CATO ---- AGE ABOUT 100 SLAVE IN ALABAMA I'M HOME TODAY 'CAUSE MY LITTLE OLD DOG IS LOST, AND I HAS tO STAY-ROU ND TO HUNT FOR HIM. I BEEN GOING EVERY DAY ON THE TRUCK TO THE COTTON PATCHES. I DON'T PICK NO MORE, 'COUNT MY HANDS GIT TOO TIRED AND BEGIN TO CRAMP ON ME. BUT I GO AND SET IN THE FIELD AND WATCH THE LUNCHES FOR THE OTHER HANDS. I AM A HUNDRED ONE YEARS OLD, 'CAUSE I'S TWENTY-EIGHT, GOING ON TWnNTY -NINE, A MAN GROWED, WHEN THE BREAKING-UP COME. I'M PRETTY OLD, BUT MY FOLKS LI VE THAT WAY. MY OLD BLACK MAMMY LIVED TO BE A HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE, AND MY WHITE MASSA--WHICH WAS THE BROTHER OF MY DADDY--LIVED TO BE A HUNDRED oOuR. &HE&ArN'T BEEN SO LONG DIED. MY OWN DADDY LIVED TO BE VERY AGEABLE, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHEN HE DIED. BACK IN ALABAMA, MISSY ANGELA TOOK ME WHEN I WAS PAST MY CREEPING DAYS TO LIVE IN THE BIG HOUSE WITH THE WHITE FOLKS. I HAD AOOM2BUrLTON THE BIG H OUSE, WHERE I STAYED, AND THEY WAS ALWAYS GOOD TO ME, 'CAUSE I'S ONE OF THEIR BL OOD. THEY NEVER HIT ME OR SLAPPED ME ONCE, AND THEY TOLD ME THEY'D NEVER SELL M E AWAY FROM THEM. THEY WAS THE BEST QUALITY WHITE FOLKS AND LIVED IN A BIG, TWO -STORY HOUSE WITH A BIG HALL WHAT RUN ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE HOUSE. THEY WASN' T ROUGH AS SOME WHITE FOLKS ON THEIR NIGGERS. MY MAMMY LIVED IN A HEWN-OAK LOG CABIN IN THE QUARTERS. THERE WAS A-L ONG ROW OF CABINS, SOME BIGGER THAN T'OTHERS, 'COUNT OF FAMILY SIZE. MY MASSA H AD OVER EIGHTY HEAD OF SLAVES. THEM LITTLE OLD CABINS WAS COZY , 'CAUSE WE CHIN KED 'EM WITH MUD AND THEY HAD STICK CHIMNEYS DAUBED WITH MUD, MIXED WITH HOG-HAI R. THE FIXINGS WAS JUST PLAIN THINGS. THE BEDS WAS DRAW-BEDS--WOODEN BED STEADS HELD TOGETHER WITH ROPES DRAWED TIGHT, TO HOLD THEM. WE SCALDED MOSS AND BURIED IT AWHILE AND STUFFED IT INTO TICKING TO MAKE MATTRESSES. THEM BEDS SLE PT GOOD, BETTER'N THE ONES NOWADAYS. THERE WAS A GOOD FIREPLACE FOR COOKING, AND SUNDAYS MISSY GIVE US NIGG ERS A PINT OF FLOUR AND A CHICKEN, FOR TO COOK A MESS OF VICTUALS. THEN THERE W AS PLENTY GAME TO FIND. MANY A TIME I'VE KILT SEVENTY-FIVE OR EIGHTY SQUIRRELS OUT OF ONE BIG BEECH. THERE WAS LOTS OF DEER AND BEARS AND QUAILS AND EVERY OTH ER KIND OF GAME, BUT WHEN THEY RUN THE INDIANS OUT OF THE COUNTRY, THE GAME JUST FOLLOWED THE INDIANS. I'VE SEED THE BIGGEST HERDS OF DEER FOLLOWING THE WAY TH E INDIANS DRIFTED. WHENEVER