*Personal conversation with Sallie Reynolds*
*552 South Conception Street, Mobile, Alabama*
--_Compiled by Mary A. Poole_
_SATAN'S GOIN' 'ROUND WID HIS TAIL CURLED UP_
Sally Reynolds, living at 552 South Conception street, was busy at the
wash tub when the writer called to interview her on July 20, 1937, so it
being a hot day we decided to continue our conversation out doors under
the washshed amid a conglomeration of tubs, buckets, empty boxes, etc.
Sallie said she was born in Hiltown, Georgia, where her mother Margaret
Owens was a slave and the cook on the plantation of Mr. Lit Albritton.
When Sallie was about three years of age her mother gave her to Mrs.
Becke Albritton, who lived at New Providence, near Rutledge in Crenshaw
County, Alabama, to whom she was bound until 21 years of age. There was
also a brother given by her mother to some folks in Florida and of whom
Sallie never had any knowledge whatever.
Sallie said Mrs. Albritton was kind to her, taught her to spin and sew,
and she tried to learn herself to weave, but, somehow, could never
master it.
Mrs. Albritton had only a few slaves who were named, Mose, Dan, Charles,
Sandy (the latter so called because he ate sand as a child), and two
women, Hannah and Tene.
They had no regular quarters but just cabins out in a rear lot.
Sallie said all the whippings were given by either of the young Messrs.
Albritton, they were high tempered, as their father was before them. She
laughed and said she had Indian blood in her veins and sometimes she was
sassy as she felt independent knowing Mrs. Albritton would always take
her part.
She recalled the Yankee's coming through after the war, one remained at
the Albritton home after the others had gone on, and she remembered
hearing Mrs. Albritton telling friends who visited her, that after this
soldier had left he wrote Mrs. Albritton a letter, telling her to look
on the back of the bench on the gallery where he had sat and she would
find his message. Sallie said she was a little girl sitting on the floor
at her mistress feet, ready to fetch and carry for her and she often
wondered but didn't dare ask what the message was; she did, however,
hear some one say that the Yankees said, if they ever came again, they
would take them from the cradle and that puzzled her, to know just what
they meant.
Mrs. Albritton had a regular herb garden and Sallie helped her to gather
the herbs, Pennyroil, Dock Sage, Tansy (single and double), Thyme, and
Yarrow. They used Samson Snake Root in whiskey for cramps, and Butterfly
weed for risings.
The writer asked Sallie about church and she said they had no church but
Mr. Albritton talked to her and impressed on her as a child to never
touch anything that did not belong to her. "Ask for it and if not given
to her, to let it alone and to never lie, or to carry tales, and she
could always keep out of trouble." Sallie said she hated to see Sunday
morning come, as the men folks were around the house and they would pick
on her and somehow she would get a beating.
Sallie remained with Mrs. Albritton until she was 22 years, when she
married John Russell, by whom she had three children. They all died as
babies, later she married Gus Reynolds, (now dead) so Sallie just rents
a room and lives alone.
Sallie says present generation knows too much and too little, that the
"Old-time religion" was best for all, she thinks "Satan's goin' 'round
wid his tail curled up, catching all he can devour"; and "folks should
do like Christ did when Satan tried to tempt Him, and tell Satan to go
get behind them, and they get behind Jesus they could not have sorrow
run across their hearts and minds."