"I want everybody come to my birthday! Seventh o' October coming be a
hundred. Baby one dead jew (due) time! Five daughter--one sanctify
preacher. Seven one--one Ports-smith Virginia. All dead! All dead!
Marry three times; all the husband dead! My last baby child--when the
Flagg storm kill everybody on the beach, (1893) the last child I have
out my body been a year old!
"Last time I gone see the old Doctor, rap! rap! Doctor: "Come in!" Gone
in. Doctor: "Great God! Looker Aunt Ellen! For the good you take care
Daddy Harry, God left you live long time!"
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Ellen: "Flat 'em all up to Marlboro! (All the slaves) Ten days or two
weeks going. PeeDee bridge, stop! Go in gentlemen barn! Turn duh bridge!
Been dere a week. Had to go and look the louse on we. Three hundred head
o' people been dere. Couldn't pull we clothes off. (On flat.) Boat name
Riprey. Woman confine on boat. Name the baby 'RIPREY!' Mama name Sibby."
(Neighbor: "Aunt Ellen been looking for you all day! Keep saying she
got to go home. A white lady coming and she got to be there!")
Aunt Ellen: "Doctor come on boat. By name Doctor Lane. White lady come
tend woman. Get to Marlboro where they gwine. Put in wagon. Carry to the
street. Major Drake Plantation. One son Pet Drake. Wife leetle bit of a
woman.
"I see Abram Lincoln son Johnny! Talk with him! Gimme tobacco. I been to
loom. Weave. Sheckle flying--flying sheckle!
(Singing): "Tech (touch) me all round my waist!
Don't tech my water-fall!
Gay gal setting on the rider fence!
Don't tech my water-fall!"
"Clothes gone to wash this morning. (Can't go today.) Clothes gone.
"I been here so long--I ax Jesus one day carry me next day! Can't make
up my bed. Like an old hog sleep on a tussick." (I always heard it 'Toad
on a tussock'--and you?)
(Four lean cats prowled about sniffing around the woodpile where a boy
was scaling some pale, dead fish.)