THE INDIANS LEFT, THE GAME ALL LEFT WITH THEM, FOR SOME REASON I DUNNO. TALKING 'BOUT VICTUALS, OUR EATING WAS GOOD. CAN'T SAYS THE2SAME oOR ALL PLACES. SOME OF THE PLANTATIONS HALF-STARVED THEIR NIGGERS AND 'LOWANCED OU T THEIR EATING TILL THEY WASN'T FIT FOR WORK. THEY HAD TO SLIP ABOUT TO NIGGERS ON OTHER PLACES TO PIECE OUT THEIR MEALS. THEY HAD FIELD CALLS AND OTHER KINDS OF WHOOPS AND HOLLERS, WHAT HAD A MEANING TO 'EM. OUR7PLACE WAS FIFTEEN HUNDRED ACRES IN ONE B OC], AND8'SIDES ,HE PS OF COTTON AND CORN AND RICE AND RIBBON CANE WE RAISED ON THE BOTTOMS, WE HAD VE GETABLES AND SHEEP AND BEEF. WE DRIED THE BEEF ON SCAFFOLDS WE BUILT, AND I USE D TO TEND IT. BUT BEST OF ANYTHING TO EAT, I LIKED A BIG FAT COON, AND I ALWAYS S LIKED HONEY. SOME THE NIGGERS HAD LITTLE GARDEN PATCHES THEY TENDED FOR THEMS ELVES. EVERYTHING I TELLS YOU AM THE TRUTH, BUT THEY'S PLENTY I CAN'T TELL YO U. I HEARD PLENTY THINGS FROM MY MAMMY AND GRANDPAPPY. HE WAS A FINE DIVER AND USED TO DIVE IN THE ALABAMA RIVER FOR THINGS WHAT WAS WRECKED OUT OF BOATS, AND THE WHITE FOLKS WOULD GIT HIM TO GO DOWN FOR THINGS THEY WANTED. THEY'D LET HI M DOWN BY A ROPE TO FIND THINGS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE RIVER BED. HE USED TO GIT A PIECE OF MONEY FOR DOING IT. MY GRANDMAMMY WAS A JUKSIE, 'CAUSE HER MAMMY WAS A NIGGER AND HnR DADD Y A CHOCTAW INDIAN. THAT'S WHAT MAKES ME SO MIXED UP WITH INDIAN AND AFRICAN AN D WHITE BLOOD. SOMETIMES IT MATTERED TO ME, SOMETIMES IT DIDN'T. IT DON'T NO M ORE, 'CAUSE I'M NOT FAR FROM THE END OF MY DAYS. I HAD ONE BROTHER AND ONE SISTER I HELPED RAISE. THEY WAS MOSTLY-NIGG ER. MY WHITE FOLKS TOLD ME NEVER TO WORRY 'BOUT THEM, THOUGH, 'CAUSE MY MAMMY W AS OF THEIR BLOOD AND ALL OF US IN OUR FAMILY WOULD NEVER BE SOLD,AND SOMETIME T HEY'D MAKE FREE MEN AND WOMEN OF US. MY BROTHER AND SISTER LIVED WITH THE NIGGE RS, THOUGH. I WAS TRAINED FOR A HOUSEBOY AND TO TEND THE COWS. THE2BEjS f S2sOBB AD THEN, A 'SPONSIBLE PERSON WHO COULD CARRY A GUN HAD TO LOOK AFTER THEM. -MY-MASSA USED tO GIVE ME A-LITtLEMONEY 'LONG, TO BUY WHAT I WANTED. I ALWAYS BOUGHT FINE CLOTHES. IN THE SUMMER WHEN I WAS A LITTLE ONE, I WORE LOW ERINGS, LIKE THE REST OF THE NIGGERS. THAT WAS THINGS MADE FROM COTTON SACKING. MOST OF THE BOYS WORE SHIRT TAILS TILL THEY WAS BIG YEARLINGS. WHEN THEY kOUGH T ME RED RUSSETS FROM THE TOWN, I CRIED AND CRIED. I DIDN'T WANT TO WEAR NO RAW HIDE SHOES. SO THEY