"I works all up and down de old river when I's growed. De plantations has long staple cotton. Dey raise sugar cane and dere be twenty wagons haulin' cane to de boilin' mills. We was happy to do dat work, 'cause we knowed it mean us have plenty 'lasses in winter. Lawdy, I wish I knowed I could have all de 'lasses and bread I wanted dis winter! Dem was good times, Lawd! Us sing dis song:
"'We'll stick to de hoe till de sun go down,
We'll rise when de rooster crow,
And go to de field where de sunshine hot,
To de field where de sugar cane grow.
Yes, chilluns, we'll all go.'
"I can jes' see dem long rows of cotton and niggers drivin' de oxen and mules. I know 'nother song:
"Nigger mighty happy when he layin' by de corn,
Nigger mighty happy when he hear dat dinner horn;
But he more happy when de night come on,
Dat' sun's a'slantin', as sho's you born!
Dat old cow's a shakin' dat great big bell,
And de frogs tunin' up, 'cause de dew's done fell.'
"Dat jes' after freedom. Dey have plantations and overseers like slavery, but most de overseers niggers, and dey didn't whip you den. On Saturday night de overseer pay us, mostly in rations. He give us five, maybe ten pounds rations of meat, and a peck or two or meal, and some coffee and 'lasses.
"'Dat ration day come once a week,
Old massa rich as Gundy.
But he give 'lasses all de week,
And buttermilk for Sunday.
"'Old massa give a pound of meat,
I et it all on Monday;
Den I et 'lasses all de week,
And buttermilk for Sunday.'
"All dis was down on de Mississippi bottom. Old Man River was sho' purty in de fall, when dem wild geeses come in droves and de blossoms red and yaller. De fogs come hang over and chills and fever gits started. De woman sot by de fire piecin' quilts and spinnin' thread, and de old men weave cotton baskets and chair bottoms, and de young men work on da levees, so dey hold Old Man River back when he start prowlin' round 'gain.
William Stone
"Floods come down, no matter what time of year. One day Old Man River be runnin' 'long, jes' as peaceful and quiet, and everybody happy. Everybody meet de boats at de landin'. Den way in de night you wake up and hear a roarin' like thunder and dat river be on a tear. Folks know he am in de ugly mood, and starts movin' to higher ground. Everybody what have a wagon and mule gits out. Some jes' gits to de levee. It look like my folks told me when dey run from de Yankees, only dis time it's de river. Old Man River sho' treach'ous. After he go on one he rarin' and tearin' spells, den he gwine be so peaceful and quiet like. Look like he try to make up for he meanness.