CHARLEY WILLIAMS, AGE-94. SLAVE IN LOUISIANA. OKLA. #37 9 F9I OULD SEE BETTER6OUT6OF *Y6OLD (YE\, AND9IHAD ME SOMETHING TO WORK WI TH AND THE FEEBLENESS IN MY BACK AND HEAD WOULD LET ME ALONE, I WOULD HAVE ME -LENTY TO EAT IN THE KITCHEN ALL THE TIME, AND PLENTY TOBACCO IN MY PIPE, TOO, BLESS GOD] AND ,HERE WOULD NOT BE NO RAIN TRICKLI G ,O !H ,HEHOLES IN THE ROOF, AND O7PLANKS ALL FELL OUT OF THE FLOOR ON THE GALLERY NEITHER, CAUSE ,HIS6ONEOLD NIGGER KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT MAKING ALL HE NEEDS TO GET ALONG] OLD MASTER DONE SHOWED HIM HOW TO GET ALONG IN THIS WORLD, JUST AL LONG AS HE LIVED ON A PLANTA TION, BUT LIVING IN THE TOWN IS A DIFFERENT WAY OF LIVING, AND ALL YOU GOT TO HA VE IS A SILVER DIME TO LAY DOWN FOR EVERYTHING YOU WANT, AND I DONT GET THE DIME V Y6OFF VEY OFTEN. BUT I AINT GIVE UP] NOTHING LIKE THAT] ON THE D YS6>HEN I ONT6FEEL O6FE EBLE AND TREMBLY I JUST KEEP PATCHING AROUND THE PLACE. I GOT TO KEEP PATCHING SO AS TO KEEP IT WHERE IT WILL HOLD THE WINTER OUT, IN CASE I GET TO SEE ANOTHER WINTER. IF I DONT, IT DONT GRIEVE ME NONE,CAUSE I WANTS TO SEE OLD MASTER AGAIN A)Y WAYS. I RECKON MAYBE I WILL JUST GO UP AND ASK HIM WHAT HE WANTS ME TO DO, AND IF I DONT KNOW HOW HE WILL SHOW ME HOW, AND I WILL TRY TO DO IT TO PLEASE HIM. AND WHEN I GET IT DONE I WANT TO HEAR HIM GRUMBLE LIKE HE USED TO AND SAY, "CHAR LEY, YOU AINT GOT NO SENSE BUT YOU IS A GOOD BOY. THIS HERE AINT VERY GOOD BUT IT WILL DO, I RECKON. GET YOURSELF A LITTLE PIECE OF THAT BROWN SUGAR, BUT DONT ET5 O GG RS SEE8YOU EATI G I,. F8>OU O9I6ILL6> PYOUR BLACK BEHIND. ,HAT INT ,HE W Y IT IS7GOI G O BE9IN8HEAVE),9I9RE ),2B TI CANT SIT HER E ON THIS OLD ROTTEN GALLERY AND THINK OF NO WAY I BETTER LIKE TO HAVE IT] I WAS A GREAT BIG HULKING BUCK OF A BOY WHEN THE WAR CAME ALONG AND BUST UP EVERYTHING, AND I CAN REMEMBER BACK WHEN EVERYBODY WAS LIVI G7PEAC FuL NDHAPP Y, AND NOBODY NEVER HAD NO NOTION ABOUT NO WAR. I6WAS ORNED ON THE ELEVENTH OF JANUAY IN `84#, NDWAS OLD ENOUGH TO VOTE >HEN I GOT MY FREEDOM, BUT I DIDNT TAKE NO STOCK IN ALL ,HAT7 OLI I S nDGOING S ON AT THAT TIME, AND I DIDNT VOTE TILL A LONG TIME AFTER OLD MASTER PASSED AWA Y, BUT I WAS BIG ENOUGH BEFORE THE WAR TO REMEMBER PRETTY PLAIN. OLD MASTER WAS JOHN WILLIAMS, AND OLD MISTRESS NAME6W S-MSSBETTY, AND SHE WAS A CAMPBELL BEFORE SHE MARRIED. YOUNG MISSEY WAS NAMED BETTY AFTnR8HnRMAMM Y, AND YOUNG MASTER WAS NAMED FRANK, BUT I DONT REMEMBER WHO AFTER. OUR OVERSEE R WAS MISTER SIMMONS, AND HE WAS MIGHTY SMART AND HAD A LOT OF PATIENCE, BUT HE WOULD NOT TAKE NO TALK NOR FOOLISHNESS. HE DIDNT WHIP NOBODY VERY OFTEN, BUT HE 6ON$Y8HAD TO WHIP THEM JUST ONE TIME] HE NEVER DID6>HP A NGGER AT ,HE r E THE NIGGER DONE SOMETHING, BUT HE WOULD WAIT TILL