ISAAC MARTIN, TEX. #223 THIS OLD MAN JUST LAYING AROUND. AINT NOTHING TO HIM NO MORE. I ONE6WORE OUT. I JUST WAITING FOR THE GOOD MARSTER TO CALL POOR OLD ISAAC HOME TO GLORY. WHEN THEY READ THE PROCLAMATION TO MY MAMMY AND DADDY THEY MADE THEM7GIVE EVERYBODYS AGE IN THE FAMILY. I WAS TWELVE YEARS OLD THEN. I WAS BORN uP HnRE rN-MONTpOMnRY OuNTY O T3 EEMILES FROM WILLIS UPON THE I AND GN RAILROAD. I HELPED TO BUILD THAT I AND GN RAILROAD. OLD MAJOR WOOD HE MY DADDYS MARSTER, AND COURSE HE WAS MINE TO;. 8HE6W S6 E LL FIXED. HE HAD ABOUT SEVENTY OR EIGHTY WORKING SLAVES AND I DONT KNOW HOW MAN Y LITTLE NIGGERS. I DIDNT KNOW NOTHING ABOUT OLD MISSUS, MISTRESS WOOD. I JUST REMEMBER SHE A BIG FAT WOMAN. THEY DIDNT ALLOW NO LITTLE NIGGER .HILDREN P9 N THE YARD AROUND THE BIG HOUSE EXCEPTING TO CLEAN UP THE YARD, AND THEM WHAT ON E THAT, THEY HAD TO BE JUST LIKE THAT YARD, CLEAN AS PECKERWOODS. OLD MARSTER HE WASNT MEAN. HE NEVER WHIPPED THEM JUST SO IF A)\ OOU6WANT O TALK O6OLD MRS RYOU HAD TO CALL FOR THA T OLD WAITING MAN. HE CAME AND YOU TOLD HIM WHAT YOU WANT AND DEN HE GO AND TEL L OLD MARSTER AND THEN HE SAY,"BRING HIM IN," AND THEN YOU GO IN AND SEE OLD MAR STER AND TALK YOUR BUSINESS, BUT YOU HAD TO BE NICE AND HOLD YOUR HAT UNDER YOUR R*. ,H(Y6W S2BGRRI.HPEOPLE. SOMETIMES THEY HAVE PARTIES WHAT LAST A WEEK. T HEY WAS HAVING THEIR FUN IN THEIR WAY. THEY CAME IN CARRIAGES AND HACKS. MY FATHER WAS THE HOSTLER AND HE HAD TO KEEP THE HORSES AND SEE A OUT6FEE I NG THEM. THEY HAD A SEPARATE LITTLE HOUSE FOR THE SADDLES. OLD MARSTER HE KEPT GOOD HORSES. HE WAS NOT MEAN. HE HAD A GREAT BIG PASTURE AND LOTS OF TIMES PEOPLE GO CAMP IN IT. YOU SEE IT WAS THIS WAY, THE YANKEES THEY GOT RUSHING THE AMERICAN PEOPL(, ,HAT ,HE ON FEDERATES, THEY KEPT COMING FURTHER AND FURTHER WEST, TILL THEY CAME TO TEXAS AN D THEN THEY CANT GO MUCH FURTHER. THE YANKES D THEN THEY CANT GO MUCH FURTHER. THE YANKEES KEPT CROWDING THEM AND THEY KEPT ON COMING. WHEN THEY CAMPED IN OLD MARSTERS PASTURE, HE GAVE THEM CORN. I SEE THEM DRIVE A WHOLE WAGON LOAD OF CORN AND DUMP IT ON THE GROUND FOR THEIR HORSES . THE YANKEES NEVER CAME TILL THE WAR CLOSED. THEN THEY CAME ALL THROUGH THAT COUNTRY. THAT WAS DESTRUCTION, IT SEEMED LIKE TO ME. THEY TAKE WHAT THEY WANTE D. WHEN FREEDOM CAME AND THE PROCLAMATION WAS READ AND THE OLD MARSTnR OLD THEM THEY WAS FREE AND DIDNT HAVE NO OLD MARSTER NO MORE SOME OF THE SLAVES CRIE D. HE TOLD THEM,"I DONT WANT NONE OF YOU TO LEAVE." "I WILL GIVE YOU EIGHT DOLL ARS A MONTH." ALL THE OLD FOLKS STAYED AND