I heard owls holler right regular on the plantation. I heard them holler plenty times out there somewhere in the trees. Some of the people who heard them holler stuck a fire iron in the fire and that made the owl quit off. I heard talk about a lot of people who did that.

Then there was another sign the people did on New Years Day. I don’t understand much about it, but I did hear people speak about craving a cup of peas and a hunk of hog jowl on the first day of the year. They put their faith in that kind of victuals on New Years Day, and they didn’t suffer for anything until that time the next year. I ate my cup of peas and hunk of hog jowl every New Years Day just because I loved it, and I reckon I never gave a thought to that sign.

Jessie Sparrow

Gallivants Ferry