EVENING AND HAVE OLD MASTER CO ME AND WATCH HIM DO IT. HE NEVER WHIPPED VERY HARD EXCEPT WHEN HE HAD TOLD A NI GGER ABOUT SOMETHING AND PROMISED A WHIPPING THE NEXT TIME AND THE NIGGER DONE I T AGAIN. THEN THAT NIGGER GOT WHAT HE HAD BEEN HEARING ABOUT] THE PLANTATION WAS ABOUT AS BIG AS ANY. I THINK IT HAD ABOUT THREE HUNDRED ACRESS ACR(, AND IT WAS ABOUT TWO MILES NORTHWEST6OF O (, O I N . ,(nNHE HAD A NOTHER ONE NOT SO BIG, TWO, THREE MILES NORTH OF THE BIG ONE, KIND OF DOWN IN TH E WOODSY PART ALONG THE WHITE RIVER BOTTOMS. HE HAD ANOTHER OVERSEER ON THAT PL ACE AND A BIG PASSEL OF NIGGERS, BUT I NEVER DID GO DOWN TO THAT ONE. THAT WAS WHERE HE RAISED MOST OF HIS CORN AND SHOATS, AND LOTS OF SORGHUM CANE. OUR PLANTATION WAS UP ON HIGHER GROUND, AND IT WAS MORE OPEN COUNTRY, BUT STILL THERE WAS LOTS OF WOODS ALL AROUND AND LOTS OF THE PLANTATION HAD BEEN WHA CKED RIGHT OUT OF THE NEW GROUND AND WAS FULL OF STUMPS. MASTERS PLACE WAS MORE 6 PE), ,HO GH, AND ALL IN THE FIELDS WAS GOOD PLOWI !. THE BIG ROAD RAN RIGHT THROUGH OUR PLANTATrON,&jnD&ITC O EFOMSHREVEPORT AND RUN INTO MONROE. THERE WAS NOT ANY TOWN AT MONROE IN THEM DAYS, JUST A LITT LE CROSS ROADS PLACE WITH A GENERAL STORE AND A BIG HIDE HOUSE. I THINK THERE W AS BAOUT TWO BIG HIDE HOUSES, AND YOU COULD SMELL THAT PLACE A MILE BEFORE YOU G OT TO TI. OLD MASTER HAD A PART IN THE STORE, I THINK. THE HIDE HOUSE WAS THE HIDE HOUSES WAS JUST LONG SHEDS, ALL OPEN jLONG THE2SID S jND OVnREDO VER WITH CYPRESS CLAPBOARDS. OwN2Bn OW THE HIDE qO S S jND THE2S O EWAS JUST A LITTLE SETTLEMENT OF ON E OR TWO HOUSES, BUT THERE WAS A SCHOOL FOR WHITE BOYS. SOMEBODY SAID THERE WAS A PLACE WHERE THEY HAD BEEN AN OLD FORT, BUT I NEVER DID SEE IT. EVERYTHING BOUGHT WE GOT FROM SHREVEPORT, AND WAS BROUGHT IN BY STAGE jND T HE FREIGHTERS, AND THAT WAS ONLY A LITTLE COFFEE OR GUNPOWDER, OR SOME NEEDLES F OR THE SEWING, OR SOME SCRAP IRON FOR THE BLACKSMITH, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. W E MADE AND RAISED EVERYTHING ELSE WE NEEDED RIGHT ON THE PLACE. I NEVER DID EVEN SEE ANY QUININE TILL AFTER I WAS FREE. -MY-MjMMYKKNOWED-JU ST WHAT ROOT TO GO OUT AND PULL TO KNOCK THE CHILLS RIGHT OUT OF ME. AND THE BE LLYACHE AND THE RUNNING OFF THE SAME WAY, TOO. OUR PLANTATION WAS A LOT DIFFERENT FROM SOME I SEEN6O,HnRPPLA \,LIKE WAY EAST OF THERE, AROUND VICKSBURG. SOME OF THEM WAS FIXED UP FANCIER BUT THEY DID OT8HAVE NO MORE COMFORTS THAN WE HAD. OLD A 6OLD MAST R OME9IN O ,HAT COUNTY6>HENHE WAS A YOUNG MAN, AND THEY DIDNT H AVE EVEN SO MUCH THEN AS THEY HAD WHEN I WAS A BOY. I THINK HE CAME FROM ALABAM AROLINA, CAUSE HE KNEW ALL ABOUT TOBACCO ON THE PLACE. COTTON AND TOBACCO WAS T &E LONG CROPS ON HIS BIG PLACE, AND OF COURSE LOTS OF HORSES AND CATTLE AND MULE S. ,HE