.

"I kinder skeered," he recollected. "We wuz all 'mazed to see dat train
flying' long 'thout any horses. De people wuz all afraid."

"Had you heard of airplanes before you saw one, Uncle Willis?"

"Yes, ma'am. I yeared o' dem but you couldn't gimme dis car full o'
money to fly. Dey's too high off de ground. I never is gwine in one!"

Uncle Willis was deposited on the porch of one of the remaining slave
cabins to eat his "breakkus," while his kidnapers sought over hill and
field for "The big house," but only two cabins and the chimney
foundations of a large burned dwelling rewarded the search.

The old ex-slave was posed in front of the cabin, to one side of the
clay and brick chimney, and took great pleasure in the ceremony, rearing
his head up straight so that his white beard stuck out.

The brutal reality of finding the glories of the plantation forever
vanished must have been a severe blow for the old man. Several times on
the way back he wiped tears from his eyes. Once again at his cabin in
the cottonfield, his vitality reasserted itself, and he greeted his
curious dusky neighbors with the proud statement.

"Dey tuk me when I was bred and born! I ain't ax no better time!"

Willis' farewell words were:

"Goo'bye! I hopes you all gits to Paradise!"

[HW: Dist 1-2
Ex-Slave #116]

EX-SLAVE INTERVIEW

CORNELIA WINFIELD, Age 82
Richmond County
1341 Ninth Street
Augusta, Georgia

BY: (Mrs.) Margaret Johnson--Editor
Federal Writers' Project
Augusta, Georgia
[Date Stamp: MAY 8 1937]

Cornelia Winfield, 1341 Ninth Street, was born in Crawford, Oglethorpe
County, Georgia March 10, 1855. Her father, being the same age as her
master, was given to him as a little boy. They grew up together, playing
games, and becoming devoted to each other. When her master was married
her father went to his home with him and became the overseer of all the
slaves on the plantation. "My father and mother wuz house servants. My
marster served my father's plate from his own table and sent it to him,
every meal. He had charge of the work shop, and when marster was away he
always stayed at the Big House, to take care of my Missis and the
children. My mother was a seamstress and had three younger seamsters
under her, that she taught to sew. We made the clothes for all the house
servants and fiel' hans. My mother made some of the clothes for my
marster and missis. My mother was a midwife too, and useter go to all
the birth