Harriet Collins

Harriet Collins was born in Houston, Texas, in 1870. Her family had been slaves of Richard Coke , and remained with him many years after they were freed. Harriet recalls some incidents of the construction days, and believes in the superstitions handed down to her from slave days.

My birthday done come in January, on de tenth. I's birthed in Houston, in 1870, and Gov. Richard Coke allus had owned my daddy and mammy, and dey stayed with him after freedom. Mammy, what was Julia Collins , didn't die till 1910, and she was most a hundred year old. "She done told me many a time 'bout how folkses git all worked up over Marse Coke's 'lection. Mammy took lunch to de Capitol House to Marse Richard , and dere he am on de top floor with all he congressmen and dat Davis man and he men on de bottom floor, tryin' to say Marse Richard ain't got no right to be governor dis here State. Old Miss and de folkses didn't sleep a wink dat night, 'cause dey thunk it sho' be a fight. Dat in 1873, mammy allus say. "De old place at Houston was like most all old places. Dere was little, small dormer windows, dey call 'em, in upstairs, and big porches everywhere. Dere was 'hogany furniture and rosewood bedsteads, and big, black walnut dressers with big mirrors and little ones down de side. Old Miss allus have us keep de drapes white as drifted snow, and polish de furniture till it shine. Dere was sofies with dem claw foots, and lots of purty chiny and silver. "On de farm out from town dere was de log house, with quarters and de smokehouse and washhouse and big barns and carriage house. De quarters was little, whitewashed, log houses, one for de family, and a fence of de split railin's round most of dem. "De white and cullud chillen played together, all over de place. Dey went fishin' and rode de plough hosses and run de calves and colts and sech devilment. De little white gals all had to wear sunbonnets, and Old Miss, she sew dem bonnets on every day, so dey not git sunburnt. Us niggers weared de long, duckin' shirts till us git 'bout growed, and den us weared long, dark blue dresses. Dey had spinnin' and weavin' rooms, where de cullud women makes de clothes. "Old Miss, she sho' a powerful manager. She knowed jes' how much med and meat and sorghum it gwine take to run de plantation a year. She know jes' how much thread it take for spinnin', and she bossed de settin' hens and turkeys and fixin' of 'serves and soap. She was sho' good to you iffen you work and do like she tell you. Many a night she go round to see dat all was right. She a powerful good muss, too, and so was mammy. "De white folks had good times. Dey'd go hossback ridin' and on picnics, and fishin' and have big dinners and balls. Come Christmas, dey have us slaves cut a big lot of wood and keep fires all night for a week or two. De house be lit with candles from top to toe, and lots of company come. For dinner us have turkey and beef roast and a big 'ginny ham and big bowls of eggnog and a pitcher of apple cider and apple toddy. All us git somethin' on Christmas and plenty eggnog, but no gittin' drunk.

I can jes' see Marse Dick , tall and kinder stooped like, with de big flop hat and longtail coat and allus carryin' a big, old walkin' stick. He was sho' a brave man and de big men say dey likes dat flop hat. 'cause dey done follow it on de battlefield. He had a big voice and dey de tell how, in de war, held holler, 'Come on, boys,' and de bullets be like hail and men fallin' all round, but dat don't stop Marse Dick . He'd take off dat flop hat and plunge right on and dey'd foller he bald head where de fight was hottes'. He was sho' a man! "When I gits married it was eight folkses dere. I jus' walks off and goes to housekeepin'. I had a calico dress and a Baptist preacher marries us. "Dere been some queer things white folks can't understand. Dere am folkses can see de spirits, but I can't. My mammy larned me a lots of doctorin', what she larnt from old folkses from Africy, and some de Indians larnt her If you has rheumatism, jes' take white sassafras root and bile it and drink de tea. You makes lin'ment by boilin' mullein flowers and poke roots and alum and salt. Put red pepper in you shoes and keep de chills off, or string briars round de neck. Make red or black snakeroot tea to cure fever and malaria, but git de roots in de spring when de sap am high. "When chillen teethin' put rattlesnake rattles round de neck, and alligator teeth an good, too. Show de new moon money and you'll have money all month. Throw her five kisses and show her money and make five wishes and you'll git dem. Eat black-eyed peas on New Year and have luck all dat year: Dose black-eyed pees is lucky.
When et on New Year's Day;
You'll allus have sweet 'taters
And possum come you way.'
When anybody git cut I allus burns woolen rags and smokes de wound or burns a piece fat pine and drops tar from it on scorched wool and bind it on de wound. For headache put a horseradish poultice on de head, or wear a nutmeg on a string round you neck. If you kills de first snake you sees in spring, you enemies ain't gwine git de best of you dat year. For a sprain, git a dirt dauber's neat and put de clay with vinegar and bind round de sprain. De dime on de string round my ankle keeps cramps out my leg, and tea from red coon-root good, too. All dese doctorin' things come clear from Africy, and dey allus worked for mammy and for me, too.

