"And coffee. How about coffee. Didn't you have any coffee to drink?"
"We has coffee some time, but it ware made of burned corn meal. Once in awhile the slaves while makin' coffee for Marster Mat out of the wheat would burn a pan purposely and he would give it to them to make coffee with. That was purtty good coffee. Some time they got whupped for burnin' it, 'cause he knowed they burned it too much for his coffee, on purpose—jest so they'd git it."
"Now Charlie, you said you were born in Warrensburg, Missouri. Were you born on Mat Warren's place?"
"Yes Sah."
"How many slaves did Mr. Warren have?"
"150."
"I understand they sold off attractive women slaves and husky men. How is it they didn't sell your Mother?"
"She ware a house girl. Purtty and light in color, so they wanted to keep her for that job."
"Did they sell your father?"
"Yes Sah, they did. That is, they sold my step-Pappy as my own Pappy was dead."