HELPED GATHER THAT CROP. IT SURE GR IEVED OLD MARSTER AND HE DIDNT LIVE LONG AFTER THEY TOOK HIS SLAVES AWAY FROM HI M. WELL, IT HUST KILLED HIM, THAT IS ALL. I REMEMBER THE YANKEES ON THAT DAY THEY SET TO READ THE PROCLAMATION. THEY WAS GOING ROUND IN THEIR BLUE UNIFORM A ND A BIG LONG SWORD HANGING AT THEIR SIDE. THAT WAS CURIOSITY TO THEM NIGGERS. WHEN OLD MARSTER WANT TO GO OUT, HE CALLED HIS LITTLE NIGGER SERVANT TO GO TELL MY FATHER WHAT WAS THE HOSTLER, TO SADDLE UP THE HORSE AND BRING HIM ARO UND. THEN OLD MARSTER GET ON HIM. HE HAD THREE STEPS, SO HE COULD JUST GO UP T HEM STEPS AND THEN HIS FOOT WAS RIGHT AT THE STIRRUP. MY DADDY HOLD THE STIRRUP 6FOR8HIM O7PUT8HE6O,HER6FOOT IN I,. I WAS BIG ENOUGH TO RUN AFTER AND ASK HIM TO GIVE ME A DIME. HE LAUGHED AN D SOMETIMES HE GAVE ME THE DIME. SOMETIMES HE PITCHED IT TO ME AND I RAN AND GRABBED IT UP AND SAY "THANK YOU, MARSTER," AND HE LAUGHED AND LAUGHED. OLD MISTRESS SHE HAD A REGULAR COOK. THAT WAS MY MOTHERS MOTHE. EVEY, I NG HAD TO BE JUST SO, AND EVERYTHING NICE AND CLEAN. THEY DIDNT DO NO REGULAR WORK ON SUNDAY. EVERY SUNDAY ONE OF THE OTHER WOM AN HAD TO TAKE THE PLACE OF THE COOK SO SHE COULD GET OFF. ALL OF THEM WHAT COU LD WOULD GET OFF AND GO TO CHURCH FOR THE PREACHING. THEM WHAT TURN DIDNT COME ONE SUNDAY, WOULD GO ANOTHER TILL THEY ALL GOT ROUND TO GO. MARSTER HAD TWO OR THREE HUNDRED HEAD OF CATTLE. MY GRANDFATHER, GUILFORD, AHD A MULE AND HORSE OF HIS OWN. UNCLE HANK WAS HIS BROTHER, jND HE HAD THE2SH EEP DEA EEP DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AFTER. SOMETIMES THE NIGGERS GOT A HORSE OR A SHEEP OVER , THEN THE MARSTER BUY HIM. SOME OF THE NIGGERS HAD A LITTLE PATCH ROUND THEIR CABINS AND THEY RAISED VEGETABLES. OLD MARSTER HE BUY THE VEGETABLES SOMETIMES. I DIDNT KNOW WHAT FREEDOM WAS. I DIDNT KNOW WHETHER I NEEDED IT-OR-NOT. 2SEnM ED TO ME LIKE IT WAS BETTER THEN THAN NOW, CAUSE I GOT TO LOOK OUT FOR MYSELF NOW. US USED TO BE ON THE WATCH OUT FOR OLD MARSTER. THE FIRST ONE SEE HIM lOMI NG LIT OUT AND OPENED THE GATE FOR HIM TO RIDE THROUGH AND OLD MARSTER TOSS HIM A NICKLE. WHEN IT WAS TIME TO EAT, THE OLD COOK SHE OLLnROUT,"TEE, TEE, TEE," AND A LL US LITTLE NIGGERS COME RUNNING. SHE HAVE A BIG TRAY AND EACH OF US HAD A VES SEL AND A SPOON. SHE FILLED OUR VESSEL AND US GO EAT AND THEN US GO BACK FOR MO RE. US GOT ALL US WANTED. THEY GAVE US SUPPER BEFORE THE HANDS CAME IN FROM TH E FIELD AND WHAT WITH PLAYING AROUND ALL DAY AND EATING ALL US COULD HOLD IN THE AFTERNOON, IT WASNT LONG VEFORE US LITTLE