TOOK 'EM BACK. THEY HAD A WEAKNESS FOR MY CRYING. I DID H AVE PLENTY FINE CLOTHES, GOOD WOOLEN SUITS THEY SPINNED ON THE PLACE,AND DOE SKI NS AND FINE LINENS. I DRUV IN THE CARRIAGE WITH THE WHITE FOLKS AND WAS 'BOUT T HE MOST DUDISH NIGGER IN THEM PARTS. I USED TO TEND THE NURSLING THREAD. THE REASON THEY CjLLED IT THAT fA S WHEN THE MAMMIES WAS CONFINED WITH BABIES HAVING TO SUCK, THEY HAD TO SPIN. I 'D TAKE THEM THE THREAD AND BRING IT BACK TO THE HOUSE WHEN IT WAS SPINNED. IF THEY DIDN'T SPIN SEVEN OR EIGHT CUTS A DAY, THEY'D GIT A WHUPPING. IT WAS CONSI DERABLE HARD ON A WOMAN WHEN SHE HAD A FRETTING BABY. BUT EVERY MORNING THEM BA BIES HAD TO BE TOOK TO THE BIG HOUSE, SO THE WHITE FOLKS COULD SEE IF THEY'S DRE SSES RIGHT. THEY WAS MONEY TIED UP IN LITTLE NIGGER YOUNG-UNS. THEY WHUPPED THE WOMEN AND THEY WHUPPED THE MENS. I USED tO wOK2sOmE IN THE TANNERY, AND WE MADE THE WHUPS. THEY'D TIE THEM DOWN TO A STOB, AND GIV E 'EM THE WHUPPING. SOME NIGGERS, IT TAKEN FOUR MEN TO WHUP 'EM, BUT THEY GOT I T. THE NIGGER DRIVER WAS MEANER THAN THE WHITE FOLKS. THEY'D BETTER NOT LEAVE A BLADE OF GRASS IN THE ROWS. I SEED 'EM BEAT A NIGGER HALF A DAY TO MAKE HIM ' FESS UP TO STEALING A SHEEP OR A SHOAT. OR THEY'D WHUP 'EM FOR RUNNING AWAY, BU T NOT SO HARD IF THEY COME BACK OF THEIR OWN 'CORDANCE WHEN THEY GOT HUNGRY AND SICK IN THE SWAMPS. BUT WHEN THEY HAD TO RUN 'EM DOWN WITH THE NIGGER DOGS, THE Y'D GIT IN BAD TROUBLE. MY MASSA NEVER DID HAVE ANY REAL 'CORRIGIBLE NIGGERS, BUT I HEARD OF ' EM PLENTY ON OTHER PLACES. WHEN THEY WAS REAL 'CORRIGIBLE, THE WHITE FOLKS SAID THEY WAS LIKE MAD DOGS AND DIDN'T MIND TO KILL THEM SO MUCH AS KILLING A SHEEP. THEY'D TAKE 'EM TO THE GRAVEYARD AND SHOOT 'EM DOWN AND BURY 'EM FACE DOWNWARD , WITH THEIR SHOES ON. I NEVER SEED IT DONE, BUT THEY MADE SOME THE NIGGERS GO FOR A LESSON TO THEM THEY COULD GIT THE SAME. BUT I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO CARRY A PASS TO LEAVE *Y6OWN7PLAC(, L KE ,HE O,HER NIGGERS. I HAD A CAP WITH A SIGN ON IT: "DON'T BOTHER THIS NGGn OR ,(E RE WILL BE HELL TO PAY." I WENT AFTER THE MAIL, IN THE TOWN. IT COME IN COACHE S AND THEY PUT ON FRESH HOSSES AT PINEAPPLE. THE COACHMAN RUN THE HOSSES INTO P INEAPPLE WITH A BIG TO-DO AND BLOWING THE BUGLE TO GIT THE FRESH HOSSES READY. I GOT THE MAIL. I WAS A TRUSTY ALL MY DAYS AND NEVER BEEN 'RESTED BY THE LAW TO ,HIS DAY. I NEVER HAD NO COMPLAINTS FOR MY TREATMENT, BUT