She was cooking for a woman over
there. My girl is up 'bout grown now. She come to Clarendon to see me
three years ago. I sent for her but she wouldn't stay. She writes to me,
but I have to get somebody to write for me and somebody to read her
letters. I can read print real good. I never went to school a day in my
whole life. We had to work early and late when I come up.

"I farmed, sawmilled, worked in the timber. I do public work, haul wood,
cut wood, and work in the field by day labor.

"I votes a Republican ticket. I haven't voted since Mr. Taft run. I
don't have no way to keep up with elections now. Folks used to talk
more, now they keeps quiet.

"I never heard pa say how he come to know about freedom. Ma said she was
refugeed to Texas and when they brung them back, Master Will Walker met
them at the creek on his place and he said, 'You all are free now. You
can go on my place or hunt other places.' They went on his place and
they lived there a long time. I don't remember ever living on that
place. Pa wasn't there then. I don't know where be could been. Ma and pa
was both Walkers but no blood kin. Ma didn't talk much about old times.
She was sold once, she said. Bass Kelly bought her. I don't know if Will
Walker traded for her. She never did say. Bass Kelly was mean to her. He
beat her and one time she hid and kept hid till she nearly starved, she
said. She hid in the corn crib. It was a log house. She didn't enjoy
slavery. Pa had a very good time, better than us boys had it when we
come up. He worked and kept us with him. He and ma died the same week.
They had pneumonia in Mississippi.

"I got one sister. She lives close to Shreveport. She keeps up with us
all. I go down there every now and then. She's not stove up like I am.
She wants me to stay with her all the time. I gets work down there
easier but I have the rheumatism bad down there.

"I don't know what will become of young folks. I wish I had their
chance. They can't wait for nothing. They in too big a hurry for the
crop to grow. Busy living by the day. When the year gone they ain't no
better off. Times is good in places. Hard in places. Times better in
Louisiana than up here. Work easier to get. Folks got more living.

"I'm chopping cotton on Mr. Hill's place. I gets ninety cents a day. I
can't get over the ground fast."

Interviewer: Mrs. Bernice Bowden
Person interviewed: Willie Wallace
40th and Georgia Streets, Pine Blu