My birfday come January 10th. I was born in Houston, Texas, 1870. Governor Richard Coke owned us. I come to Waco atter I was er grown woman. My Mammy, Julia Collins , died in 1910. She was mos' a hun'erd years old. Dar used ter be real putry springs jes' below de Cotton Mill on Taylor Street, East Waco, dat was in de 900 block on Taylor. De ole mill was built by Mrs. Earl an' hit made clothes fer de Confederate soljers. Hit got burned down 'bout four er five years ago. Dem springs was a fine fishin' place an' I'ze cotched er meny er mess ob fish dar. De w'ite folks liked ter fish dar too. My Mammy hab told me er meny er time 'bout how da folkses git all wukked up ober Marse Coke's 'lection ter gobernor. Mammy took er lunch up to de Capitol House ter Marse Richard ; an' Marse Richard , he on de top floor an' he congressmen; an' dat Gobernor Davis an' he men dey down on the bottom floor er tryin' ter say dat Marse Richard he ain't got no lawful right ter be de Gobernor ob dis here state. Ole Miss an' de folkses dey didn't sleep er wink dat night case dey thought shore dar gwine be er fight. But ole man Davis he saw he done git beat, an' he got away in er few days, an' my Marster, he was de Governor. Dat was in sebenty-three, Mammy allus said. In 'bout three year, Marse Richard he got sont ter de United States, up ter Washington ter be a Senator. He was sont ter Washington ebery year fer 'bout eighteen years. "De ole place at Houston was lak mos' all de places in dis country in dem times. Dar was little small dormer windows, dey call 'em in de upstairs, an' big porches eberywhar. Ole Mis' had er lot ob flowers, sech as lilacs an' syringas, an' roses, an' locusts, an' jes' 'bout all kinds dat enybody had. Dar was mahogany furnichure an' rosewood bedsteads, an' big, black dressers dat had big mirrors, an' er row ob little ones down de sides. Mammy an' me wukked in de house, dey call us house slaves. Ole Mis' allus had us keep de drapes jes' w'ite as drifted snow, an' de fernichure all polished till hit shine. Dar was some straight back chairs an' some dat de slaves made. Dar was one or two sofies wid claw lak foots, an' Miss had her gran'mas table wid little legs wid brass at de bottom ob de leg. Dar was lots ob purty chiny an' silver, dat dey done had er long time. "On de odder place out from town, dar was a big log house, wid de quarters, smokehouse, wash house, an' carpenter shop an' de big barns, an' kerridge house. Dar was big barns an' er kerridge house in town too. De quarters had little, whitewashed log houses, one fer each fambly. Dar was er fence ob split palings 'roun' mos' ob 'em. Dar was er big vegetable garden. Dey had cherries, peaches an' apples in de orchard. "De w'ite an' de cullud chillun played togedder. Dey was all ober de place. Dey 'ud go to der orchard ter rob birds' nestses; an' oh! my, w'en dey foun' er cat bird nestses, den dey git all 'cited, case de cat bird, he gwine kill er snake de minnit he see him. In de spring an' summer, dey went fishing, er washin' in de creek, rode de plough hosses from de fiel's, run de calves an' colts, chased an' fight de ole ganders, an sech devilment. De little w'ite girls all had ter wear big sunbonnets an' ole Miss, she sew dem bonnets on so de girls not git sunburnt. All de sarbants wore er long duckin' shirt till dey git 'bout grown. De cullud girls wore mos' en allways, dark blue dresses. Dey had great big spinnin' an' weavin' rooms whar de cullud wimmin made de cloth an' de homespun fer ebery boddy ter wear. Ole Mis' she sho er pow'ful manager. She sho knowed whar ebery thing was kep' an' hit shore better be dar. She knowed jes' how much meat, meal an' sorg'um hit gwine ter take ter run de plantation er year. She know jes' how much thread er woman otter spin in er day; how much cloth de weaver otter weave, an' she know how much you otter do in de kitchen in er day. Ebery mornin' she tell ebery body what dey gwine do dat day. She bossed de settin' ob de hens an' de turkeys an' de fixin' ob zarbes an' butter an' de meat an' soap in der winter. Dar was lots ob wild turkeys in dem days an prairie chickens, but she got some eggs from back in de ole states an' she want dat kind. She taught de slaves how she wanted de spinnin' an' de weavin' done an' all de kinds ob wukk. She shore was good ter you effen you wukk an' do lak she tell you. Meny er night I'ze seed her an' gone wid her too, w'en she go roun' ter see dat all was right an' noboddy sick ner noddin'. She was pow'ful good nuss an' so was Mammy. Mammy knowed dem roots an' herbs an sech an' she er good nuss too. "Us had ter wukk, eberybody did, but my w'ite folks dey was real folks an' dey looked atter us, jes' ez good ez dey could. De w'ite folks had good times. Dey 'ud go hoss back ridin', er on picnics. An' in de spring an' summer, de 'ud go fishin'; an' dey had de big dinners, an' dances. Come Chrismus, an' dey 'ud hab de slaves cut er big lot ob wood an' keep de fires all night fer er week er two. Dey frien's an' kin folks 'ud come an' de house 'ud be lit by candles from top to toe. Dar 'ud be wreaths all ober an' berries an' sech. Dey dressed up de parlor an' de hall, an' de dining room an' de church. Fer Chrismus dinner, dey hab turkey, er big beef roas', an er big 'Gininy ham, an' big bowls ob egg nog, an' pitcher ob apple cider an' apple toddy. "All de sarbants, dey gwine er git som'pin on de Chrismus time an' de shore gwine git er big dinner an' plenty ob egg-nog. No'm dey didn't 'low no gittin' drunk lak dey does dese days. Dar was er cherch on de place, an' one in town. Us cullud folks went to cherch in de afternoon after de w'ite folks had der services in de mornin'. Marse, he mighty 'tickler 'bout how things go roun' de place. I kin jes' see Marse Dick , er tall, kinder stooped jes' er bit, wid he big flop hat, an' long-tail coat an' he allers karried a big ole walkin' stick. "He was shore a brave man an' de big men uset ter say dey lak dat flop hat kase dey had follered Marse Dick w'en he wore it on de battlefiel'. He had a big voice an' dey do tell 'bout how, in de war he'd holler 'Come on boys an' de bullets dey'd be lak hail an' men fallin' all roun', but dat didn't stop Marse Dick . He'd take off dat ole flop hat, an' plunge right on. De folks 'ud tell how dey'd foller he shinin' bald head whar de fight was de hottes'. He was shore a man.