NIGGnRS-READY O7 O O2sLE P. ONE THING, OLD MARSTER DIDNT WANT HIS NIGGERS TO RUN ABOUT. SOMETIMES ,H(Y WANTED tO GO OVER TO ANOTHER PLANTATION ON SuNDAY. THnN HE GAVE THnM&APASS IF &HE6frLlrnG&oOR cHnM O& o. cHEY&HADPATROLLERS TO RIDE FROM PLANTATION TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY STRANGE NIGGERS THERE. WHEN THEY WANTED TO MARRY, THE MAN HE REPORT TO OLD MARSTER. HE WANT HIS-N IGGERS TO MARRY ON HIS PLANTATION. HE GAVE THEM A NICE LITTLE SUPPER AND A BIG DANCE. THEY HAD SOME SORT OF LICENCE BUT OLD MARSTER TOOK CARE OF THAT. HE HAD TWO SONS WHAT HAD FARMS AND SLAVES OF THEIR OWN. OLD MARSTER DIDNT CARE IF HS SLAVES MARRY ON HIS SONS FARMS. IF ANY OF THE SLAVES DO MEAN, HE MADE THEM WORK 6ON SUND Y. HE DIDNT BELIEVE IN BEATI G ,Hn*. SO MANY OF THEM AS COULD, USUALLY WENT TO THE WHITE FOLKS .HUR.HON SUNDAY AND HEARD THE WHITE PREACHER. THEY SAT OFF TO THEMSELVES IN THE BACK OF THE CHU RCH. THEM WHAT STAYED AT HOME HAD A COLORED PREACHER. THEY TRIED TO RAISE THEM UP SOCIAL. THEY HAD AN OLD WOMAN TO LOOK AFTER THE BABIES WHEN THEIR MAMMIES WAS OUT I N THE FIELD. THEY HAD A TIME SET FOR THE MAMMIES TO COME IN AND NURSE THE BABIE S. THE OLD WOMAN SHE HAD HELPERS. THEY HAD A BIG HOUSE AND CRADLES FOR THEM BABIES WHERE THE NURSE TOOK CARE OF THEM. WHEN ANYBODY DIED THEY HAD A FUNERAL. ALL THE HANDS KNOCK OFF6RK O ATTE ND THE FUNERAL. THEY BURIED THE DEAD IN A HOMEMADE COFFIN. I NEVER PAID NO ATTENTION TO TALK ABOUT GHOST\. I NEV R2BnIEVED9 N ,(n *. BUT ONE TIME COMING FROM CHURCH MY UNCLES WIFE SAID:"IKE, YOU EVER SEE A GHOS?? WANT TO SEE ONE?"8 AND I TOLD HER I DONT GIVE A CENT, YES I WANT TO SEE ONE. SHE SAID:" I SHOW YOU A MAN DRESSED IN WHITE WHAT AINT GOT NO HEAD, AND YOU GOIN G FEEL A WARM BREEZE." AFTER A WHILE DOWN THE HILL BY THE GRAVEYARD SHE SAID:"T HERE HE GOES." I LOOKED BUT I NEVER SAW NOTHING, I I FELT THE WARM BREEZE. I USED TO GO TO SEE A GAL AND I USED TO HAVE TO PASS RIGHT BY AN6OLD GRAVEY ARD. IT WAS ALL WALLED UP WITH BRICKS BUT ONE PLACE THEY HAD STEPS UP OVER THE WALL SO WHEN THEY HAD TO BURY A BODY TWO MEN CAN WALK UP THEM STEPS SIDE BY SIDE , AND THAT THE WAY THEY TOOK THE CORPSE OVER. WELL, WHEN I GOT TO THEM STEPS I HEARD SOMETHING. THEN I STOPPED AND I AINT HEARD NOTHING. WHEN I STARTED WALKI NG AGAIN I HEARD THE NOISE AGAIN. I LOOKED AROUND AND THEN I SAW SOMETHING WHIT E COME UP RIGHT THERE WHERE THE STEPS GO OVER THE WALL. I HAD A STICK IN MY HAN D AND NEXT TIME IT COME UP I MADE A RUSH AT IT AND HIT IT. IT WAS JUST A GREAT BIG OLD BILLY GOAT WHAT GOT INSIDE