s all right.
Things is jes' different now to when I was a boy. When I was a boy,
folks didn't mind helpin' one 'nother, but now they is in too big a
hurry to pay you any mind.

420016

[Illustration: John James]

JOHN JAMES, 78, was born a slave to John Chapman, on a large
plantation in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana. John took the
name of his father, who was owned by John James. John and his
mother stayed with Mr. Chapman for six years after they were freed,
then John went to Missouri, where he worked for the M. K. & T.
Railroad for twenty years. He then came to Texas, and now lives at
315 S. Jennings Ave., in Fort Worth.

"I doesn't have so much mind for slavery days, 'cause I's too young
then, but I 'members when surrender come and some befo' dat. I 'members
my mammy lef' me in de nursery with all de other cullud babies when she
go work in de field. De old nurse, Jane, tooks care of us.

"Dat were de big place what Massa John have and dere 'bout fifty cullud
families on de place, so it am more'n a hunerd slaves what he own. I's
runnin' round, like kids am allus doin', first one place, den t'other,
watchin' everything. De big bell ring in de mornin' and you'd see all de
cullud folks comin' from dey cabins, gwineter de kitchen to breakfast.
Dat allus befo' daybreak, and dey have to eat by de light of de pine
torch. It am de pineknot torch. De meals am all cooked dere and dey eat
at long tables. De young'uns from six to ten year eats at de second
table and little'r den dat, in de nursery.

"I sho' 'members 'bout dat nursery feedin'. I never forgits how dat
cornmeal mush and milk am served in de big pans. Dey gives we uns de
wooden spoon and we'uns crowds round de pans like little pigs. I can see
it now. Us push and shove and de nurse walk here and dere, tryin' to
make us eat like humans. She have to cuff one of us once in a while. If
she don't, dem kids be in de pans with both feet. When dey done eatin',
dey faces am all smear with mush and milk.

"Massa allus feed plenty rations, only after war starts de old folks say
dey am short of dis and dat, 'cause dem sojers done took it for de army.

"After breakfast I'd see a crew go here and a crew go dere. Some of 'em
spin and weave and make clothes, and some tan de leather or do de
blacksmith work, and mos' of 'em go out in de field to work. Dey works
till dark and den come home and work round de quarters.

"Dem q