De time dat Davis man conten' fer ter be Governor 'stead ob Marse Dick wuzn't de onlyes' time dat we all skeered fer Marse Dick . Dar was er time w'en some railroad dey wan't er law dat 'ud gibe 'em some lan' out torreds San Anton' an' Marse Dick he say de law ain't low dat be done. De folkses all git rought up, some fer an' some ergin' de way Marse Dick said. An' dey was er talkin' up an' down de town dat dey gwine do dis an' dat. Marse Dick's frien's dey scairt dat dey gwine do somefin' ter Marse Dick or to some he fambly. Us all scairt, an ole Mis' she jes' smile lak she done froze an' go roun' lak she er way fur off. Mars' Flech' Stockdale an' seberal odders dey come ter de Gobernor's house ter talk wid Marse Dick an' dey say ter him dat dar was folks dat was gittin' roun' in crowds er talkin' dat dey gwine mebby come in de manshun er git Marse Dick er some ob he fambly an' do some mischief. Us all scarit an' lis'nin' an' Mammy she cotched me in de hall an' she shoo me back ter de kitchen. Mammy said dat Marse Dick , he jes' thank dese men an' say dey kin stay fer er visit long as dey want, but he kin perteck he home, case dat he castle. Effen dey want, dey kin do what dey lak out on de street, but effen dey put er foot on de yard ob dat place, Marse Dick 'klare dat dey gwine be took out feet furst. Well, atter a'wile dese men dey leave. An' den Marse Dick what you rekon he do? Well sir, he jes' git he coat, an' ole flop hat, an' git he walkin' stick an' out he go. Us jes' scairt an' don't know what ter do. Long atter dat, Mammy tell dat Marse Dick he jes' march out on de street, an' he come close ter one ob dem crowds an' he lissen what dey say. An' in er lettle he hear dem talk 'bout him. Den he jes' walk right up ter dat man an' he tell all ob 'em dat dar he is, an' what dey gwine ter do, jes' do hit now. Dey jes' slip away an' by-me-by dar ain't none lef'. Marse Dick he jes' march down dat Avenoo, down one side, an' back de odder. An' dey ain't bodder him neidder. Didn't noboddy come in dat yard neidder. "Yassma'm, my ole Marse Dick he was de smartes' man in dis state. Why, I'ze heard Mars' Waller Baker what libed here in Waco, say er meny er time, dat Marse Dick knowed more 'bout makin' de right kind ob law dan eny ob dem odder Senators up in Washington. "I'ze seed Waco grow from a leetle place up now to a city. 'Bout three er four years atter de Freedom War, de folks come ter Waco in er lot, but durin' de War, dey come too. I know 'bout w'en us git here dar was three mills to make de lumber er goin' up, an' two flour mills soon built, an' dar was er ice factory, an' two colleges. Long 'bout 1882 ole Judge Gallergar took charge ob all de free schools. "I had er lot ob good times. I went fishin' an' to dances an' ter 'vivals. One time dey let me go to Thad Cokes to be dere sarbant. I didn't want ter go. He wife she was pow'ful mean. I nebber was hit by noboddy, an' Marse Dick an' he wife dey didn't 'low no beatin' on dere black folkses. She thot she gwine beat me wid er close line. She tell me go out in de yard an' git er new close line us had out dar. She say she gwine beat de debbil outten dat spilt nigger gal. I asked what I'd done, an' she say dat I laks ter primp too much fer er nigger. Well I goes git dat new line, but I says ter myself, I ain't gwine be whupped not now, I'ze done er grown woman. So, I goes jes' ez quiet ez I could an' put dat line by her door; den I ran lak de debbil was atter me. I waded dat big Brazos an' I got ter ole Mis Coke an' fall at her foots an' I cry an' cry an' tell her dey bin mean ter Harriett , an' I ain't gwine ter be beat. An' I wuzn't, no sir'ree. "W'en I git married dar was eight folks dar. Oh, I jes' walked off an' git married an' us went ter housekeepin'. I had on er kaliker dress what my w'ite folks gibed me. Er Mishunary Baptist preacher married us. Der was er song dat Mammy an' de ole folkses sung er lot, dat I sho' laks. Hits "Oh my Lawd, oh, my Lawd, What shall I do?" "Hush, hush, somebody callin' my name, Hush, hush, somebody callin' my name, Hush, hush, somebody callin' my name, Oh, my Lawd, Oh, my Lawd, What shall I do? "I'm so glad that trouble don't last always, I'm so glad that trouble don't last always, I'm so glad that trouble don't last always, Oh, my Lawd, Oh, my Lawd, What shall I do?" In de slave times w'en dey whup de slaves too much an' thing jes' git beyon' endurin' de slave gwine run erway. No'm I don' 'member much 'bout dat. No, us didn't feed 'em. Yassum, guess dey did find somefin' ter eat. I don't know much about hit. In dem times, us didn't hab prayer meetin' lak us do now. De w'ite folks didn't 'low us ter meet eny whar at night. An' effen us had er prayer meetin' us had ter slip off. De ole folks uset ter sing dis song w'ile dey wukked in de fiel' er in de woods, to tell 'em to slip off to er night meetin': "Steal away an' pray, I'm lookin' fer my Jesus, steal away an' pray, I'm lookin' fer my Jesus, steal away an' pray, I'm lookin' fer my Jesus, can't stay away." De ole slaves useter sing dis one, an' Mammy tot hit ter me: No mo' auction block fer me, No Mo', No Mo', No mo' auction block fer me, No mo', driver's lash fer me, No mo', No mo', No mo' pint o' salt fer me, No mo' pint o' salt fer me, No mo', No mo', No mo' pint o' salt fer me, Many thousan' gone, Many thousan' gone, No mo' wukk fer me, No mo', no mo' wukk fer me.

