et to see it. When it pass,
him say: 'It's a damn humbug' and drop dead."

Project #1855
W. W. Dixon
Winnsboro, S. C.

THOMAS CAMPBELL
EX-SLAVE 82 YEARS OLD.

"Good mornin' Marster Wood! Marster Donan McCants and Marster Wardlaw
McCants both been tellin' me dat how you wants to see me but I's been so
poorly and down at de heels, in my way of feelin', dat I just ain't of a
mind or disposition to walk up dere to de town clock, where they say you
want me to come. Take dis bench seat under de honey suckle vine. It
shade you from de sun. It sho' is hot! I's surprise dat you take de walk
down here to see a onery old man lak me.

"Yes sir, I was born, 'cordin' to de writin' in de Book, de 15th day of
March, 1855, in de Horeb section of Fairfield District, a slave of old
Marster John Kennedy. How it was, I don't know. Things is a little mixed
in my mind. Fust thing I 'members, and dreams 'bout sometimes yet, is
bein' in Charleston, standin' on de battery, seein' a big ocean of
water, wid ships and their white sails all 'bout, de waves leapin' and
gleamin' 'bout de flanks of de ships in de bright sunshine, thousands of
white birds flyin' 'round and sometimes lighting on de water. My mammy,
her name Chanie, was a holdin' my hand and her other hand was on de
handle of a baby carriage and in dat carriage was one of de Logan
chillun. Whether us b'long to de Logans or whether us was just hired out
to them I's unable to 'member dat. De slaves called him Marster Tom. Us
come back to Fairfield in my fust childhood, to de Kennedy's.

"Marster John Kennedy raise more niggers than he have use for; sometime
he sell them, sometime he hire them out. Him sell mammy and me to
Marster James B. McCants and I been in de McCants family ever since,
bless God!

"Marse James was a great lawyer in his day. I was his house boy and
office boy. When I get older I take on, besides de blackin' of his boots
and shoes and sweepin' out de office, de position of carriage driver and
sweepin' out de church. Marster James was very 'ligious. Who my pa was?
Dat has never been revealed to me. Thank God! I never had one, if they
was lak I see nigger chillun have today. My white folks was all de
parents I had and me wid a skin as black as ink. My belly was always
full of what they had and I never suffer for clothes on my back or shoes
on my feets.

"Does I 'members de Yankees? Yes sir, I 'member when they come. It was
cold weather, February