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son~e to chop the wood, while others were busy cIe~ing up the “big house.“

When asked it he believed in signs, Charlie repliod: “I sho does for dis reason, thice jest befo my baby brother died, oie screech owl, he done come and set up in the big oak tree right ~tt the dc~h by de bed and to‘ the next t~1ve)hours passed, lily brother w~s dead. Screech owls aflus holler ‘round the house before de8th.~‘

The slaves always had plenty to e&t and we~r~. and therefore did not know what it was to be hungry.

The ~aster p1~nted ciany acres of cotton, ccrn, wheat, peas, and all kinds of garden things. Zvery “Nigger family was required to raise pi~nty of sweet potatoes, the ~ster giving them a patch.“ ‘~y ‘oie ~aster‘ trained his sxrartest‘Niggers‘ to do certain kinds of work. My mother was a €ood weaver, aM wove all the cloth for her own fc~xaily, and bossed the weaving of all the other weavers on the plantation.

Charlie and all of his ten brothers and sisters helped to card arid spin the cotton for the looms. 3ometiir~s they worked all night, Charlie often going to sleep while carding, when his mother would crack hin on the head with the carder handle and wake him up. Each child had a night for carding and spinning, so they all would get a chance t~o sleep.
~very Saturday ni€ht )the Ne€roes had a “breakdown,“ often