THE WALL AND WAS TRYING TO GIT OUT. HE GOT O UT JUST WHEN I HIT HIM AND HE LIT OUT THROUGH THE WOODS. THAT IS THE ONLY GHOST I EVER SAW AND I AM GLAD THAT WERENT NO GHOST. OLD MARSTER HE HAD TWENTY HEAD OF lOWS. THEY GAVE-PLnNTYMILK. THEY USED TO GET A CEDAR TUB BIG AS THAT THERE ONE FULL OF MILK. THE MILKERS THEY PACK IT ON THEIR HEAD TO TEH HOUSE. US COW PEN BOYS HAD O7 O6oRIVE P (ECC e . C O W PEN BOYS? COW PEN BOYS, THEY WERE THE BOYS WHAT KEPT AWAY THE CALVES WHEN THE Y DO THE MILKING. COURSE, LOTS OF TIMES WHEN THEY WERE THROUGH MILKING US JUMP ON THEM AND RIDE THEM. WHENEVER THEY CAUGHT US DOING THAT THEY SURE WEAR US OUT . THAT WERENT YESTERDAY. FAR AS I AM CONCERNED WE HAD A PLUM GOOD TIME IN SLAVERY. MANY A YEjR-MY G RAMPA RAISED A BALE OF COTTON AND MARSTER BOUGHT IT. THAT WAS ENCOURAGING US TO BE sMjRT. MY DADDY NAMED EDMOND WOOD AND MY MA NAMED MARIA. I HAD A2O,HnR jND ASI STER; THEY WERE NAMED CASS AND ANN. I BEEN A FARMER ALL MY LIFE. I KEPT ON FAR MING TILL THE BOLL WEEVIL HIT THESE PARTS AND THEN I QUIT THE FARM AND WENT TO P UBLIC WORK. I WORKED IN THE WOODS AND CUT LOGS. I BOUGHT THIS HOUSE. I BEEN H ERE AROUND VOTH ABOUT TWENTY FIVE YEARS. I HAVE BEEN MARRIED TWICE. THE FrST TrME IMARRIED ( I GET SO STINKING OLD I CANT REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS, BUT IT BEEN A LONG WAYS BACK. MY FIRST WIFE, M ARY JOHNSON. SHE DIED AND THEN I MARRIED THIS HERE WOMAN I GOT HERE NOW. HER N AME BEEN RHODA MCGOWAN WHEN I MARRIED HER BUT SHE BEEN MARRIED BEFORE. BOTH OF US OLD, AINT FIT FOR NOTHING. US GET PENSIONSAND THAT WHAT US LIVE ON NOW, CAUS E I TOO OLD TO DO ANY WORK NO MORE. ME AND MY FIRST WIFE WE HAD TEN CHILDREN. THEY ARE ALL DEAD BUT6oOUR jND I AINT SURE THEY ARE ALL LIVING. LAST I HEARD OF THEM ONE WAS IN HOUSTON, AND O NE I CHIGAGO, AND ONE IN KANSAS CITY, AND ONE LIVES HERE. I SEEN HIM THIS MORNI NG. I HEARD TELL OF THE KU KLUX BUT I AINT NEVER SEEN THEM. I NEVER DID GO TO SCHOOL NEITHER. I AM A MEMBER OF ,HE C M E METHODIST .HUR.H. 6>HEN I USED O OULDGET ABOU T I USED TO BE A STEWARD IN THE CHURCH. THEN I WAS THE TREASURER OF THE CHURCH HERE AT VOTH FOR SOME SEVEN YEARS. I USED TO BELONG TO THE UBF LODGE, TOO. BACK IN SLAVERY THEY ALWAYS HAD AN OLD DARKY TO TRAIN ,HE8>O GONES AND TE ACH THEM RIGHT FROM WRONG. AND THEY WOULD WHIP YOU FOR DOING WRONG. THEY WOULD REPORT TO THE OVERSEER. SOME OF THEM WAS MEAN AND R ORTED2 OM OHPPED ,HEM J ST2 O9 F )\ OHEN FREEDOM CAME AND THE PROCLAMATION WAS READ AND ,HE6OLD MRS R OLD THEM THEY WAS FREE AND DIDNT HAVE NO OLD