eville
to live. I worked for Mr. Miller S. Bell in the livery stable for $7.00
per month. Of this amount I sent $3.50 home to my parents. The next year
I went on a farm with Mr. John Wall for $8.00 per month. The next year I
had a better offer with Mr. R. N. Lamar to farm and act as general handy
man for $9.00 per month. I saved my money and worked hard, and I would
lend Mr. Lamar my yearly income at interest. In 1882, Mr. Lamar
negotiated a trade with Mr. Samuel Evans for this piece of property
right here. When they found out a Negro wanted to buy the property,
there was more or less argument, but I sat right still and let Mr. Lamar
handle the trade for me. I have owned other property, but I have sold
everything else I had. My health failed, and I just settled down here to
be quiet. I owned property on Chestnut Street in Atlanta and in Putnam
County also. I have been saving all my life, everything."

On looking about me, I concluded he was indeed a thrifty person. An
accumulation of every conceivable thing (junk) that had been discarded
by others, Uncle Dave had brought home and carefully and neatly stored
it away for subsequent use.

"Uncle Dave tell me something about your education."

"Well, when I was a boy back in Putnam County I went to night school.
For a long time I was the only Negro in the class. My foundation work I
got under a Mr. Whitfield, Mr. John Nix, and we had a Yankee teacher,
Miss Claudia Young. In September 1885 I went to Atlanta and entered the
academic department of what is now Morehouse College. I was graduated in
academics in 1889 as valedictorian of the class--my subject being "We
Are Coming", which was a theme on the progress of the Negro race. In
1891 I was graduated from the theological department as valedictorian,
my subject then being "Why Do Nations Die".

"Now Miss, you ask me if I am superstitious. I show am. When I hear
these owls at night I just get up and get me some salt and a newspaper
and burn this, and I don't never hear that same owl again. Some folks
say tie knots in the sheet, but I burn salt. I think the bellowing or
lowing of cows and oxen or the bleating of sheep is a bad omen." Then
Uncle David took me way back in the Bible and recited how the king was
commanded to slay all the cattle and everything and they kept out some
of the oxen and sheep. "I believe you should turn a clock face to the
wall when a person dies. I believe in signs, yes mam!"

"Marster was good to