What you mean by no mo' pint o' salt fer me? Why, didn't you know, w'en dey lash de back ob de slave, den dey take er pint ob salt an' rub hit in der raw places. Cose hit hurt lak de very debbil. Cose hit lef' scars. No ma'am, Marse Dick didn't 'low no sech wid he niggers. He was er good marster. No ma'am I ain't seen hit done, not no whuppin' an' er puttin' ob salt in de wounds, but I'ze seed de cut places wid de salt in 'em. Dey put de salt in hit ter make hit heal up.  I was raised by de w'ite folks an' I don't know nuttin' 'bout no cunjurin'. I don' know no superstitions. But dar has been some queer things dat de w'ite folks don' un'erstan'. Dar is folks dat kin see de speerits, but I can't. Ole man Josh Simmuns useter tell 'bout de Ridge Graveyard Ghost. I kin tell you what I'ze heard him tell, but I don't know effen hit happened er not. One night ole Josh he was in he buggy an' hit was real dark. He had ter go by de Ridge Graveyard, dar wuzn't no odder way he culd git home. Hit was darker dan er stack ob black cats. Ole Josh he tried ter whissle but he jes' couldn't make er soun'. He tried to hurry dat hoss but hit jes' wouldn't go fas'. W'en Josh git erbout half way pas' de grave yard, dat hoss he jes' stop, an' he wouldn't go er step. Ole Josh he git de whip, but de whip hit feel heaby as lead, an' Josh could hardly lif' hit, an' w'en hit come down on de hoss hit jes' fall sof' as snow. 'Bout dat time, Josh he feel de side ob de buggy nighes' de graveyard sink down an' he hear de springs er creakin' but he couldn' see not er thing. Den de hoss hit go ter movin' but hit only go reals slow. Josh could feel dat de whole buggy full ob somefin' but he couldn't see noddin', an' he say he didn't jes' feel in de mood ter stretch he arm out an do eny feelin'. De hoss he strain an' pull slow lak he got er real heavy lead. Josh he thought effen he could sing dat would frighten de spirit away, case he know er ghos' done settin' dar by him. He tried ter sing but de onles' song he could 'member was "Hark frum de tomb er doleful soun'" an' as he croaked "Hark", dat ar thing er scttin' by him, hit say "Hark". An' ole Josh , he clar ter he dyin' day dat he could smell hit's bref, an' hit was moldey. Ole Josh , he sot an' tremble an' de hoss, he swet an' pull. Den dey come ter a store, an' de hoss stop widout enyboddy tell him, an' dat black shape, hit got outten old Josh's buggy an' don' say er word. Den dat hoss, he run, an' he run, widout ole Josh sayin' er thing ter him. Josh clar dat hoss run five mile 'fore he stop, an' then he an' Josh both 'bout dead an' Josh didn' hab er dry thread on him. Dat's de onles' ghost story I knows. "In dose days, de wimmin dey knowed 'bout doctorin'; dey had ter, case de doctor dey libed sometimes twenty miles erway. Mos' de ole slaves was purty good at doctorin' an' my Mammy she taught me er lot herself. Some, she larned from de ole folks from Africa, an' some de Injuns taught her. Effen er pusson has de roomatizm, jes' take white sassafrass root an' bils hit an' make er tea an' let dem bathe wid dat; hit shore is good. Den you can make er linermint from er tea made by bilin' mullein flowers, poke roots, alum and salt all togedder. Rub dat on de jints an' hit cures de roomatizm. Effen you git de chills, put red pepper or salt in your shoes and dat will keep de chill off. To string briars roun' de neck will do de same thing. Red or black snake root tea will cure feber an' malaria er chills. You hab ter git dem roots in de spring w'en de sap is high. Git some new domestic, make er sack an' fill hit half-full ob salt, den put nine grains ob red pepper and four buckeyes in hit an' wear hit all de time an' you ain't gwine hab no chills. In hog killin' time us allers saved de hog hoofs an' made er tea outten dem w'en de chilluns er enyboddy git er cold. Den pine top tea, sweetened wid honey is good fer er cold an' tea made wid sweet gum balls is good. Mullein leaves is shore good medicine fer colds. Make a tea ob hit or wear hit in de shoes; tea from pine straw is good too. "Us allers has de chilluns wear rattlesnakes rattles roun' dere neck w'en dey teefin'; hog teef', er alligater teef are good too. You can use spice, china berries, elderberries er elderberry sticks roun' de neck an' de chile will hab er easy time cuttin' he teef. "Now lady, dat Miss New Moon she ain' foolin' she gwine bring you good an' she gwine bring you bad, you better treat her lak er lady. Effen you show her money w'ens she new an' you'll hab money all dat month. Jes' throw her five kisses an' show her money, make five wishes an' she'll see dat you git dem wishes 'fore dat month am out. Show de New Moon what you want, an' wish, with er curtesy to her an' git hit 'fore dat month is out. W'en I plant enything I plant it in de moon. Effen hits er root plant, lak 'tater, I plants dem in de dark ob de moon; but effen hit grows on top ob de groun' lak peas, I plants dem in de light ob de moon. Us aller makes soap an' kill de hogs on de full ob de moon, so dar will be tender meat an' plenty grease. Now, on de New Year Day effen you eat black eyed peas an' hog jowl you gwine habe plenty all de comin year. Gran'ma aller tell us: Dose black eyed peas is lucky W'en et on de New Years' Day, You'll aller hab sweet 'taters An' 'possum come your way. When er boddy git cut er hurt, I allers burn some woolen rags an' smoke de wound; er burn er piece ob fat pine an drop de tar f'om hit on some scorched wool and bind dat woolen piece on de wound. Effen you can git er piece ob calf liver an' bind hit over the wound, dat's good. I'ze aller tuk notice dat effen er boddy git hurt on de new moon dat scar gwine grow wid de moon an' make er large scar. Effen dey gits hurt on de wane ob de moon, dar will be er small scar. I stops de bleedin' wid soot an' cobwebs. Hit's pow'ful good ter let er dog lick de place. W'en er snake bite er pusson, hits good ter suck de poison out but don't let er blue gummed nigger do dat, case dey jes' ez pizen es er rattler. Hit be pow'ful good ter kill er black chicken an' bind hit w'ile hits hot on de bite. A poultice ob soda an' home made lye soap will hope hit some. W'en I git de headache, I put er hoss radish poultice on my haid effen I kin git hit. Er Jimson weed poultice is sho' fine too. Den ergin' I burn er ole shoe an' sniff dat smoke. Effen I has de headache putry offen I wears er nutmeg on er string aroun' my neck. Mammy uster tie er knot in er string an' put dat knot in de front ob de head an' tie de string 'roun' her haid. In de slave times, de niggers went barfoot mos' all de time an' dey allers git dey foots hurt an' git snake bite in snake time. "Effen you kill de furst snake you see in de spring, den your enemies ain't gwine git de bes' ob you dat year. I'ze er wear dat red flannel string all plaited up, roun' my wrist ter keep away de sprains. I'ze done dat all my life an' hit shore wukks. W'en de folkses git er sprain, I jes' gits me er dirt dauber's nes' an git de clay f'om hit, wet dat clay wid vinegar an' bind roun' de sprain' an' hit git all right. Dat dime on de string roun' my ankle keeps de cramps outten my leg. Mammy allers did dat an' hits sho' good. Tea f'om red coon-root is good fer dat too. De pickerninnies was allers er stickin' nails in de foots atter de folks git ter usin' nails. I tie er piece ob fat meat an' er penny ober de place an' dat cures hit. Oh, de penny don' let none ob dat blood poison git in de place. Er poultice ob sugar an' turpentine is good fer dat, too. An' er poultice ob mashed Jimson weed leaves er some snake oil is good. Er salve ob stewed earth worms is good fer earache; hits good medecine fer er lot ob things.

