I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly: The Diary of Patsy, a Freed Girl, Mars Bluff, South Carolina, 1865 — Joyce Hansen

Sunday, August 20, 1865

Dear Friend,
The children were so happy to see me this morning. They ran over when I reached the arbor. I felt as though my soul would rise and fly, as our song says.

We walked together to the spinning house. I will call it a schoolroom -- even though it's not a real schoolroom, and I am not a real teacher. I gave each older child a paper with all of the letters and an easy word to match each letter, just the way Annie and Charles's teacher used to do....

One of the old women said to me, "You such a quiet little thing, but you sho' know how to teach them letters."

I surprised myself when I said thank you without stammering.