An interview with Blount Baker, 106 Spruce Street, Wilson, North
Carolina.
Yes'um, I 'longed ter Marse Henry Allen of Wilson County an' we always
raise terbacker. Marse Henry wus good ter us so we had a heap of prayer
meetin's an' corn shuckin's an' such.
I 'members de big meetin's dat we'd have in de summer time an' dat good
singin' we'd have when we'd be singin' de sinners through. We'd stay
pretty nigh all night to make a sinner come through, an' maybe de week
atter de meetin' he'd steal one of his marster's hogs. Yes'um, I'se had
a bad time.
You know, missy, dar ain't no use puttin' faith in nobody, dey'd fool
you ever time anyhow. I know once a patteroller tol' me dat iffen I'd
give him a belt I found dat he'd let me go by ter see my gal dat night,
but when he kotch me dat night he whupped me. I tol' Marse Henry on him
too so Marse Henry takes de belt away from him an' gives me a possum fer
hit. Dat possum shore wus good too, baked in de ashes like I done it.
I ain't never hear Marse Henry cuss but once an' dat wus de time dat
some gentlemens come ter de house an' sez dat dar am a war 'twixt de
north an' de south. He sez den, 'Let de damn yaller bellied Yankees come
on an' we'll give 'em hell an' sen' dem a-hoppin' back ter de north in a
hurry.'
We ain't seed no Yankees 'cept a few huntin' Rebs. Dey talk mean ter us
an' one of dem says dat we niggers am de cause of de war. 'Sir,' I sez,
'folks what am a wantin' a war can always find a cause'. He kicks me in
de seat of de pants fer dat, so I hushes.
I stayed wid Marse Henry till he died den I moved ter Wilson. I has
worked everwhere, terbacker warehouses an' ever'thing. I'se gittin' of
my ole age pension right away an' den de county won't have ter support
me no mo', dat is if dey have been supportin' me on three dollars a
month.