SOME THE-NIGGnS8H TED SYRUP-MAKING TIM(,8'CAUSE WHEN THEY HAD TO6WORK TILL Im !HT-M GSYRUP, IT' S FOUR O'CLOCK UP, JUST THE SAME. SUNUP TO SUNDOWN WAS FOR FIELD NIGGERS. CORN-SHUCKING WAS FUN. THEM DAYS NO CORN WAS PUT IN THE lRBS6WIcHSHU CKS ON IT. THEY SHUCKED IT IN THE FIELD AND SHOCKED THE FODDER. THEY DID IT BY SIDES AND ALL HANDS OUT. A BEEF WAS KILT, AND THEY'D HAVE A REGULAR PICNIC FEA STING. THEY WAS PLENTY WHISKEY FOR THE NIGGERS, JUST LIKE CHRISTMAS. CHRISTMAS WAS THE BIG DAY. PRESENTS FOR EVERYBODY, AND THE2B krnG&jND PREPARING WENT ON FOR DAYS. THE LITTLE ONES WERE GLAD, 'SPECIALLY THE NIGGER M ENS, 'COUNT OF PLENTY GOOD WHISKEY. MASSA CAL GOT THE BEST WHISKEY FOR HIS NIGG ERS. WE USED TO HAVE FROLICS, TOO. SOME NIGGERS HAD FIDDLES jND-PLAhED cHE REELS, AND NIGGERS LOVE TO DANCE AND SING AND EAT. 'COURSE NIGGERS HAD THEIR SERIOUS SIDE, TOO. THEY LOVED tO pO tO CHuR CH AND HAD A LITTLE LOG CHAPEL FOR WORSHIP. BUT I WENT TO THE WHITE FOLKS' CHUR CH. IN THE CHAPEL SOME NIGGER MENS PREACHED FROM THE BIBLE BUT COULDN'T READ A LINE NO MORE THAN A SHEEP COULD. MY WHITE FOLKS DIDN'T MIND THEIR NIGGERS PRAYI NG AND SINGING HYMNS, BUT SOME PLACES WOULDN'T 'LOW THEM TO WORSHIP AT ALL, AND THEY HAD TO PUT THEIR HEADS IN POTS TO SING OR PRAY. MOST THE NIGGERS I KNOW, WHO HAD THEIR MARRIAGES-PUT rN cHEBkO K,&DID IT AFTER THE BREAKING-UP, PLENTY AFTER THEY HAD GROWED CHILDREN. WHEN THEY GOT MARRIED ON THE PLACES, MOSTLY THEY JUST JUMPED OVER A BROOM AND THAT MADE 'EM MA RRIED. SOMETIMES ONE THE WHITE FOLKS READ A LITTLE OUT OF THE SCRIPTURES TO 'EM , AND THEY FELT MARRIED. TAKE ME, I WAS NEVER ONE FOR SIlKN SS. BUT ,HE2sLAV S ED3 OGIT SIC K. THERE WAS JAUNDICE IN THEM BOTTOMS. FIRST OFF THEY'D GIVE SOME CASTOR OIL, AND IF THAT DIDN'T CURE, THEY'D GIVE BLUE MASS. THEN IF HE WAS STILL SICK THEY' D GIT A DOCTOR. THEY USED TO CRY THE NIGGERS OFF JUST LIKE SO MUCH CATTLE, AND WE DImN 'T THINK NO DIFFERENT OF IT. I SEED THEM PUT THEM ON TE BLOCK AND BRAG ON THEM SOMETHING BIG. EVERYBODY LIKED TO HEAR THEM CRY OFF NIGGERS.. THE CRIER WAS A CLOWN AND MADE FUNNY TALK AND KEPT EVERYBODY LAUGHING. WHEN MASSA AND THE OTHER MENS ON THE PLACE WENT OFF tO fjR,&HECALLED ME AND SAID, "CATO, YOU'S ALWAYS BEEN A 'SPONSIBLE MAN, AND I LEAVE YOU TO LOOK AFTER THE WOMEN AND THE PLACE. IF I DON'T COME BACK, I WANT YOU ALWAYS STAY BY MISSY ANGELA]" I SAID,"'FORE GOD, I WILL, MASSA CAL." HE SAID, "THEN I CAN GO AWAY