BIG HOUSE WAS MADE OUT OF SQUARE HEWED LOGS AND .HINKED6WI,H ITt EROC KS AND DAUBED WITH WHITE CLAY, AND COVERED WITH CYPRESS CLAPBOARDS. I REMEMBER ONE TIME WE PUT ON A NEW ROOF, AND THE NIGGERS HAULED UP THE CYPRESS LOGS AND SA WED THEM AND FROWED OUT THE CLAPBOARDS BY HAND. ,HE8HOUSE HAD TWO SITTING ROOMS ON ONE SIDE AND A BG KIT.HENOOM6ON ,HE OTHER, WITH A WIDE PASSAGE IN BETWEEN, AND THEN ABOVE WAS THE SLEEPING ROOMS. $@ THERE WAS NOT NO STAIRWAYS EXCEPTING ON THE OUTSIDE. STEPS RAN UP TO THE SLEE PI NG ROOMS ON ONE SIDE FROM THE PASSAGEWAY AND ON THE OTHER SIDE FROM CLEAN OUTSID E THE HOUSE. JUST ONE BIG CHIMNEY WAS ALL HE HAD, AND IT WAS ON THE KITCHEN END , AND WE DONE ALL THE COOKING IN A FIREPLACE THAT WAS PRETTY NEAR AS WIDE AS THE WHOLE ROOM. IN THE SLEEPING ROOMS THERE WASNT NO FIR S XC PTr G rN2kRAZ SMADE O UT O F CLAY, AND WE TOTED UP CHARCOAL TO BURN IN THEM WHEN IT WAS COLD MORNINGS AND IN THE IN THE WINTER. THEY KEPT WARM WITH THE BED CLOTHES AND THE KNITTED CLOTHES THEY HAD. MASTER NEVER DID MAKE A BIG GALLERY ON THE HOUSE, BUT6OUR6> I EFOLKS WOULD 2SIT6OUT rN ,HE8YARD UNDER THE BG TRE S rN ,(ESHADE. THERE WERE LONG BENCHES MADE OUT OF HEWED LOGS AND ALL PADDED WITH GRAY MOSS AND CORN SHUCK PADDING, AND ,H(Y SET PRETTY SOFT. ALL THE FuRNITuRE rN ,(E8 O E6W SHOME MADE, TOO. THE BEDS HAD SQUARE POSTS AS BIG AROUND AS-MY2\H K ND ,(EFRAME WAS MORTISED INTO THEM, AND HOLES BORED IN THE FRAME AND HOME MADE ROPE LACED IN TO MAKE IT SPRINGY. THEN A GREAT BIG MATTRESS FULL OF FEATHERS AND TWO OR THREE COMFORTS A S THICH AS MY FOOT WITH CARDED WOLL INSIDE] THEY DIDNT NEED NO FIREPLACES] THE QUARTERS WAS A LITTLE PLACE FROM THE BIG HOUSE, AND THEY RAN ALONG BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD THAT GO TO THE FIELDS. jLL-ONE-ROOM-LOG C Br \,BUT THEY WAS GOOD AND WARM, AND EVERY ONE HAD A LITTLE OPnN SHED AT THE2bIDE fHnrE6fE2sln T IN THE SUMMER TO KEEP COOL. HnrE6W S wO-OR TqREE WnL S AT HEQUARTERS FOR WATER, AND SOME GOOD SPRIN GS IN THE BRANCH AT THE BACK OF THE FIELDS. YOU COULD CATCH A FISH NOW AND THEN rN THAT kRANCH, BUT YOUNG MASTnR USED tO mO HS FSHrNG&rN6fH ERIVER, AND TAK E A NIGGER OR TWO ALONG TO DO THE WORK AT HIS CAMP. IT W S-NOT VnRY&FjnCY&AT cHEBBG& O bE,BUT IT WAS MIGHTY PRETTY JUST THE S AME, WITH THE GREY MOSS HANGING FROM THE BIG TREES AND THE COOL GREEN GRASS ALL OVER THE YARD, AND I CAN SHUT MY OLD EYES AND SEE IT JUST LIKE IT WAS BEFORE THE WjR CjME jLONG jND BUST IT up. I CjN SEE OLD MASTER SITTING-OUT uNDnR A2BIG trEE2s krnGONE OF HIS LONG CHEROOTS HIS TOBACCO NIGGER MADE BY HAND , AND FANNING HIMSELF WITH HIS BIG WIDE HAT ANOTHER NIGGER PLATTED OUT OF YOUNG INSIDE CORN SHUCKS FOR HIM, AND I CAN H EAR HIM HOLLER AT A BIG BUNCH OF WHITE GEESE WHAT IS GETTING IN HIS