Harriet Collins was born in Houston, Texas, in 1870. Her family had been slaves of Richard Coke , and remained with him many years after they were freed. Harriet recalls some incidents of the construction days, and believes in the superstitions handed down to her from slave days.

My birthday done come in January, on de tenth. I's birthed in Houston, in 1870, and Gov. Richard Coke allus had owned my daddy and mammy, and dey stayed with him after freedom. Mammy, what was Julia Collins , didn't die till 1910, and she was most a hundred year old. "She done told me many a time 'bout how folkses git all worked up over Marse Coke's 'lection. Mammy took lunch to de Capitol House to Marse Richard , and dere he am on de top floor with all he congressmen and dat Davis man and he men on de bottom floor, tryin' to say Marse Richard ain't got no right to be governor dis here State. Old Miss and de folkses didn't sleep a wink dat night, 'cause dey thunk it sho' be a fight. Dat in 1873, mammy allus say. "De old place at Houston was like most all old places. Dere was little, small dormer windows, dey call 'em, in upstairs, and big porches everywhere. Dere was 'hogany furniture and rosewood bedsteads, and big, black walnut dressers with big mirrors and little ones down de side. Old Miss allus have us keep de drapes white as drifted snow, and polish de furniture till it shine. Dere was sofies with dem claw foots, and lots of purty chiny and silver. "On de farm out from town dere was de log house, with quarters and de smokehouse and washhouse and big barns and carriage house. De quarters was little, whitewashed, log houses, one for de family, and a fence of de split railin's round most of dem. "De white and cullud chillen played together, all over de place. Dey went fishin' and rode de plough hosses and run de calves and colts and sech devilment. De little white gals all had to wear sunbonnets, and Old Miss, she sew dem bonnets on every day, so dey not git sunburnt. Us niggers weared de long, duckin' shirts till us git 'bout growed, and den us weared long, dark blue dresses. Dey had spinnin' and weavin' rooms, where de cullud women makes de clothes. "Old Miss, she sho' a powerful manager. She knowed jes' how much med and meat and sorghum it gwine take to run de plantation a year. She know jes' how much thread it take for spinnin', and she bossed de settin' hens and turkeys and fixin' of 'serves and soap. She was sho' good to you iffen you work and do like she tell you. Many a night she go round to see dat all was right. She a powerful good muss, too, and so was mammy. "De white folks had good times. Dey'd go hossback ridin' and on picnics, and fishin' and have big dinners and balls. Come Christmas, dey have us slaves cut a big lot of wood and keep fires all night for a week or two. De house be lit with candles from top to toe, and lots of company come. For dinner us have turkey and beef roast and a big 'ginny ham and big bowls of eggnog and a pitcher of apple cider and apple toddy. All us git somethin' on Christmas and plenty eggnog, but no gittin' drunk.

I can jes' see Marse Dick , tall and kinder stooped like, with de big flop hat and longtail coat and allus carryin' a big, old walkin' stick. He was sho' a brave man and de big men say dey likes dat flop hat. 'cause dey done follow it on de battlefield. He had a big voice and dey de tell how, in de war, held holler, 'Come on, boys,' and de bullets be like hail and men fallin' all round, but dat don't stop Marse Dick . He'd take off dat flop hat and plunge right on and dey'd foller he bald head where de fight was hottes'. He was sho' a man! "When I gits married it was eight folkses dere. I jus' walks off and goes to housekeepin'. I had a calico dress and a Baptist preacher marries us. "Dere been some queer things white folks can't understand. Dere am folkses can see de spirits, but I can't. My mammy larned me a lots of doctorin', what she larnt from old folkses from Africy, and some de Indians larnt her If you has rheumatism, jes' take white sassafras root and bile it and drink de tea. You makes lin'ment by boilin' mullein flowers and poke roots and alum and salt. Put red pepper in you shoes and keep de chills off, or string briars round de neck. Make red or black snakeroot tea to cure fever and malaria, but git de roots in de spring when de sap am high. "When chillen teethin' put rattlesnake rattles round de neck, and alligator teeth an good, too. Show de new moon money and you'll have money all month. Throw her five kisses and show her money and make five wishes and you'll git dem. Eat black-eyed peas on New Year and have luck all dat year: Dose black-eyed pees is lucky. When et on New Year's Day; You'll allus have sweet 'taters And possum come you way.' When anybody git cut I allus burns woolen rags and smokes de wound or burns a piece fat pine and drops tar from it on scorched wool and bind it on de wound. For headache put a horseradish poultice on de head, or wear a nutmeg on a string round you neck. If you kills de first snake you sees in spring, you enemies ain't gwine git de best of you dat year. For a sprain, git a dirt dauber's neat and put de clay with vinegar and bind round de sprain. De dime on de string round my ankle keeps cramps out my leg, and tea from red coon-root good, too. All dese doctorin' things come clear from Africy, and dey allus worked for mammy and for me, too.

