ress was a gray silk what had pearl beads on it and was
trimmed in purple.

"What does I think 'bout freedom? I think it's best to be free, 'cause
you can do pretty well as you please. But in slav'ry time if de Niggers
had a-behaved and minded deir Marster and Mist'ess dey wouldn't have had
sich a hard time. Mr. Jeff Davis 'posed freedom, but Mr. Abraham Lincoln
freed us, and he was all right. Booker Washin'ton was a great man, and
done all he knowed how to make somepin' out of his race.

"De reason I jined de church was dat de Lord converted me. He is our
guide. I think people ought to be 'ligious and do good and let deir
lights shine 'cause dat's de safest way to go to Heben."

At the conclusion of the interview Susan asked: "Is dat all you gwine to
ax me? Well, I sho' enjoyed talkin' to you. I hopes I didn't talk loud
'nough for dem other Niggers to hear me, 'cause if you open your mouth
dey sho' gwine tell it. Yes Ma'am, I'se too old to wuk now and I'se
thankful for de old age pension. If it warn't for dat, since dis misery
tuk up wid me, I would be done burnt up, I sho' would. Good-bye
Mist'ess."

[HW: Dist. 2
Ex-Slave #17]

ELLEN CLAIBOURN
808 Campbell Street
(Richmond County)
Augusta, Georgia

By:
(Mrs.) Margaret Johnson--Editor
Federal Writers' Project
Dist. 2
Augusta, Ga.

Ellen was born August 19, 1852, on the plantation of Mr. Hezie Boyd in
Columbia County, her father being owned by Mr. Hamilton on an adjoining
plantation. She remembers being given, at the age of seven, to her young
mistress, Elizabeth, who afterward was married to Mr. Gabe Hendricks. At
her new home she served as maid, and later as nurse. The dignity of her
position as house servant has clung to her through the years, forming
her speech in a precision unusual in her race.

"I 'member all our young marsters was drillin' way back in 1860, an' the
Confed'rate War did not break out till in April 1861. My mistis' young
husband went to the war, an' all the other young marsters 'round us.
Young marster's bes' friend came to tell us all goodby, an' he was
killed in the first battle he fought in.

"Befo' the war, when we was little, we mostly played dolls, and had doll
houses, but sometime young marster would come out on the back porch and
play the fiddle for us. When he played 'Ole Dan Tucker' all the peoples
uster skip and dance 'bout and have a good time. My young mistis played
on the piano.

"My granpa was so trusty and