PEACEABLE." WE THOUGHT FOR A LONG TIME THE SOLDIERS HAD THE FEDERALS WHUPPED TO PI ECES, BUT THERE WAS PLENTY BAD TIMES TO GO THROUGH. I CARRIED A GUN AND GUARDED THE PLACE AT NIGHTTIME. THE PADDYROLLERS (NIGHT RIDERS?) WAS BAD. I lOTCHED-O NE AND TOOK HIM TO THE HOUSE MORE'N ONCE. THEY WORE BLACK CAPS AND PUT BLACK RA GS OVER THEIR FACES AND WAS ALWAYS SKULLDUGGERYING ROUND AT NIGHT. WE DIDN'T US E TORCHES ANY MORE WHEN WE WENT ROUND AT NIGHT, 'CAUSE WE WAS AFEARED. WE PUT O UT ALL THE FIRES ROUND THE HOUSE AT NIGHTTIME. THE YOUNG MENS IN GREY UNIFORMS USED TO PASS SO GAY jND2SrNGrNG, &rN T HE BIG ROAD. THEIR CLOTHES WAS GOOD, AND WE USED TO FEED THEM THE BEST WE HAD O N THE PLACE. MISSY ANGELA WOULD SAY, "CATO, THEY IS OUR BOYS AND GIVE THEM THE BEST THIS PLACE 'FORDS." WE TAKEN OUT THE HAMS AND THE WINE AND KILT CHICKENS F OR THEM. THAT WAS AT FIRST. THEN THE BOYS AND MENS IN BLUE GOT TO COMING THAT WAY, AND THEY WAS FI NE-LOOKING MEN, TOO. MISSY ANGELA WOULD CRY AND SAY, "CATO, THEY IS JUST MENS A ND BOYS, AND WE GOT TO FEED THEM, TOO." WE HAD A PAVILION BUILT IN THE YARD, LI KE THEY HAD AT PICNICS, AND WE FED THE FEDERALS IN THAT. MISSY ANGELA SET IN TO CRYING ANS SAYS TO THE YANKEES, "DON'T TAKE CATO. HE IS THE ONLY NIGGnR-MjN I&G OT BY ME NOW. IF YOU TAKE CATO, I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT I'LL DO." I TELLS THEM SOLDIERS I GOT TO STAY BY MISSY ANGELA SO LONG AS I LIVE. THE YANKEE MENS SAY T O HER, "DON'T 'STURB YOUSELF, WE AIN'T GWINE TO TAKE CATO OR HARM NOTHING OF YOU RS." THE REASON THEY'S ALL RIGHT BY US WAS 'CAUSE WE PREPARED FOR THEM, BUT WIT H SOME FOLKS THEY WAS ROUGH SOMETHING TERRIBLE. THEY TAKEN OFF THEIR HOSSES AND CORN. I SEED THE TREES BEND LOW AND SHAKE ALL OVER AND HEARD THE ROAR AND PO PPONG OF CANNON BALLS. THERE WAS SPRINGS NOT TOO FAR FROM OUR PLACE, AND THE SO LDIERS USED TO CAMP THERE AND BUILD A FIRE AND COOK A MULE,'CAUSE THEY'D GOT DO WN TO STARVATION. WHEN SOME OF THE GUERRILLAS SEED THE FIRE THEY'D AIM AT IT, A ND MANY A TIME THEY SPOIL THAT DINNER FOR THEM SOLDIERS. THE YANKEES DID IT, AN D OUR BOYS DID IT, TOO. THERE WAS KILLING GOING ON SO TERRIBLE, LIKE PEOPLE WAS DOGS. MASSA CAL COME BACK, AND HE WAS ALL WORE OUT AND RAGGED. HE SOON CjLL ED ALL THE NIGGERS TO THE FRONT YARD AND SAYS, "MENS AND WOMENS, YOU ARE TODAY A S FREE AS I AM. YOU ARE FREE TO DO AS YOU LIKE, 'CAUSE THE DAMNED YANKEES DONE 'CREED YOU ARE. THEY AIN'T