My birfday come January 10th. I was born in Houston, Texas, 1870. Governor Richard Coke owned us. I come to Waco atter I was er grown woman. My Mammy, Julia Collins , died in 1910. She was mos' a hun'erd years old. Dar used ter be real putry springs jes' below de Cotton Mill on Taylor Street, East Waco, dat was in de 900 block on Taylor. De ole mill was built by Mrs. Earl an' hit made clothes fer de Confederate soljers. Hit got burned down 'bout four er five years ago. Dem springs was a fine fishin' place an' I'ze cotched er meny er mess ob fish dar. De w'ite folks liked ter fish dar too. My Mammy hab told me er meny er time 'bout how da folkses git all wukked up ober Marse Coke's 'lection ter gobernor. Mammy took er lunch up to de Capitol House ter Marse Richard ; an' Marse Richard , he on de top floor an' he congressmen; an' dat Gobernor Davis an' he men dey down on the bottom floor er tryin' ter say dat Marse Richard he ain't got no lawful right ter be de Gobernor ob dis here state. Ole Miss an' de folkses dey didn't sleep er wink dat night case dey thought shore dar gwine be er fight. But ole man Davis he saw he done git beat, an' he got away in er few days, an' my Marster, he was de Governor. Dat was in sebenty-three, Mammy allus said. In 'bout three year, Marse Richard he got sont ter de United States, up ter Washington ter be a Senator. He was sont ter Washington ebery year fer 'bout eighteen years. "De ole place at Houston was lak mos' all de places in dis country in dem times. Dar was little small dormer windows, dey call 'em in de upstairs, an' big porches eberywhar. Ole Mis' had er lot ob flowers, sech as lilacs an' syringas, an' roses, an' locusts, an' jes' 'bout all kinds dat enybody had. Dar was mahogany furnichure an' rosewood bedsteads, an' big, black dressers dat had big mirrors, an' er row ob little ones down de sides. Mammy an' me wukked in de house, dey call us house slaves. Ole Mis' allus had us keep de drapes jes' w'ite as drifted snow, an' de fernichure all polished till hit shine. Dar was some straight back chairs an' some dat de slaves made. Dar was one or two sofies wid claw lak foots, an' Miss had her gran'mas table wid little legs wid brass at de bottom ob de leg. Dar was lots ob purty chiny an' silver, dat dey done had er long time. "On de odder place out from town, dar was a big log house, wid de quarters, smokehouse, wash house, an' carpenter shop an' de big barns, an' kerridge house. Dar was big barns an' er kerridge house in town too. De quarters had little, whitewashed log houses, one fer each fambly. Dar was er fence ob split palings 'roun' mos' ob 'em. Dar was er big vegetable garden. Dey had cherries, peaches an' apples in de orchard. "De w'ite an' de cullud chillun played togedder. Dey was all ober de place. Dey 'ud go to der orchard ter rob birds' nestses; an' oh! my, w'en dey foun' er cat bird nestses, den dey git all 'cited, case de cat bird, he gwine kill er snake de minnit he see him. In de spring an' summer, dey went fishing, er washin' in de creek, rode de plough hosses from de fiel's, run de calves an' colts, chased an' fight de ole ganders, an sech devilment. De little w'ite girls all had ter wear big sunbonnets an' ole Miss, she sew dem bonnets on so de girls not git sunburnt. All de sarbants wore er long duckin' shirt till dey git 'bout grown. De cullud girls wore mos' en allways, dark blue dresses. Dey had great big spinnin' an' weavin' rooms whar de cullud wimmin made de cloth an' de homespun fer ebery boddy ter wear. Ole Mis' she sho er pow'ful manager. She sho knowed whar ebery thing was kep' an' hit shore better be dar. She knowed jes' how much meat, meal an' sorg'um hit gwine ter take ter run de plantation er year. She know jes' how much thread er woman otter spin in er day; how much cloth de weaver otter weave, an' she know how much you otter do in de kitchen in er day. Ebery mornin' she tell ebery body what dey gwine do dat day. She bossed de settin' ob de hens an' de turkeys an' de fixin' ob zarbes an' butter an' de meat an' soap in der winter. Dar was lots ob wild turkeys in dem days an prairie chickens, but she got some eggs from back in de ole states an' she want dat kind. She taught de slaves how she wanted de spinnin' an' de weavin' done an' all de kinds ob wukk. She shore was good ter you effen you wukk an' do lak she tell you. Meny er night I'ze seed her an' gone wid her too, w'en she go roun' ter see dat all was right an' noboddy sick ner noddin'. She was pow'ful good nuss an' so was Mammy. Mammy knowed dem roots an' herbs an sech an' she er good nuss too. "Us had ter wukk, eberybody did, but my w'ite folks dey was real folks an' dey looked atter us, jes' ez good ez dey could. De w'ite folks had good times. Dey 'ud go hoss back ridin', er on picnics. An' in de spring an' summer, de 'ud go fishin'; an' dey had de big dinners, an' dances. Come Chrismus, an' dey 'ud hab de slaves cut er big lot ob wood an' keep de fires all night fer er week er two. Dey frien's an' kin folks 'ud come an' de house 'ud be lit by candles from top to toe. Dar 'ud be wreaths all ober an' berries an' sech. Dey dressed up de parlor an' de hall, an' de dining room an' de church. Fer Chrismus dinner, dey hab turkey, er big beef roas', an er big 'Gininy ham, an' big bowls ob egg nog, an' pitcher ob apple cider an' apple toddy. "All de sarbants, dey gwine er git som'pin on de Chrismus time an' de shore gwine git er big dinner an' plenty ob egg-nog. No'm dey didn't 'low no gittin' drunk lak dey does dese days. Dar was er cherch on de place, an' one in town. Us cullud folks went to cherch in de afternoon after de w'ite folks had der services in de mornin'. Marse, he mighty 'tickler 'bout how things go roun' de place. I kin jes' see Marse Dick , er tall, kinder stooped jes' er bit, wid he big flop hat, an' long-tail coat an' he allers karried a big ole walkin' stick. "He was shore a brave man an' de big men uset ter say dey lak dat flop hat kase dey had follered Marse Dick w'en he wore it on de battlefiel'. He had a big voice an' dey do tell 'bout how, in de war he'd holler 'Come on boys an' de bullets dey'd be lak hail an' men fallin' all roun', but dat didn't stop Marse Dick . He'd take off dat ole flop hat, an' plunge right on. De folks 'ud tell how dey'd foller he shinin' bald head whar de fight was de hottes'. He was shore a man.