FLOWER BEDS AND SEE THEM STRING OFF BEHIND THE OLD GANDER TOWARDS THE BIG ROAD. WHEN THE DAY BEGIN TO CRACK THE WHOLE PLANTATION BREAK OUT WITH ALL KINDS O F NOISES, AND YOU COULD TELL WHAT WAS GOING ON BY THE KIND OF NOISE YOU HEARD. OME ,HE D YREAK8YOU HEARD THE GUINEA6FOWLS2STRTPOTRACKING DOWN AT THE E DGE OF THE WOODS LOT, AND THEN THE ROOSTERS ALL START UP ROUND THE BARN AND THE DUCKS FINALLY WAKE UP AND JOIN IN. YOU CAN SMELL THE SOW BELLY FRYING DOWN AT T HE CABINS IN THE ROW, TO GO WITH THE HOECAKES AND THE BUTTERMILK. THEN PRETTY SOON THE WIND RISE A LITTLE, AND YOU CAN HEAR A OLD BELL O GIN G WAY ON SOME PLANTATION A MILE OR TWO OFF, AND THEN MORE BELLS AT OTHER PLACES AND MAYBE A HORN, AND PRETTY SOON YONDER GO OLD MASTERS OLD RAM HORN WITH A LON S TOOT AND THEN SOME SHORT TOOTS, AND HERE COME THE OVERSEER DOW THE ROW OF CABI NS, HOLLERING RIGHT AND LEFT, AND PICKING THE HAM OUT OF HIS TEETH WITH A LONG S HINY GOOSE QUILL PICK. BELLS AND HORNS] BELLS AND HORNS FOR ,HAT] ALL WE KN W6W S7 O jND O EBY ,HE BELLS AND HORNS] ,HE6OLD RAM8+ORN B OW TO SEND US ALL O ,HE6 IEL<. WE ALL LINED UP, ABOUT SEVENTY FIVE FIELD NIGGERS, AND GO BY THE TOOL SHED AND GET OUR HOES, OR MAYBE G O HITCH UP THE MULES TO THE PLOWS AND LAY THE PLOWS OUT ON THE SIDE SO THE OVERS EER CAN SEE IF THE POINTS IS SHARP. ANY PLOW GETS BROKEN OR THE POINT GETS BUNG LED UP ON THE ROCKS IT GOES TO THE BLACKSMITH NIGGER, THEN WE ALL GET ON DOWN TO ,(EFIELD. THEN THE ANVIL STATRTS DANGLING IN THE BLACKSMI,H2\ ^""D ]] n G ] T ANK] DELINGDING]" AND THAT OLD BULL TONGUE GETTING STRAIGHTENED OUT] COURSE YOU CANT HEAR THE SHOEMAKER AWLING AND PEGGING, AND THE CARD sPrNnnR S, AND THE OLD MAMMY SEWING BY HAND, BUT MAYBE YOU CAN HEAR THE OLD LOOM GOING " FRUMP,FRUMP" AND YOU KNOW IT ALL RIGHT IF YOUR CLOTHES DO BE WEARING OUT, CAUSE YOU GOING TO GET NEW BRITCHES PRETTY SOON] WE HAD ABOUT ONE HUNDRED NIGGERS ON THAT-PLACE, yOunG&jnDOLD, AND ABOUT TW ENTY ON THE LITTLE PLACE DOWN BELOW. WE COULD MAKE ABOUT EVERY KIND OF THING BU T COFFEE AND GUNPOWDER THAT OUR WHITEFOLKS AND US NEEDED. 6fHnN6fENEEDS A HAT WE GET INSIDE CORNSHUCKS AND WEAVE ONE OUT, AND MAKES H ORSE COLLARS THE SAME WAY. JUST TIE TWO LITTLE SOFT SHUCKS TOGETHER AND BEGIN P PLAITING. ALL THE CLOTH EXCnPTING THE MISTRESS SuNDAY mR S SC O EFROM THE SHEEP TO THE CARDERS AND THE SPINNERS AND THE WEAVER, THEN WE DYED IT WITH BUTTERNUT AND HICKORY BARK AND INDIGO AND OTHER THINGS AND SET IT WITH COPPERAS. LEATHER TANN ED ON THE PLACE MADE THE SHOES, AND I NEVER SAW A STORE BOUGHT WAGON WHEEL EXCEP TING AMONG THE STAGES AND THE FREIGHTERS ALONG THE ROAD. WE MADE PRETTY, LONG BACK COMBS OUT OF COW +OR), AND K IT r G-NEEmL SOUT O F SECOND HICKORY. SPLIT A YOUNG HICKORY AND PUT IN A BIG WEDGE TO PRIZE