MARSTER NO MORE SOME OF THE SLAVES CRIE D. HE TOLD THEM,"I DONT WANT NONE OF YOU TO LEAVE." "I WILL GIVE YOU EIGHT DOLL ARS A MONTH." ALL THE OLD FOLKS STAYED AND HELPED GATHER THAT CROP. IT SURE GR IEVED OLD MARSTER AND HE DIDNT LIVE LONG AFTER THEY TOOK HIS SLAVES AWAY FROM HI M. WELL, IT HUST KILLED HIM, THAT IS ALL. I REMEMBER THE YANKEES ON THAT DAY THEY SET TO READ THE PROCLAMATION. THEY WAS GOING ROUND IN THEIR BLUE UNIFORM A ND A BIG LONG SWORD HANGING AT THEIR SIDE. THAT WAS CURIOSITY TO THEM NIGGERS. WHEN OLD MARSTER WANT TO GO OUT, HE CALLED HIS LITTLE NIGGER SERVANT TO GO TELL MY FATHER WHAT WAS THE HOSTLER, TO SADDLE UP THE HORSE AND BRING HIM ARO UND. THEN OLD MARSTER GET ON HIM. HE HAD THREE STEPS, SO HE COULD JUST GO UP T HEM STEPS AND THEN HIS FOOT WAS RIGHT AT THE STIRRUP. MY DADDY HOLD THE STIRRUP FOR HIM TO PUT HE OTHER FOOT IN IT. I WAS BIG ENOUGH TO RUN AFTER AND ASK HIM TO GIVE-ME A DrME. HELAUGHED AN D SOMETIMES HE GAVE ME THE DIME. SOMETIMES HE PITCHED IT TO ME AND I RAN AND GRABBED IT UP AND SAY "THANK YOU, MARSTER," AND HE LAUGHED AND LAUGHED. OLD MISTRESS SHE HAD A REGULAR COOK. THAT WAS MY MOTHERS MOTHER. EVERYTHI NG HAD TO BE JUST SO, AND EVERYTHING NICE AND CLEAN. THEY DIDNT DO NO REGULAR WORK ON SUNDAY. EVnRY SuNDAY-ONE-OF THEOTHER WOM AN HAD TO TAKE THE PLACE OF THE COOK SO SHE COULD GET OFF. ALL OF THEM WHAT COU LD WOULD GET OFF AND GO TO CHURCH FOR THE PREACHING. THEM WHAT TURN DIDNT COME ONE SUNDAY, WOULD GO ANOTHER TILL THEY ALL GOT ROUND TO GO. MARSTER8HAD WO6OR ,HREE8HUNDRED8HEAD6OF CATt (. -*YGRANDFATHER, GUILFORD, &AHD&AMULE AND HORSE OF HIS OWN. UNCLE HANK WAS HIS BROTHER, AND HE HAD THE SH EEP DEA EEP DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AFTER. SOMETIMES THE NIGGERS GOT A HORSE OR A SHEEP OVER , THEN THE MARSTER BUY HIM. SOME OF THE NIGGERS HAD A LITTLE PATCH ROUND THEIR CABINS AND THEY RAISED VEGETABLES. OLD MARSTER HE BUY THE VEGETABLES SOMETIMES. I DIDNT KNOW WHAT FREEDOM WAS. I DIDNT KNOW WHETHER I NEEDED9ITRN O,. 2 EnM ED TO ME LIKE IT WAS BETTER THEN THAN NOW, CAUSE I GOT TO LOOK OUT FOR MYSELF NOW. US USED TO BE ON THE WATCH OUT FOR OLD MARSTER. THE FIRST ONE SEE HIM COMI NG LIT OUT AND OPENED THE GATE FOR HIM TO RIDE THROUGH AND OLD MARSTER TOSS HIM A NICKLE. WHEN IT WAS TIME TO EAT, THE OLD COOK SHE HOLLER OUT,"TEE, TEE, TEE," jND A LL US LITTLE NIGGERS COME RUNNING. SHE HAVE A BIG TRAY AND EACH OF US HAD A VES SEL AND A SPOON. SHE FILLED OUR VESSEL AND US GO EAT AND THEN US GO BACK FOR MO RE. US GOT ALL US WANTED. THEY GAVE US