"To my wife and life companion, I do bequeath to thee, all I have after death. To-wit:
"One thousand acres of land in Caddo Parish, unencumbered.
"One hundred niggers, of various ages and the following description:
"One mammy, age eighty. A better wench never lived. Name: Diana.
"One 'uncle', eighty-seven, beloved servant of his master, and faithful ever. Name: Joe.
"One wench, twenty-two, robust, healthy, a good servant of the house. Name: Martha."
And so on the description ran, which seemed strange and unnecessary in a will; then he recalled the sentiment of the southerner.
In still another case, he read a sale bill, written in long hand with an artistic flourish:
"Having sold my plantation, I will hereby sell to the highest bidder, at public auction, the following named property, to-wit:
"One nigger wench, sixteen years, hail and hearty, promises to be a good breeder, and is now with child by Ditto, a young nigger, strong as a lion, healthy and a good worker. Not 'sassy'.