*Susan Smith is not sure of her age, but appears to be in the late
eighties. She was a slave of Charles Weeks, in Iberia, Louisiana. Susan
was dressed in a black and white print, a light blue apron and a black
velvet hat when interviewed, and seemed to be enjoying the generous quid
of tobacco she took as she started to tell her story.*
"I 'lieve I was nine or ten when freedom come, 'cause I was nursing for
the white folks. Old massa was Charlie Weeks and he lived in Iberia. His
sons, Willie and Ned, dey run business in de court house. One of dem tax
collector and de other lookin' after de land, and am de surveyor. Old
missus named Mag Weeks.
"My pa named Dennis Joe and ma named Sabry Joe, and dey borned and
raised on Weeks Island, in Louisiana. After dey old massa die, dey was
'vided up and falls to Massa Charlie Weeks, and dat where I borned, in
Iberia on Bayou Teche.
"Massa Charlie, he live in de big brick house with white columns and
everybody what pass dere know dat place. Dey have de great big tomb in
corner de yard, where dey buries all dey folks, but buries de cullud
folks back of de quarters. Dey's well fix in Louisiana, but not so good
after dey come to Texas.
"Dey used to have big Christmas in Louisiana and lots of things for us,
and a big table and kill hawgs and have lots to eat. But old Missus Mag,
she allus treat me like her own chillen and make me set at de table with
dem and eat.
"I was with Missus Mag on a visit to Mansfield when de war starts at six
o'clock Sunday and go till six o'clock Monday. I went over dat
battlefield and look at dem sojers dey kill. David McGill, a young
massa, he git kill. He uncle, William Weeks, what done hired him to jine
the army in he place, he goes to the battlefield to look for Massa
David. De only way he knowed it was him, he have two gold eyeteeth with
diamonds in dem. Some dem hurt sojers was prayin' and some cussin'. You
could hear some dem hollerin', 'Oh, Gawd, help me.' Dey was layin' so
thick you have to step over dem.
"I seed de sojers in Iberia. Dey take anythin' dey wants. Dey cotch de
cow and kill it and eat it. Dey have de camp dere and dey jus' carry on.
I used to go to de camp, 'cause dey give me crackers and sardines. But
after dat Mansfield battle dey have up white flags and dey ain't no more
war dere. But while it gwine on, I go to de camp and sometimes dem
sojers give me meat and barbecue. Dey one place dere a lump salt big as
dis house, and dey set fire to de house and left dat big lump salt.
Anywhere dey camp dey burns up de house.
"I didn't know I'm free till a man say to me, 'Sissy, ain't you know you
ain't got no more massa or missus?' I say, 'No, suh.' But I stays with
dem till I git marry, and slep' right in dey house and nuss for dem. Dey
give me de big weddin', too. De noter public in Iberia, he marry us. My
husband name Henry Smith and dat when I'm fifteen year old. I so
big-limb and fat den I bigger den what I is now.
"I ain't had no husband for a time. I can't cast de years, he been dead
so long. Us have fifteen chillen, and seven livin' now.
"Sperrits? I used to see dem. I scart of dem. Sometime dey looks nat'ral
and sometime like de shadow. Iffen dey look like de shadow, jus' keep on
lookin' at dem till dey looks nat'ral. Iffen you walks 'long, dey come
right up side you. Iffen you looks over you left shoulder, you see dem.
Dey makes de air feel warm and you hair rise up, and sometime dey gives
you de cold chills. You can feel it when dey with you. I set here and
seed dem standin' in dat gate. Dey goes round like dey done when dey
a-livin'. Some say dey can't cross water.
"I heared talk of de bad mouth. A old woman put bad mouth on you and
shake her hand at you, and befo' de day done you gwine be in de
acciden'.
"I seed de Klu Klux. Po' Cajuns and redbones, I calls dem. Dey ought to
be sleepin'. One time I seed a man hangin' in de wood when I'n pickin'
blackberries. His tongue hangin' out and de buzzards fly down on he
shoulder. De breeze sot him to swingin' and de buzzards fly off. I tells
de people and dey takes him down to bury. He a fine, young cullud man. I
don't know why dey done it. Dat after peace and de Yankees done gone
back home.
"I been here in Texas a good while, and it such a rough road it got my
'membrance all stir up. I never been to school, 'cause I bound out to
work. I lives with my daughter and dis child here my grandchild. I can't
'member no more, 'cause my head ain't good as it used to be."