong>f to fight, we never seed himno more. Mis' Laura never even know if dey buried him or not.After de mens all went to de war dey won't no use for no more drams, so Mis' Laura took me away from desideboa'd an' made me a watchman. Dat is, I wuz set to watch de commissary to see dat de niggers wuzn' giveno more den dey share <strong>of</strong> eats, den I looked after de chickens an' th<strong>in</strong>gs, kaze de patter-rollers wuz all 'roun'de country an' dey'd steal everyth<strong>in</strong>' from chickens to sweet taters an cawn, den dey'd sell it to de Yankees.Dat's when I named dat ole mean fight<strong>in</strong>' gander General Lee.Everywhare I went 'roun' de place dat gander wuz right at my heels. He wuz de bigges' gander I ever seed. Heweighed near 'bout forty pounds, an' his w<strong>in</strong>gs from tip to tip wuz 'bout two yards. He wuz smart too. Iteached him to drive de cows an' sheeps, an' I sic'd him on de dogs when dey got 'streperous. I'd say, Sic him,General Lee, an' dat gander would cha'ge. He wuz a better fighter den de dogs kaze he fit wid his w<strong>in</strong>gs, hisbill, an wid his feets. I seed him skeer a bull near 'bout to death one day. Dat bull got mad an' jump de fencean' run all de niggers <strong>in</strong> de cab<strong>in</strong>s, so I called General Lee an' sic'd him on dat bull. Dat bird give one squawkan' lit on dat bull's back, an' yo' never seed such carry<strong>in</strong>'s on. De bull reared an' snorted an' kicked, but datgander held on. He whipped dat bull wid his w<strong>in</strong>gs 'twell he wuz glad to go back <strong>in</strong> de lot an' 'have hese'f.After dat all I had to do to dat bull wuz show him General Lee an' he'd quiet down.Now I's go<strong>in</strong>' to tell yo' 'bout Mis' Laura's diamon' ear r<strong>in</strong>gs.De fus' Yankees dat come to de house wuz gentlemens, 'cept dey made us niggers cook dey supper an' sh<strong>in</strong>edey muddy boots, den dey stole everyth<strong>in</strong>' dey foun' to tote away, but de nex ones dat come wuz mean. Deygot made kaze de fus' Yankees done got de pick<strong>in</strong>'s <strong>of</strong> what Mis' Laura hadn' hid. Dey cut open de fea<strong>the</strong>rbeds look<strong>in</strong>' for silver; dey ripped open de chair cush<strong>in</strong>gs look<strong>in</strong>' for money, dey even tore up de carpets, butdey didn' f<strong>in</strong>' noth<strong>in</strong>' kaze all de valuables done been buried. Even mos' <strong>of</strong> de w<strong>in</strong>e done been hid, 'twuz' all
<strong>Slave</strong> <strong>Narratives</strong>: a <strong>Folk</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Slave</strong>ry by Various 107buried <strong>in</strong> de ole graves down <strong>in</strong> de family grave yard wid de tombstones at de head an' foots. No Yankee a<strong>in</strong>'tgo<strong>in</strong>' be digg<strong>in</strong>' <strong>in</strong> no grave for noth<strong>in</strong>'.Dey wuz one Yankee <strong>in</strong> dis las' bunch dat wuz big an' bust<strong>in</strong>'. He strut bigoty wid his chist stuck out. He walk'roun' stick<strong>in</strong>' his sword <strong>in</strong> de chair cushions, de pictures on de walls an' th<strong>in</strong>gs like dat. He got powerful madkaze he couldn' f<strong>in</strong>' noth<strong>in</strong>', den he look out de w<strong>in</strong>dow an' seed Mis' Laura. She wuz stand<strong>in</strong>' on de po'ch an'de sun wuz sh<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>' on de diamon' ear r<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> her ears. Dey wuz de ear r<strong>in</strong>gs dat belonged to Marse Peter'sgreat-great-gran'mammy. When de sojer seed dem diamon's his eyes 'gun to sh<strong>in</strong>e. He went out on de po'chan' went up to Mis' Laura. 