arbles. Iffen you hit de middler you got de game. I could beat 'em
all.

Old Master kept us through de War. We saw Yankee soldiers come through
in droves lak Coxsey's Army. We wasn't afraid for ourselves but we was
afraid dey would catch old Master or one of de boys when dey would
come home on a furlough. We'd hep 'em git away and just swear dat dey
hadn't been home a-tall.

After de war we stayed until old Master died. It broke us all up for
we knowed we had lost de best friend dat we ever had or ever would
have. He was a sort of father to all of us. Old Mistress went to live
with her daughter and we started wandering 'round. Some folks from de
North come down and made de cullud folks move on. I guess dey was
afraid dat we'd hep our masters rebuild dey homes again. We lived in a
sort of bondage for a long time.

De white folks in de South as well as de cullud folks lost de best
friend dey had when Abe Lincoln was killed. He was God's man and it
was a great loss when he died.

God created us all free and equal. Somewhere along de road we lost
out.

Cullud folks would have been better off iffen dey had been left alone
in Africa. We'd a-had better opportunities. We should have some
compensation fer what we have suffered. Yes, we could be sent back and
we'd like it if dey would help us to get started out again. Dat's
where our forefathers come from.

I learned a long time ago dat dey was nothing to charms. How could a
rabbit's foot bring me good luck? De Bible teaches me better'n dat. I
believes in dreams though. I've seen de end of time in my dreams. Saw
de great trouble we going through right now, years ago in a dream.
It's clear in my mind how de world is coming to a end.

I believe all Christians should all join up together as dat makes 'em
stronger. I believe in praying fer what we want and need. I'm a
licensed preacher in de Baptist church. I've been a member for forty
years but have just been a licensed preacher about ten years.

Oklahoma Writers' Project
Ex-Slaves

BEAUREGARD TENNEYSON
Age 87 yrs.
West Tulsa, Okla.

My mother and father just about stocked Jess Tenneyson's plantation
with slaves. That's a fact. The old folks had one big
family--twenty-three Children was the number. With the old folks that
make twenty-five (there were only five more slaves), so I reckon they
done mighty well by Master Jess.

The Master done well by them, too. Master Jess and Mistress Lula was
Christian peopl