A NIGGER ON MY PLACE WHAT WAS BORN HERE OR EVER LIVE D HERE WHO CAN'T STAY HERE AND WORK AND EAT TO THE END OF HIS DAYS, AS LONG AS T HIS OLD PLACE WILL RAISE PEAS AND GOOBERS. GO IF YOU WANTS, AND STAY IF YOU WAN TS." SOME OF THE NIGGERS STAYED AND SOME WENT, AND SOME WHAT HAD RUN AWAY TO TH E NORTH COME BACK. THEY ALWAYS CALLED, REAL HUMBLE-LIKE, AT THE BACK GATE TO MI SSY ANGELA, AND SHE ALWAYS FIXED IT UP WITH MASSA CAL THEY WOULD HAVE A PLACE. NEAR THE CLOSE OF THE WAR I SEED SOME FOLKS LEAVING FOR TEXAS. THEY SA ID IF THE FEDERALS WON THE WAR, THEY'D HAVE TO LIVE IN TEXAS TO KEEP SLAVES. SO PLENTY STARTED DRIFTING THEIR SLAVES TO THE WEST. THEY'D PASS WITH THE WOMENS RIDING IN THE WAGON AND THE MENS ON FOOT. SOME TOOK SLAVES TO TEXAS AFTER THE FEDERALS DONE 'CREED THE BREAKING-UP. LONG AS I LIVED, I MINDED WHAT MY WHITE FOLKS TOLD ME, 'CnPT-ONE crmE. THEY WAS A NIGGER WORKING IN THE FIELD, AND HE KEPT JERKING THE MULES AND MASS A CAL GOT MAD, AND HE GIVE ME A GUN AND SAID, "GO OUT THERE AND KILL THAT MAN." I SAID, "MASSA CAL, PLEASE DON'T TELL ME THAT. I AIN'T NEVnR-KILT NOBODY, AND I DON'T WANT TO." HE SAID, "CATO, YOU DO WHAT I TELL YOU." HE MEANT IT. I WEN T OUT TO THE NIGGER AND SAID, "YOU HAS GOT TO LEAVE THIS MINUTE, AND I IS, TOO, 'CAUSE I IS 'SPOSED TO KILL YOU,ONLY I AIN'T, AND MASSA CAL WILL KILL ME.' HE D ROPS THE HARNESS, AND WE RUN AND CRAWLED THROUGH THE FENCE AND RAN AWAY. I HATED TO GO, 'CAUSE THINGS WAS SO BAD, AND FLOUR SOLD FOR TWENTY FIV E DOLLARS A BARREL, AND PICKLED PORK FOR FIFTEEN DOLLARS A BARREL. YOU COULDN'T BUY NOTHING LESSEN WITH GOLD. I HAD PLENTY OF 'FEDERATE MONEY, ONLY IT WOULDN 'T BUY NOTHING. BUT TODAY I IS A OLD MAN, AND MY HANDS AIN'T STAINED WITH-NO kLOOD. I IS ALWAYS BEEN GLAD I DIDN'T KILL THAT MAN. MULES RUN TO A TERRIBLE PRICE THEN. A RIGHT PUNY PAIR OF-MuLES2sOLDFF OR FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS. BUT THE YANKEES GIVE ME A MULE, AND I FARMED A YEAR FO R A WHITE MAN AND WATCHED A HERD OF MULES, TOO. I STAYED WITH THEM MULES TILL F OUR O'CLOCK EVEN SUNDAYS. SO MANY SCOUNDRELS WAS GOING 'BOUT, STEALING MULES. THAT YEAR I WAS BOUND OUT BY 'GREEMENT WITH THE WHITE MjN, jND IMADE THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY DOLLARS. THE BUREAU COME BY THAT YEAR LOOKING AT NIGGER S' CONTRACTS, TO SEE THEY DIDN'T GIT SKUNT OUT THEIR RIGHTFUL WAGES. MY WHITE F OLKS DIDN'T STAY MAD AT ME, AND EVERY SUNDAY THEY