neat as can be. She wears an oldfashioned apron all the time and in cool
weather there is always a little black cape around her frail shoulders
and held together with a plain old gold "breastpin".

She was born in Lincoln County (Georgia), her mother was Emeline Sybert
and her father Jordan Sybert. They belonged to Mr. Jones Sybert and his
wife "Miss Peggy". After freedom they changed their surname to Gullatt
as they liked that better. Arrie was among the oldest of nine children.
The night she was born the stork brought a little baby girl to the home
of a white family just across the creek from the Syberts. The little
white girl was named Arine so "Miss Peggy" named the little new black
baby girl Arrie, and that is how it happened she was given such an odd
name.

Arrie said she was "15 or 16 years old when the war broke (1865), I wuz
big enough to be lookin' at boys an' dey lookin' at me." She remembers
the days of war, how when the battle of Atlanta was raging they heard
the distant rumble of cannon, and how "upsot" they all were. Her master
died of "the consumption" during the war. She recalls how hard it was
after his death. The Syberts had no children and there was no one to
turn to after his death. Arrie tells of her Master's illness, how she
was the housemaid and was called upon to fan him and how she would get
so tired and sleepy she would nod a little, the fan dropping from hands
into his face. He would take it up and "crack my haid with the handle to
wake me up. I wuz allus so sorry when I done that, but I jest had ter
nod."

She told about how bad the overseers were and the trouble they gave
until finally "old Miss turned off ther one she had an' put my Pa in his
place to manage things and look after the work." Arrie was never