SUPPER BEFORE THE HANDS CAME IN FROM TH E FIELD AND WHAT WITH PLAYING AROUND ALL DAY AND EATING ALL US COULD HOLD IN THE AFTERNOON, IT WASNT LONG VEFORE US LITTLE NIGGERS READY TO GO TO SLEEP. OONE ,Hr !,-OLD-MARSTER DIDNT WjNT8HSNNG S3 ORUN ABOUT. SOMETIMES THEY WANTED TO GO OVER TO ANOTHER PLANTATION ON SUNDAY. THEN HE GAVE THEM A PASS IF HE WILLING FOR THEM TO GO. THEY HAD PATROLLERS TO RIDE FROM PLANTATION tO SEE IF THnRE6WnRE jNY2StRjNGE-NIGGnS THnRE. WHEN THEY WANTED TO MARRY, THE MAN HE REPORT TO OLD MARSTnR. 8HE6W NTHIS N IGGERS TO MARRY ON HIS PLANTATION. HE GAVE THEM A NICE LITTLE SUPPER AND A BIG DANCE. THEY HAD SOME SORT OF LICENCE BUT OLD MARSTER TOOK CARE OF THAT. HE HAD TwO sONS WHAT HAD FARMS AND SLAVES OF THErR-OwN. -OLD-MjRSTnR DImNTCCj EIF HIS SLAVES MARRY ON HIS SONS FARMS. IF ANY OF THE SLAVES DO MEAN, HE MADE THEM WORK ON SUNDAY. HE DIDNT BELIEVE IN BEATING THEM. SO MANY OF THEM AS COULD, USUALLY WENT TO THE WHITE FOLKS CHURCH-ON2SuND Y AND HEARD THE WHITE PREACHER. THEY SAT OFF TO THEMSELVES IN THE BACK OF THE CHU RCH. THEM WHAT STAYED AT HOME HAD A COLORED PREACHER. THEY TRIED TO RAISE THEM UP SOCIAL. ,H(Y8HAD AN OLD WOMAN TO LOOK AFTER ,HE2B B SWHEN THEIR MAMMIES WAS OUT I N THE FIELD. THEY HAD A TIME SET FOR THE MAMMIES TO COME IN AND NURSE THE BABIE S. THE OLD WOMAN SHE HAD HELPERS. THEY HAD A BIG HOUSE AND CRADLES FOR THEM BABIES WHERE THE NURSE TOOK CARE OF THEM. >HEN ANYBODY DIED THEY HAD A FUNERAL. ALL THE HANDS K O K6OFFWORK TO ATTE ND THE FUNERAL. THEY BURIED THE DEAD IN A HOMEMADE COFFIN. I-NEVnRPPAID- O ATTnNT ON tO Tj K OUTGHOSTS. I NEVER BELIEVED IN THEM. BUT ONE TIME COMING FROM CHURCH MY UNCLES WIFE SAID""IK(,8 OU5EV RSEE A GHOST? WANT TO SEE ONE?"8 AND I TOLD HER I DONT GIVE A CENT, YES I WANT TO SEE ONE. SHE SAID:" I SHOW YOU A MAN DRESSED IN WHITE WHAT AINT GOT NO HEAD, AND YOU GOIN G FEEL A WARM BREEZE." AFTER A WHILE DOWN THE HILL BY THE GRAVEYARD SHE SAID:"T HERE HE GOES." I LOOKED BUT I NEVER SAW NOTHING, I I FELT THE WARM BREEZE. I USED TO GO TO SEE A GAL AND I USED tO HAVE tOPASS RIGHT BY AN OLD GRAVEY ARD. IT WAS ALL WALLED UP WITH BRICKS BUT ONE PLACE THEY HAD STEPS UP OVER THE WALL SO WHEN THEY HAD TO BURY A BODY TWO MEN CAN WALK UP THEM STEPS SIDE BY SIDE , AND THAT THE WAY THEY TOOK THE CORPSE OVER. WELL, WHEN I GOT TO THEM STEPS I HEARD SOMETHING. THEN I STOPPED AND I AINT HEARD NOTHING. WHEN I STARTED WALKI NG AGAIN I HEARD THE NOISE AGAIN. I LOOKED AROUND AND THEN I SAW SOMETHING WHIT E COME UP RIGHT THERE WHERE THE STEPS GO OVER THE WALL. I HAD A