De time dat Davis man conten' fer ter be Governor 'stead ob Marse Dick wuzn't de onlyes' time dat we all skeered fer Marse Dick . Dar was er time w'en some railroad dey wan't er law dat 'ud gibe 'em some lan' out torreds San Anton' an' Marse Dick he say de law ain't low dat be done. De folkses all git rought up, some fer an' some ergin' de way Marse Dick said. An' dey was er talkin' up an' down de town dat dey gwine do dis an' dat. Marse Dick's frien's dey scairt dat dey gwine do somefin' ter Marse Dick or to some he fambly. Us all scairt, an ole Mis' she jes' smile lak she done froze an' go roun' lak she er way fur off. Mars' Flech' Stockdale an' seberal odders dey come ter de Gobernor's house ter talk wid Marse Dick an' dey say ter him dat dar was folks dat was gittin' roun' in crowds er talkin' dat dey gwine mebby come in de manshun er git Marse Dick er some ob he fambly an' do some mischief. Us all scarit an' lis'nin' an' Mammy she cotched me in de hall an' she shoo me back ter de kitchen. Mammy said dat Marse Dick , he jes' thank dese men an' say dey kin stay fer er visit long as dey want, but he kin perteck he home, case dat he castle. Effen dey want, dey kin do what dey lak out on de street, but effen dey put er foot on de yard ob dat place, Marse Dick 'klare dat dey gwine be took out feet furst. Well, atter a'wile dese men dey leave. An' den Marse Dick what you rekon he do? Well sir, he jes' git he coat, an' ole flop hat, an' git he walkin' stick an' out he go. Us jes' scairt an' don't know what ter do. Long atter dat, Mammy tell dat Marse Dick he jes' march out on de street, an' he come close ter one ob dem crowds an' he lissen what dey say. An' in er lettle he hear dem talk 'bout him. Den he jes' walk right up ter dat man an' he tell all ob 'em dat dar he is, an' what dey gwine ter do, jes' do hit now. Dey jes' slip away an' by-me-by dar ain't none lef'. Marse Dick he jes' march down dat Avenoo, down one side, an' back de odder. An' dey ain't bodder him neidder. Didn't noboddy come in dat yard neidder. "Yassma'm, my ole Marse Dick he was de smartes' man in dis state. Why, I'ze heard Mars' Waller Baker what libed here in Waco, say er meny er time, dat Marse Dick knowed more 'bout makin' de right kind ob law dan eny ob dem odder Senators up in Washington. "I'ze seed Waco grow from a leetle place up now to a city. 'Bout three er four years atter de Freedom War, de folks come ter Waco in er lot, but durin' de War, dey come too. I know 'bout w'en us git here dar was three mills to make de lumber er goin' up, an' two flour mills soon built, an' dar was er ice factory, an' two colleges. Long 'bout 1882 ole Judge Gallergar took charge ob all de free schools. "I had er lot ob good times. I went fishin' an' to dances an' ter 'vivals. One time dey let me go to Thad Cokes to be dere sarbant. I didn't want ter go. He wife she was pow'ful mean. I nebber was hit by noboddy, an' Marse Dick an' he wife dey didn't 'low no beatin' on dere black folkses. She thot she gwine beat me wid er close line. She tell me go out in de yard an' git er new close line us had out dar. She say she gwine beat de debbil outten dat spilt nigger gal. I asked what I'd done, an' she say dat I laks ter primp too much fer er nigger. Well I goes git dat new line, but I says ter myself, I ain't gwine be whupped not now, I'ze done er grown woman. So, I goes jes' ez quiet ez I could an' put dat line by her door; den I ran lak de debbil was atter me. I waded dat big Brazos an' I got ter ole Mis Coke an' fall at her foots an' I cry an' cry an' tell her dey bin mean ter Harriett , an' I ain't gwine ter be beat. An' I wuzn't, no sir'ree. "W'en I git married dar was eight folks dar. Oh, I jes' walked off an' git married an' us went ter housekeepin'. I had on er kaliker dress what my w'ite folks gibed me. Er Mishunary Baptist preacher married us. Der was er song dat Mammy an' de ole folkses sung er lot, dat I sho' laks. Hits "Oh my Lawd, oh, my Lawd, What shall I do?" "Hush, hush, somebody callin' my name, Hush, hush, somebody callin' my name, Hush, hush, somebody callin' my name, Oh, my Lawd, Oh, my Lawd, What shall I do? "I'm so glad that trouble don't last always, I'm so glad that trouble don't last always, I'm so glad that trouble don't last always, Oh, my Lawd, Oh, my Lawd, What shall I do?" In de slave times w'en dey whup de slaves too much an' thing jes' git beyon' endurin' de slave gwine run erway. No'm I don' 'member much 'bout dat. No, us didn't feed 'em. Yassum, guess dey did find somefin' ter eat. I don't know much about hit. In dem times, us didn't hab prayer meetin' lak us do now. De w'ite folks didn't 'low us ter meet eny whar at night. An' effen us had er prayer meetin' us had ter slip off. De ole folks uset ter sing dis song w'ile dey wukked in de fiel' er in de woods, to tell 'em to slip off to er night meetin': "Steal away an' pray, I'm lookin' fer my Jesus, steal away an' pray, I'm lookin' fer my Jesus, steal away an' pray, I'm lookin' fer my Jesus, can't stay away." De ole slaves useter sing dis one, an' Mammy tot hit ter me: No mo' auction block fer me, No Mo', No Mo', No mo' auction block fer me, No mo', driver's lash fer me, No mo', No mo', No mo' pint o' salt fer me, No mo' pint o' salt fer me, No mo', No mo', No mo' pint o' salt fer me, Many thousan' gone, Many thousan' gone, No mo' wukk fer me, No mo', no mo' wukk fer me.