COME BY TO SEE ME AND BRUNG ME LITTLE DELICATE THINGS TO EAT. THEY SAID A HUNDRED TIMES THEY REGRETTED THEY NEVER LARNED ME TO READ OR WRITE, AND THEY SAID MY DADDY DONE PUT UP FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR ME TO GO T O THE NEW ALLISON SCHOOL FOR COLORED FOLKS. MISS BENSON, A YANKEE, WAS THE TEAC HER. I WAS TWENTY-NINE YEARS OLD AND JUST STARTING IN THE BLUE-BACK SPELLER. WENT TO SCHOOL A WHILE, BUT ONE MORNING AT TEN O'CLOCK MY POOR MAMMY lOMEBBY&jN D CALLED ME OUT. SHE TOLD ME SHE GOT PUT OUT, 'CAUSE SHE TOO OLD TO WORK IN THE FIELD. I TOLD HER NOT TO WORRY, THAT I'M THE FAMILY MAN NOW, AND SHE DImN'TNE VER NEED TO GOT ANY MORE THREE-QUARTER HAND WAGES NO MORE. SO I LEFT SCHOOL AND TURNT MY HAND TO ANYTHING I COULD FIND FOR YEARS. I NEVER HAD NO TROUBLE FINDING WORK,'CAUSE ALL THE WHITE FOLKS KNOWED CATO WAS A GOOD NIGGER. I LEFT MY MAMMY WITH SOME FINE WHITE FOLKS, AND SHE RAISED A WH OLE FAMILY OF CHILDREN FOR THEM. THEIR NAME WAS BRYAN, AND THEY LIVED ON A LITT LE BAYOU. THEM YOUNGUNS WAS CRAZY 'BOUT MAMMY, AND THEY'D SEND ME WORD NOT TO W ORRY ABOUT HER, 'CAUSE SHE'D HAVE THE BEST CARE AND WHEN SHE DIED THEY'D TEND TO HER BURYING. FINALLY I COME TO TEXAS, 'CAUSE I THOUGHT THERE WAS MONEY FOR THE TAKI NG OUT HERE. I GOT A JOB SPLITTING RAILS FOR TWO YEARS, AND FROM THEN ON I FARM ED, MOSTLY. I MARRIED A WOMAN AND LIVED WITH HER FORTY-SEVEN YEARS, RAIN OR SHI NE. WE HAD THIRTEEN CHILDREN, AND EIGHT OF THEM IS LIVING TODAY. ENDURING THE BIG WAR I GOT WORRIED 'BOUT MY LITTLE BLACK MAMMY, AND I WANTED TO GO BACK HOME AND SEE HER AND THE OLD PLACES. I WENT, AND SHE WAS SHRI VELED UP TO NOT MUCH OF ANYTHING. THAT'S THE LAST TIME I SAW HER. BUT FOR FORT Y-FOUR YEARS I DIDN'T FORGET TO SEND HER THINGS I THOUGHT SHE'D WANT. I SAW MAS SA CAL, AND HE DONE MARRIED AFTER I LEFT AND RAISED A FAMILY OF CHILDREN. I SA W MISSY ANGELA AND SHE WAS A OLD WOMAN. WE WENT OUT AND LOOKED AT THE TOMBSTONE S AND THE ROCK MARKERS IN THE GRAVEYARD ON THE OLD PLACE, AND SOME OF THEM DONE NEAR MELTED AWAY. I LOOKED GOOD AT LOTS OF THINGS, 'CAUSE I KNOWED I WOULDN'T B E THAT WAY 'GAIN. SO MANY HAD GONE ON SINCE I'D BEEN THERE BEFORE. AFTER MY FIRST WIFE DIED I MARRIED 'GAIN, AND-MY6W FE S&AG OoDWOMAN, BUT SHE'S OLD AND DONE LOST HER VOICE AND HAS TO BE IN TERRELL MOST THE TIME. BUT I GIT 'LONG ALL RIGHT, 'CEPT MY HANDS CRAMPS SOME. ....I LIVED THROUGH PLENTY AND I-LIVED A-LONG TIME.... X XXX