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72     The Conjure Woman

he wanted his niggers ter put dey min's on dey wuk, en not be wastin' dey time wid no sech foolis'ness. En he would n' let his han's git married, - said he wuz n' raisin' niggers, but wuz raisin' cotton. En w'eneber any er de boys en gals 'ud 'mence ter git sweet on one ernudder, he'd sell one er de yuther un 'em, er sen' 'em way down in Robeson County ter his yuther plantation, whar dey couln' nebber see one ernudder.

"Ef any er de niggers eber complained, dey got fo'ty; so co'se dey did n' many un 'em complain. But dey did n' lack it, des de same, en nobody couldn' blame 'em, fer dey had a ha'd time. Mars Jeems didn' make no 'lowance fer nachul bawn laz'ness, ner sickness, ner trouble in de min;, ner nuffin; he wuz des gwine ter git so much wuk outer eve'y han', er know de reason w'y.
  
"Dey wuz one time de niggers 'lowed, fer a spell, dat Mars Jeems mought git