.s44..


new borns, rienee, being au a8set to the masters. The two slaves thus joined were allowed to see one another at intervals upon special permission from the master. He must have a pass to leave the plantation, Any slave oaught without one while oil the plantation Was subject to be oau~ht by the p~.derolIers0 ( a low class o~ white who roved the country to molest a slave at the least opportLtnity. Some or them were hired by the masters to guard against slaves running away or to apprehend them in the event that they did) who would beat them unmercifully, and send them back to the plantation from whence they oame~


	AS a result ol this form of matrimony at emancipation there were no sl~.~ves le~wfully married. Orders were given that i they preferred to live together as man and wiLe they must marry aooordin~ to l~w. They were given nine months to decide this question, after which if they continued to live together they were arrested for adultery. A Mr. Fryer, Justie~ of the Peaoe at Gainesville, was a~si~ned to deal with the situation around the plantation whe~e Mary and her family lived. A big supper was given, it ~s early, about twenty~.five sl~ve couples attended. There ~s gaiety ana laughter. A barrel of lemonade was served, A big time was had by all, then those couples ~o desired to remain together were joined in wedlock according to civil custom. The party broke up in the early hours of the morning.


	Mary Bicidie, cognizant of the progress that science and invention has made in the intervening years from Emanoipation and the present time, could not he‘p but rera~rk of the vast improvement of the lighting system of today and that of 8lavery. There were no ~ or kerosene. The first thread that ahewer spun was for a wick to be used in a candle, the only ~neans of light. Beef tallow was used to make the candle; this was pl~oed in b~ Candle mould while hot. The wick waS then pl~oed in the center of the
tallow ~ it rest in the mould; this ~s allowed tc~ cool, When this