STICK IN MY HAN D AND NEXT TIME IT COME UP I MADE A RUSH AT IT AND HIT IT. IT WAS JUST A GREAT BIG OLD BILLY GOAT WHAT GOT INSIDE THE WALL AND WAS TRYING TO GIT OUT. HE GOT O UT JUST WHEN I HIT HIM AND HE LIT OUT THROUGH THE WOODS. THAT IS THE ONLY GHOST I EVER SAW AND I AM GLAD THAT WERENT NO GqOST. OLD MARSTER HE HAD TWENTY HEAD OF COWS. THEY GAVE PLENTY MILK. ,H(Y USED TO GET A CEDAR TUB BIG AS THAT THERE ONE FULL OF MILK. THE MILKERS THEY PACK IT ON ,HEIR8HEAD TO TEH HOUSE. US COW PEN B;YS8HAD OGO FRIVE UP THE CALVES. CO W PEN BOYS? COW PEN BOYS, THEY WERE THE BOYS WHAT KEPT AWAY THE CALVES WHEN THE Y DO THE MILKING. COURSE, LOTS OF TIMES WHEN THEY WERE THROUGH MILKING US JUMP ON THEM AND RIDE THEM. WHENEVER THEY CAUGHT US DOING THAT THEY SURE WEAR US OUT . THAT WERENT YESTERDAY. FAR AS I AM CONCERNED WE HAD A PLUM GOOD TIME IN SLAVERY. MANY A8YEAR *YG RAMPA RAISED A BALE OF COTTON AND MARSTER BOUGHT IT. THAT WAS ENCOURAGING US TO BE SMART. MY DADDY NAMED EDMOND WOOD AND MY MA NjMED-MjRIA. I HAD A2O,HnR& nD&ASI STER; THEY WERE NAMED CASS AND ANN. I BEEN A FARMER ALL MY LIFE. I KEPT ON FAR MING TILL THE BOLL WEEVIL HIT THESE PARTS AND THEN I QUIT THE FARM AND WENT TO P UBLIC WORK. I WORKED IN THE WOODS AND CUT LOGS. I BOUGHT THIS HOUSE. I BEEN H ERE AROUND VOTH ABOUT TWENTY FIVE YEARS. I HAVE BEEN MARRIED TWICE. THE FIRST TIME I MARRIED ( I GET SO STINKING OLD I CANT REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS, BUT IT BEEN A LONG WAYS BACK. MY FIRST WIFE, M ARY JOHNSON. SHE DIED AND THEN I MARRIED THIS HERE WOMAN I GOT HERE NOW. HER N AME BEEN RHODA MCGOWAN WHEN I MARRIED HER BUT SHE BEEN MARRIED BEFORE. BOTH OF US OLD, AINT FIT FOR NOTHING. US GET PENSIONSAND THAT WHAT US LIVE ON NOW, CAUS E I TOO OLD TO DO ANY WORK NO MORE. ME AND MY FIRST WIFE WE HAD TEN CHILDREN. THEY ARE ALL DEAD2BUTFOUR AND I AINT SURE THEY ARE ALL LIVING. LAST I HEARD OF THEM ONE WAS IN HOUSTON, AND O NE I CHIGAGO, AND ONE IN KANSAS CITY, AND ONE LIVES HERE. I SEEN HIM THIS MORNI NG. 9I8HEARD TELL OF THE KU KLUX BUT I AINT NEVER SEEN ,HE*. I NEV R ID7 O 3 O SCHOOL NEITHER. I AM A MEMBER OF THE C M E METHODIST CHURCH. WHnN I SED OC O lDGET ABOU T I USED TO BE A STEWARD IN THE CHURCH. THEN I WAS THE TREASURER OF THE CHURCH HERE AT VOTH FOR SOME SEVEN YEARS. I USED TO BELONG TO THE UBF LODGE, TOO. BACK IN SLAVERY THEY ALWAYS HAD AN OLD DARKY TO TRAIN THE YOUNG ONES AND TE ACH THEM RIGHT FROM WRONG. AND THEY WOULD WHIP YOU FOR DOING WRONG. THEY WOULD REPORT TO THE OVERSEER. SOME OF THEM WAS MEAN AND REPORTED SOMEBO