'Gim me dem ear r<strong>in</strong>gs,' he say jus' like dat.Mis' Laura flung her han's up to her ears an' run out <strong>in</strong> de yard. De sojer followed her, an' all de o<strong>the</strong>r sojerscome too. Dat big Yankee tole Mis' Laura aga<strong>in</strong> to give him de ear r<strong>in</strong>gs, but she shook her head. I wuzstand<strong>in</strong>' 'side de house near 'bout bust<strong>in</strong>' wid madness when dat Yankee reach up an' snatch Mis' Laura's handsdown an' hold dem <strong>in</strong> his, den he laugh, an' all de o<strong>the</strong>r sojers 'gun to laugh too jus' like dey thought 'twuzfunny. 'Bout dat time Ole General Lee done smell a fight. He come waddl<strong>in</strong>' 'roun' de house, his tail fea<strong>the</strong>rsbristled out an' tawk<strong>in</strong>' to he'sef. I po<strong>in</strong>t to dem sojers an say, "Sic him, General Lee, sic him."Dat gander a<strong>in</strong>'t waste no time. He let out his w<strong>in</strong>gs an' cha'ged dem Yankees an' dey scatter like flies. Den helit on dat big sojer's back an' 'gun to beat him wid his w<strong>in</strong>gs. Dat man let out a yell an' drap Mis' Laura'shands; he try to shake dat goose, but General bit <strong>in</strong>to his neck an' held on like a leech. When de o<strong>the</strong>r sojerscome up an' try to pull him <strong>of</strong>f, dat gander let out a w<strong>in</strong>g an' near about slap dem down. I a<strong>in</strong>'t never seed suchfight<strong>in</strong>! Every time I holler, Sic him, General Lee start 'no<strong>the</strong>r 'tack.'Bout dat time dem Yankees took a runn<strong>in</strong>' noth<strong>in</strong>. Dey forgot de ear r<strong>in</strong>gs an' lit out down de road, but datgander beat dat bigoty yell<strong>in</strong>' sojer clear down to de branch befo' he turned him loose, den he jump <strong>in</strong> de wateran' wash hese'f <strong>of</strong>f. Yes, suh, dat wuz sho some fight<strong>in</strong>' goose; he near 'bout out fit de sho nuff Marse GeneralLee.N. C. District: No. 2 [320230] Worker: T. Pat Mat<strong>the</strong>ws No. Words: 942 Subject: GEORGE W. HARRISStory Teller: George W. Harris Editor: Daisy Bailey Waitt[TR: No Date Stamp]GEORGE W. HARRIS604 E. Cabarrus Street, Raleigh, N. C.Hey, don't go 'roun' dat post gitt<strong>in</strong>g it 'tween you and me, it's bad luck. Don't you know it's bad luck? Don'twant no more bad luck den what I'se already got. My name is George Harris. I wuz born November 25, 82years ago. I have been liv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> City <strong>of</strong> Raleigh onto 52 years. I belonged to John Andrews. He died aboutde time I wuz born. His wife Betsy wuz my missus and his son John wuz my marster.Deir plantation wuz <strong>in</strong> Jones County. Dere were about er dozen slaves on de plantation. We had plenty o' food<strong>in</strong> slavery days dur<strong>in</strong>g my boyhood days, plenty <strong>of</strong> good sound food. We didn't have 'xactly plenty o' clo<strong>the</strong>s,and our places ter sleep needed th<strong>in</strong>gs, we were <strong>in</strong> need <strong>of</strong>ten <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>se th<strong>in</strong>gs. We were treated k<strong>in</strong>dly, and noone abused us. We had as good owners as <strong>the</strong>re were <strong>in</strong> Jones County; <strong>the</strong>y looked out for us. They let us havepatches to tend and gave us what we made. We did not have much money. We had no church on <strong>the</strong>plantation, but <strong>the</strong>re wuz one on Marster's bro<strong>the</strong>r's plantation next ter his plantation.We had suppers an' socials, generally ga<strong>the</strong>r<strong>in</strong>gs for eat<strong>in</strong>', socials jist to git toge<strong>the</strong>r an' eat. We had a lot o'game ter eat, such as possums, coons, rabbits and birds.