there was no
fodder or other stuff down in the field to be put into the barn loft in
case of rain. From breakfast on, they had all Sunday, even the
cook and other house servants. "Ole Miss had the cook bake up light
bread and make pies on Saturday to do at the big house through Sunday."

The first work that Henderson remembers doing was "totin peaches to the
pigs" and "drapin' peas".

He recalls nothing about the Yankees coming through, but remembers the
others telling how they burned the warehouse and drove off the cattle
and hogs.

After freedom his mammy and daddy returned to 'ole Marster's' plantation
and he and the other seven children lived with them and worked for
'Marse Bill'.

The old fellow is very superstitious and firmly believes that the
"squinch" owl's note is a "sho sign o' death."

Henderson says that he is able to work and that he cleans yards, cuts
wood, and does almost any kind of job [HW: that] he can find.

Henderson Harris
808 E. Slaton Avenue
Griffin, Georgia
September 23, 1936.

Velma Bell
District #2
Augusta, Ga.

EX-SLAVE INTERVIEW

Uncle Shang Harris
Toccoa, Georgia (Stephens County)

"Uncle Shang" Harris, at the age of 97, is more vigorous than many men
twenty years younger. Erect and stocky, holding his white woolly head
high, he retains the full favor of living. When the interviewer entered
his cabin he rose from the supper table wiping from his mouth the crumbs
of a hearty meal, and peered uncertainly through the gathering dark.

"Does I 'member 'bout slav'ey times?" His face relaxed into a broad
smile, "G-lory, hallelujah, I sho does! I was born den and freed den.
What you wanter know? I kin tell you all about it." He led the way to
two chairs near the stove.

"My marster was Mr. Bob Alexander. He lived in Franklin County jes' dis
side o' Carnesville. He treated me good--yes mam, he sho did. My marster
didn't have no beatin' o' his niggers. I didn't do no work back in dem
times--nuttin' but play. Me and my sister belonged to de youngest boy
(dey was seven boys in dat family) and we jes' climbed trees and
frolicked all de time. We had plenty in de eatin' line too.

"But law chile, eve'ybody didn't have dat. Some de marsters tied dey
niggers to posts and whupped 'em till dey nigh killed 'em. Lots of 'em
run away and hid in de woods. De marsters would put de dogs after you
jes' like a coon. Dey'd run you and tree you"--imitating the sound of