IT OPEN , H , THEN CUT IT DOWN AND LET IT SEASON, AND YOU GOT GOOD BENT GRAIN FOR WAGON HAME S AND CHAIR ROCKERS AND SUCH. IT WAS JUST LIKE THAT UNTIL I WAS GROWN, AND THEN ONE DAY CAME A NE![R A ND SAID WE IN THE WAR. LITTLE WHILE YOUNG MASTER FRANK RIDE OVER TO VICKSBURG AND JOINED ,HE SEC S SION ARMY, BUT OLD MASTER JUST GO ON LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED, AND WE ALL DONT HEAR O,HI G MORE UNTIL LONG COME SOME SECESSION SOLDIERS AND TAKE OST6OLD-M S S HORSES AND ALL HIS WAGONS. I BEEN WORKING ON THE TOBACCO, AND WHEN I COME BACK O ,HE B IN SHREVEP ORT OLD MASTER GOT HIS COTTON AND TOBACCO ON(Y6>HATHE HAD BEEN AFRAID TO HAVE SENT BACK TO THE PLANTATION WHEN HE SOLD HIS STUFF, AND WE STRUCK OUT NORTH THROUGH ARKANSAS. ,HAT WAS THE AWFULLEST TRIP ANY MAN EVER MAD(] 6WE8HAD O8 IDEFROM EVERYBO DY UNTIL WE FOUND OUT IF THEY WERE YANKEES OR SECHESH, AND WE WENT ALONG LITTLE OLD BACK ROADS AND UP ONE MOUNTAIN AND DOWN ANOTHER, THROUGH THE WOODS ALL THE W AY. FT R A O G TIME6WE7 OT O ,HE MIS O RI- N(, NDK NDOF CUT OFF THRO UGH THE CORNER OF THAT STATE INTO KANSAS. I DO NOT KNOW HOW WE EVER GOT ACROSS SOME 6OF ,HEM RIVERS BUT6WE DI<. ,HnRE-NEjR$Y j W \SWOULD BE SOME SOLDIERS AROUND T HE FORDS, AND THEY WOULD HELP US FIND THE BEST CROSSING. SOMETIMES WE HAD TO UN LOAD THE WAGONS AND DRY OUT THE STUFF WHAT GOT ALL WET, AND CAMP A DAY OR TWO TO 6FX P GAI). PRETTY SOON WE GOT TO FORT SCOTT, AND THAT WAS WHERE THE ROADS6oORKED EVnY 6> HCWAY. ONE WENT ON NORTH AND ONE EAST AND ONE WENT DOWN INTO THE INDIAN CO UNTRY. IT WAS FULL OF SOLDIERS COMING AND GOING BACK AND FORTH TO ARKANSAS AND FORT GIBSON. WE TOOK THE ROAD ON WEST THROUGH KANSAS, AND MADE FOR COLORA O PRr \. FORT SCOTT WAS ALL RUN DOWN, AND THE OLD PLACES WHERE THEY USED TO8HAVE ,(E SOLDIERS WAS ALL6FELL IN IN MOST PLACE\. JUSTOOLDRRI ,YWALLS AND LEAKY ROOFS, AND A BIG POLE FENCE MADE OUT OF POLES SET IN THE GROUND ALL TIED TOGETHE R, BUT IT WAS FALLING DOWN, TOO. THERE WERE LOTS OF WAGONS ALL AROUND WHAT BELONGED TO ,HE AR*Y,8HAur G2STU FF FOR THE SOLDIERS, AND SOME FOLKS TOLD OLD MASTER HE COULD NOT MAKE US NIGGERS GO WITH HrM, BUT WE SAID WE WANTED tO pO jNYWA\S,2 O6fEJUST WENT ON WEST ACROS S KANSAS. >HEN WE GOT AWAY ON WEST WE COME TO A FOR,, AND ,HE BESTOAD6 nNTK NDOF SOUTH INTO MEXICO, AND WE COME TO A LITTLE PLACE CALLED CLAYTON, MEXICO WHERE WE CAMPED A WHILE AND THEN WENT NORTH. ,HAT7PLACE IS IN NEW MEXICO NOW, BUT OLD MAST R J ST CjLLED9IT- ;. S OM EBODY SHOWED ME WHERE IT IS ON THE MAP, AND IT LOOKED LIKE IT IS A LONG WAY OFF OF OUR ROAD TO COLORADO SPRINGS, BUT I GUESS THE ROAD JUST WOUND OFF DOWN THAT W AY AT THE TIME WE WENT OVER IT. IT WAS JUST TWO OR THREE HOUSES MADE OUT OF MUD AT THAT TIME, AND A STORE WHnRE THE sOLDInS jND THE rNDIj SCCj EAND DID TRADI NG. ABOUT THAT TIME-OLD-MASTnR SnLL-OFF2sOME-OF THESTUFF HE HAD BEEN TAKING AL ONG, CAUSE THE WAGONS WERE LOADED TOO HEAVILY FOR THE MOUNTAINS AND HE FIGURED H E HAD BETTER HAVE THE MONEY THAN SOME OF THE STUFF, I GUESS. -ON THE WAY NORTH IT WAS A FuNNY lOuNtRY. 