What you mean by no mo' pint o' salt fer me? Why, didn't you know, w'en dey lash de back ob de slave, den dey take er pint ob salt an' rub hit in der raw places. Cose hit hurt lak de very debbil. Cose hit lef' scars. No ma'am, Marse Dick didn't 'low no sech wid he niggers. He was er good marster. No ma'am I ain't seen hit done, not no whuppin' an' er puttin' ob salt in de wounds, but I'ze seed de cut places wid de salt in 'em. Dey put de salt in hit ter make hit heal up.  I was raised by de w'ite folks an' I don't know nuttin' 'bout no cunjurin'. I don' know no superstitions. But dar has been some queer things dat de w'ite folks don' un'erstan'. Dar is folks dat kin see de speerits, but I can't. Ole man Josh Simmuns useter tell 'bout de Ridge Graveyard Ghost. I kin tell you what I'ze heard him tell, but I don't know effen hit happened er not. One night ole Josh he was in he buggy an' hit was real dark. He had ter go by de Ridge Graveyard, dar wuzn't no odder way he culd git home. Hit was darker dan er stack ob black cats. Ole Josh he tried ter whissle but he jes' couldn't make er soun'. He tried to hurry dat hoss but hit jes' wouldn't go fas'. W'en Josh git erbout half way pas' de grave yard, dat hoss he jes' stop, an' he wouldn't go er step. Ole Josh he git de whip, but de whip hit feel heaby as lead, an' Josh could hardly lif' hit, an' w'en hit come down on de hoss hit jes' fall sof' as snow. 'Bout dat time, Josh he feel de side ob de buggy nighes' de graveyard sink down an' he hear de springs er creakin' but he couldn' see not er thing. Den de hoss hit go ter movin' but hit only go reals slow. Josh could feel dat de whole buggy full ob somefin' but he couldn't see noddin', an' he say he didn't jes' feel in de mood ter stretch he arm out an do eny feelin'. De hoss he strain an' pull slow lak he got er real heavy lead. Josh he thought effen he could sing dat would frighten de spirit away, case he know er ghos' done settin' dar by him. He tried ter sing but de onles' song he could 'member was "Hark frum de tomb er doleful soun'" an' as he croaked "Hark", dat ar thing er scttin' by him, hit say "Hark". An' ole Josh , he clar ter he dyin' day dat he could smell hit's bref, an' hit was moldey. Ole Josh , he sot an' tremble an' de hoss, he swet an' pull. Den dey come ter a store, an' de hoss stop widout enyboddy tell him, an' dat black shape, hit got outten old Josh's buggy an' don' say er word. Den dat hoss, he run, an' he run, widout ole Josh sayin' er thing ter him. Josh clar dat hoss run five mile 'fore he stop, an' then he an' Josh both 'bout dead an' Josh didn' hab er dry thread on him. Dat's de onles' ghost story I knows. "In dose days, de wimmin dey knowed 'bout doctorin'; dey had ter, case de doctor dey libed sometimes twenty miles erway. Mos' de ole slaves was purty good at doctorin' an' my Mammy she taught me er lot herself. Some, she larned from de ole folks from Africa, an' some de Injuns taught her. Effen er pusson has de roomatizm, jes' take white sassafrass root an' bils hit an' make er tea an' let dem bathe wid dat; hit shore is good. Den you can make er linermint from er tea made by bilin' mullein flowers, poke roots, alum and salt all togedder. Rub dat on de jints an' hit cures de roomatizm. Effen you git de chills, put red pepper or salt in your shoes and dat will keep de chill off. To string briars roun' de neck will do de same thing. Red or black snake root tea will cure feber an' malaria er chills. You hab ter git dem roots in de spring w'en de sap is high. Git some new domestic, make er sack an' fill hit half-full ob salt, den put nine grains ob red pepper and four buckeyes in hit an' wear hit all de time an' you ain't gwine hab no chills. In hog killin' time us allers saved de hog hoofs an' made er tea outten dem w'en de chilluns er enyboddy git er cold. Den pine top tea, sweetened wid honey is good fer er cold an' tea made wid sweet gum balls is good. Mullein leaves is shore good medicine fer colds. Make a tea ob hit or wear hit in de shoes; tea from pine straw is good too. "Us allers has de chilluns wear rattlesnakes rattles roun' dere neck w'en dey teefin'; hog teef', er alligater teef are good too. You can use spice, china berries, elderberries er elderberry sticks roun' de neck an' de chile will hab er easy time cuttin' he teef. "Now lady, dat Miss New Moon she ain' foolin' she gwine bring you good an' she gwine bring you bad, you better treat her lak er lady. Effen you show her money w'ens she new an' you'll hab money all dat month. Jes' throw her five kisses an' show her money, make five wishes an' she'll see dat you git dem wishes 'fore dat month am out. Show de New Moon what you want, an' wish, with er curtesy to her an' git hit 'fore dat month is out. W'en I plant enything I plant it in de moon. Effen hits er root plant, lak 'tater, I plants dem in de dark ob de moon; but effen hit grows on top ob de groun' lak peas, I plants dem in de light ob de moon. Us aller makes soap an' kill de hogs on de full ob de moon, so dar will be tender meat an' plenty grease. Now, on de New Year Day effen you eat black eyed peas an' hog jowl you gwine habe plenty all de comin year. Gran'ma aller tell us: Dose black eyed peas is lucky W'en et on de New Years' Day, You'll aller hab sweet 'taters An' 'possum come your way. When er boddy git cut er hurt, I allers burn some woolen rags an' smoke de wound; er burn er piece ob fat pine an drop de tar f'om hit on some scorched wool and bind dat woolen piece on de wound. Effen you can git er piece ob calf liver an' bind hit over the wound, dat's good. I'ze aller tuk notice dat effen er boddy git hurt on de new moon dat scar gwine grow wid de moon an' make er large scar. Effen dey gits hurt on de wane ob de moon, dar will be er small scar. I stops de bleedin' wid soot an' cobwebs. Hit's pow'ful good ter let er dog lick de place. W'en er snake bite er pusson, hits good ter suck de poison out but don't let er blue gummed nigger do dat, case dey jes' ez pizen es er rattler. Hit be pow'ful good ter kill er black chicken an' bind hit w'ile hits hot on de bite. A poultice ob soda an' home made lye soap will hope hit some. W'en I git de headache, I put er hoss radish poultice on my haid effen I kin git hit. Er Jimson weed poultice is sho' fine too. Den ergin' I burn er ole shoe an' sniff dat smoke. Effen I has de headache putry offen I wears er nutmeg on er string aroun' my neck. Mammy uster tie er knot in er string an' put dat knot in de front ob de head an' tie de string 'roun' her haid. In de slave times, de niggers went barfoot mos' all de time an' dey allers git dey foots hurt an' git snake bite in snake time. "Effen you kill de furst snake you see in de spring, den your enemies ain't gwine git de bes' ob you dat year. I'ze er wear dat red flannel string all plaited up, roun' my wrist ter keep away de sprains. I'ze done dat all my life an' hit shore wukks. W'en de folkses git er sprain, I jes' gits me er dirt dauber's nes' an git de clay f'om hit, wet dat clay wid vinegar an' bind roun' de sprain' an' hit git all right. Dat dime on de string roun' my ankle keeps de cramps outten my leg. Mammy allers did dat an' hits sho' good. Tea f'om red coon-root is good fer dat too. De pickerninnies was allers er stickin' nails in de foots atter de folks git ter usin' nails. I tie er piece ob fat meat an' er penny ober de place an' dat cures hit. Oh, de penny don' let none ob dat blood poison git in de place. Er poultice ob sugar an' turpentine is good fer dat, too. An' er poultice ob mashed Jimson weed leaves er some snake oil is good. Er salve ob stewed earth worms is good fer earache; hits good medecine fer er lot ob things.