Ex-~s1ave Stories	. ~ ~wo • (Texas)






find dein. It ain‘t no use. Dem Yankee find. dat briö~e what lead from mainland to island. Dey CO~~i~ ~cross dat bridge. Dey find us p11. Dem white fo1~~s call cleyselves hidin‘ us but dey alnt do so good. Dey ga~rd dat bric1~e. But sO~rie de n1~gers dey slip off de Island. Dey jine de Yankees.

	Dey plenty alligators in dat bayou. So~netirne I wonder if dem ni~g-rs vthat try ~o through swnmp ever ~it to Yankees. Dem alligators bru~tal, I ‘member black gal call Ellen, che washin‘ clothes in baYOU. I)ey wash clothes wi:h big rocks den. Dey have wooden paddle with hole and •beat clothes on rocks. Dis g:~1 down in ze draw b~r herself. She washin‘ clothes. Bi~ alligator had dug hole in side de bank. He Come out and. snap her arm off jes‘ ‘bove elbow. She scream. Men folks run down and killed alltgator. Us chilien wouldn‘t ~tch out for alligator. Us play in li‘l flat, bi~teaux and swing on wild. grapevine over water. I done see snRkes. Dcv look big ‘nough swallow two li‘l niggers one bite. De~r alligator turties, too. If dey snap you, yo~ can‘t git loose less ~rou cut dey neck slap off. I kill lots dem.

	‘Dey old mens on plantation what they think which mens. Dey say co~dd put bad mouth on you. You dry up ~nd die ‘fore you time. Dey take your strengt‘. Make ~ro~ walk on knees and hands. Some folks carr~~ silver money ‘round neck. Keep off dat b~d mouth.

	ttQld massa oldes ‚ SOfl, Gabriel ‚ he Colonel in war. He &nd old massa both Colonels. Lots sojers pass Oui‘ place. Dey go to fight . Dein with green caps was white folks. Dem with blue caps was Yankees. Us hear suns from bo~,ts and cannons.

	‘After war over massa corne home. Dey no law dem time. Things tore up.