6WEJUST CLIMBED ALL DAY LONG GETT ING UP ONE SIDE OF ONE BUNCH OF MOUNTAINS, AND ALL THE NIGGER MEN HAD TO PUSH ON THE WHEnLS WHrLE THE-MuLES-PuLLED jND THnN blOcCH cHE fHEn S fHrlE cHEMULES RE STED. EVERYBODY BUT THE WHITE FOLKS HAD TO WALK MOST OF THE TIME. &mOwN&rN THE VjLLEYS IT WAS fjRMLIKE IN LOUISIANA, BUT IT SEEMED LIKE THE S UN AINT SO HOT ON THE HEAD, BUT IT LOOKED LIKE EVERY TIME NIGHT CAME IT CAUGHT U S UP ON TOP OF ONE OF THEM MOUNTAINS, AND IT WAS ALMOST AS COLD AS IN THE WINTER TIME] ALL THE NIGGERS HAD SHOES AND PLENTY OF WARM CLOTHES AND WE WR PPED P ATNN IGHT IN EVERYTHING WE COULD GET. WE7GOT TO FORT SCOTT AGAIN, AND ,HEN ,HE8YANKEE6OF IC S Cj E ND s ED ALL US GG RS9 F6WE6WANTED O LEAVE6OLD-M R NDSTAY THERE AND WORK, CAUS E WE WERE ALL FREE NOW. OLD MASTER SAID WE COULD DO WHAT WE PLEASED ABOUT IT. A FEW OF THE NIGGERS STAYED THERE IN FORT SCOTT, BUT MOST OF US SAID6WE6WER E GOING TO STAY WITH OLD MASTER, AND WE DID NOT CARE IF WE WERE FREE OF NOT. >HEN WE GET BACK TO MONROE TO ,HE6OLD7PLACE US GG SGET A BIG SURPRISE. 6WE ID NOT HEAR ABOUT IT, BUT SOME OF OLD MASTE'S KI FOLKS BA K9 N5 r  IADO NE COME OUT THERE AND FIXED THE PLACE UP AND KEPT IT FOR HIM WHILE WE WERE IN CO LORADO, AND IT LOOKED ABOUT AS GOOD AS WHEN WE LEFT IT. HE CUT IT UP IN CHUNKS AND PUT US NIGGERS OUT ON IT ON THE HALVES, BUT HE H AD TO SELL PART OF IT TO GET THE MONEY TO GET US MULES AND TOOLS AND FOOD TO RUN ON. THEN AFTER A WHILE HE HAD TO SELL SOME MORE, AND HE SEEMED LIKE8HE6W S7GET TING OLD MIGHTY FAST. YOuNG MASTER HAD BEnN rN TH BIG BATtLES rN VrRGrNIA,&jnDHE GOT HIT, AND TH EN HE GOT SICK, AND WHEN HE CAME HOME HE WAS JUST LIKE AN OLD MAN HE WAS SO FEEB LE. A OUT THAT TIME THERE WERE A LOT OFPP PLE O G9 O3 H TC O YFROM TH E NORTH, AND THEY KEPT TELLING THE NIGGERS THAT THE THING FOR THEM TO DO WAS TO BE FREE, AND COME AND GO WHERE THEY PLEASED. THEY TRIED TO GET THE DARKIES TO GO AND VOTE BUT NONE OF US FOLKS TOOK MUCH STOCK BY WHAT THEY SAID. OLD MASTER TOLD US PLENTY TIME TO MIX rN THE-POLITI S 6fHnN3cHE OunGONES GOT EDUCATED AND KNEW WHAT TO DO. JUST THE SAME HE NEVER MINDED IF WE WENT TO THE DANCES AND THE SINGING AND SUCH. HE ALWAYS LENT US A WAGON IF WE WANTED TO BORROW ONE TO GO IN, TOO. SOME OF THE NIGGERS WHAT WORKED FOR THE WHITE oOLKS oROM THE-NORTH ACcED PRETTY UPPITY AND BIG, AND CAME PESTERING AROUND THE DANCE PLACES AND TRIED TO T ALK UP RUCTIONS AMONGST US, BUT IT DID NOT LAST LONG. THE KU KLUXERS STARTED RIDING AROUND