took good care of myself. Never had no exposure.

"I _did_ work fore the War, I'll say! Done anything they said.

"John Carmichael was my old master and Miss Nancy was old missis.

"Oh yes ma'am, I seed the Yankees. They stopped there. I wasn't askeered
of nobody. I have went to the well and drawed water for em.

"I member when the War was gwine on. I didn't know why they was
fightin'. If I did I done forgot--I'll be honest with you. I didn't know
nothin' only they was fightin'. Most of my work was around the house. I
never paid no tention to that war. I was livin' too fine them days. I
was livin' a hundred days to the week. Yes ma'am, I did get along fine.

"Oh yes ma'am, I had good white folks. I never was sold. No ma'am, I
born right on the old home place.

"Patrollers? Had to get a pass from your master to go over there. Oh
yes, I know all about them. I have seed the Ku Klux too. Yes ma'am, I
know all about them things.

"I never been to school but half a day. I went to work when I was eight
years old and been workin' ever since.

"My father died in slave times and my mother died the fourth year after
surrender.

"After freedom, I worked there bout the course of three or four years.
Then I emigrated and come on to Mississippi. The most I done them times
was farmin'. Reckon I stayed in Mississippi five or six years.

"The most work I done here in Arkansas is carpenter work. I'm the first
colored man ever contracted in Pine Bluff.

"If I wasn't able to work, I don't think I'd stay here long.

"Used to drive the mule in the gin in slave times.

"We didn't have a bit of expense on us. Our doctor bills was paid and
had clothes give to us and had plenty of something to eat.

"Yes'm, I used to vote but it's been for years since I voted. Voted
Republican. I don't know why the colored people is Republican. You
askin' me something now I don't know nothin' about, but I believe in
votin' for the man goin' to do good--do the country good.

"Oh, don't talk about the younger generation--I jist can't accomplish
em, I sure can't. They ain't got the 'regenious' and get-up about em
they had in my time. They is more wiser, that's about all. The young
race these days--I don't know what's gwine come of em. If twasn't for we
old fogies, don't know what they'd do.

"We ain't never had that World War yet told about in the Bible. Called
this last war the World War but twasn't.

"I've always tried to keep my place and I ai