AT NIGHT, jND THEY-PASS THE wORDTHAT T HE DARKIES GOT TO HAVE A PASS TO GO AND COME AND TO STAY AT THE DANCES. THEY HA VE TO GET THE PASS FROM THE WHITE FOLKS THEY ARE WORKING FOR, AND THE PASSES WRI TTEN BY NORTHERN PEOPLE WOULD NOT DO NO GOOD. THAT WAS THE WAY THE KLUXERS KEPT THE DARKIES IN LINE. THE KLUXERS JUST RIDE UP TO THE DANCE AND LOOK AT EVERYBODY'S-PASSES,&jnD IF SOME DARKY IS THERE WITHOUT A PASS OR GOT A PASS FROM THE WRONG MAN THEY RUN HIM HOME, AND IF THE DARKY TALK BIG AND WON'T GO HOME THEY WHIP HIM jND-MjKE HI M GO. ANY NIGGER OUT ON THE ROAD AFTER DARK LIABLE TO-RuN AlR SS cHEKLUXERS, AND HE HAD BETTER HAVE A GOOD PASS] ALL THE DANCES GOT TO BUST UP AT ABOUT ELEVEN OCLOCK, TOO. 6ONE IME I SAW ,HREE OR FOUR KL XERS6ON8+ORSE\, ALL6WR PPED PIN WHITE, AN D THEY WAS MAKING A BLACK BOY GET ALONG D THEY WAS MAKING A BLACK BOY GET HOME. THEY WAS RIDING HORSES AND HE WAS TROTT ING DOWN THE ROAD AHEAD OF THEM. EVERY TIME HE STOPED AND STARTED TALKING THEY -OPPED THE WHIP AT HIS HEELS AND HE STARTED TROTTING ON. HE WAS SO MAD HE WAS C RYING, BUT HE WAS GETTING ON DOWN THE ROAD JUST THE SAME. I SAW THEM COMING AND I GOT OUT MY PASS YOUNG MASTER WROTE SO I COULD \+OW IT, BUT WHEN THEY RODE BY ONE IN FRONT JUST TURNED IN HIS SADDLE AND LOOKED BACK AT THE OTHER MEN AND NODDED HIS HEAD, AND THEY JUST RODE ON BY WI,HOUT ST PPI G O SEE *Y7PAS\. ,HAT MAN KN W M(,9I9RE ). 9I ED OSEE IF I KNEW THE HO RSE, BUT THE KLUXERS SOMETIMES SWAPPED THEIR HORSES AROUND AMONGST THEM, SO THE HORSE MAYBE WAS NOT HIS. THEY WERE NOT VERY BAD CAUSE THE NIGGERS AROUND THERE WAS NOT BAD, BUT I8HE ARD PLENTY OF THE DARKIES GOT WHIPPED IN OTHER PLACES CAUSE THEY ACTED UP AND SA ID THEY DID NOT HAVE TO TAKE OFF THEIR HATS IN THE WHITE STORES AND SUCH. A)Y GG R ,HAT B(HAVED HIMSELF AND DID OT7 O9RuN r G O NDLATE AT NIGHT AND DRINKING NEVER HAD NO TROUBLE WITH THE KLUXERS. YOUNG MISTRESS GO OFF AND GOT MARRIED, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER THE NAME CAUSE SHE LIVED OFF SOMEWHERE ELSE, AND THE NEXT YEAR, I THINK IT WAS, MY PAPPY AND MA MMY WENT ON A PLACE ABOUT FIVE MILES AWAY OWNED BY A MAN NAMED MISTER BUMPUS, AN D I WENT WITH MY SISTER BETTY AND BROTHER JIMMIE TO HELP THEM. I LIVED AROUND THAT PLACE AND NEVER MARRIED TILL OLD MAMMY AND-PjPPY kOcH&G ONE, AND JIMMIE AND BETTY BOTH MARRIED AND I WAS GETTING ABOUT FORTH YEARS OLD M YSELF, AND THEN I WENT UP IN KANSAS AND WORKED AROUND TILL I GOT MARRIED AT LAST . I WAS I FORT SCOTT, AND I MARRIED MATHILDA BLACK rN 1900, jND2 (EIS SEVEN TY THREE YEARS OLD NOW AND WAS BORN IN TENNESSEE. WE WENT TO PITTSBURG, KANSAS, AND LIVED FROM 1907 TO 1913 WHEN WE CAME TO TULSA. YOUNG MASTER'S CHILDREN WROTE TO ME ONCE rN A WHrLE jND tOLD-ME OW3 ((YWE RE GETTING ALONG UP TO ABOUT TWENTY YEARS AGO, AND THEN I NEVER HEARD NO MORE AB OUT THEM. I NEVER HAD NO CHILDREN, AND IT LOOS D LIKE MY WIFE IS GOING TO OUTLI VE ME, SO MY MAIN HOPE WHEN I GO ON IS SEEING MAMMY AND PAPPY AND OLD MASTER. OLD OVERSEER, I SUSPECT, WAS TOO DEVILISH MEAN TO BE THERE] COURSE I LOVE MY LORD JESUS SAME AS ANYBODY, BUT YOU SEE I NEVnR HEjRD-MUCH OUTHHrM uNTrLL I WAS pROwN, jND IT2SEn SLIKE YOU GOT TO HEAR ABOUT RELIGION WHEN YOU ARE LITTLE TO SOAK IT UP AND PUT MUCH BY IT. NOBODY COULD READ THE BIB LE WHEN I WAS A BOY, AND THERE WASN'T NO WHITE PREACHERS THAT TALKED TO THE NIGG ERS. WE HAD MEETING SOMETIMES, BUT THE NIGGER PREACHER JUST TALKED ABOUT BEING A GOOD NIGGER AND DOING TO PLEASE THE MASTER, AND I ALWAYS THOUGHT HE MEANT TO P LEASE OLD MASTER, AND I ALWAYS WANTED TO DO THAT ANYWAYS. SO ,HAT IS THE REASON I ALW YS REMEMBER ,HE TIME6OLD MAST RPASSED ON. IT WAS ABOUT TWO YEARS AFTER THE WAR, AND OLD MASTER BEEN M!H,Y7 OOR$Y ALL ,HE IM(. 6ONE D Y6WE6WERE6WORKI G IN ,HE BU P SFIELD AND A NIGGER CAME ON A MULE AND SAID OLD MISTRESS WOULD LIKE TO HAVE US GO OVER TO THE OLD PLACE CAUSE OLD MASTER MIGHTY LOW AND WAS CALLING MY AND PAPPY'S AND MAMMY'S NAMES. OLD MAN BUMPUS SAID GO RIGHT AHEAD. WHEN WE GOT TO THE BIG HOUSE OLD MASTER WAS SITTING PROPPED UP IN THE BED A ND YOU COULD SEE HE WAS MIGHTY LOW AND OUT OF HIS HEAD. LIKE IT WAS GETTING GLOOMY DARK, AND IT WAS GOING TO RAIN, AND HAIL GOING TO CAT CH THE OATS IN THE SHOCKS. SOME NIGGER CAME RUNNING UP TO THE BACK DOOR WITH AN OLD8HORN OLD MISTRESS SENT HIM OUT TO HUNT UP, AND HE BLEW IT SO OLD MASTER OU LD HEAR IT. ,HEN7PRET,Y SOON THE DOCTOR CAME TO THE OOR AND SAID6OLD MAST R6WjN S ,(E BELL RUNG CAUSE THE SLAVES OUGHT TO BE IN FROM THE FIELDS, CAUSE IT GETTING TOO DARK TO WORK. SOMEBODY GOT A WAGON TIRE AND BEAT ON IT LIKE A BELL RINGING, RIG HT OUTSIDE OLD MASTER'S WINDOW, AND THEN WE ALL GO UP ON THE PORCH AND PEEP IN. EVERYBODY WAS SNUFFLING KIND OF QUIE,, CAUSE6WE Cj)'THELP IT. WE HEARD OLD MASTER SAY:"THAT IS ALL RIGHT, SIMMONS. I mON'T fjNTMY NIGGE RS WORKING IN THE RAIN. GO DOWN TO THE QUARTERS AND SEE THEY ALL DRIED OFF GOOD . THEY AINT GOT NO SENSE BUT THEY ARE ALL GOOD NIGGERS." EVERYBODY AROUND THE BED WAS CRYING, AND WE ALL WAS CRYING TOO. THnNOOLD MISTRESS CAME TO THE DOOR jND2SAIDWE COULD GO IN AND LOOK AT HIM IF WE WANTED TO. HE WAS STILL SITTING PROPPED UP, BUT HE WAS GONE. I STAYED IN LOUISIANA A LONG TIME AFTER THAT, BUT I DIDN'T CjRE-NOcHrnG& O UT IT, AND IT LOOKED LIKE I AM STAYING A LONG TIME PAST MY TIME IN THIS WORLD, C AUSE I DON'T CARE MUCH ABOUT STAYING NO LONGER ONLY I HATE TO LEAVE MATHILDA. BUT ANY TIME THE LORD WANTS ME I AM READY, AND I LIKE TO THrNK WHnN HE&SR EADY HE IS GOING TO TELL OLD MASTER TO RING THE BELL FOR ME TO COME ON IN.