go crazy over a little boy. They knowed what they
would be worth when they was grown, and then they kept em busy.

"I can't remember no big sight in Virginia but I remember when the
hounds would run em. Some of the colored folks had mighty rough
owners.

"I remember when the Yankees come and took the best hoss my old boss
had and left old crippled hoss with the foot evil.

"And they'd get up in a tree with a spyglass and find where old boss
had his cotton hid, come down and go straight and burn it and the corn
crib and take what meat they wanted and then burn the smoke house.
Yes'm, I remember all that. I tell you them Yankees was mean. Used to
shake old mistress and try to make her tell where the money was hid.
If you had a fat cow, just shoot her down and cook what they wanted.
My old boss went to the bottoms and hid. Tried to make old mistress
tell where he was.

"Not all the old bosses was alike. Some fed good and some didn't. But
they clothed em good--heavy cloth. Old man Larkin was pretty good man.
We got biscuits every Sunday morning, other times got shorts. People
was really healthier then.

"I was brought up to work. The biggest trainin' we got was the boss
told us to go there and come here and we learned to do as we was told.
People worked in them days. A deal of em that won't work now.

"During slavery days, colored folks had to go to the same church as
the white folks and sit in the back.

"My father died a long time ago. I don't remember anything bout him
and I never did see my mother any more after she was sold.

"After the war, old boss brought me to Arkansas when I was bout twelve
years old. Biggest education I got, sit down with my old boss and he'd
make me learn the alphabet. In those times they used the old Blue Back
Speller.

"After we come to Arkansas I worked a great deal on the farm.
Farmin'--that was my trade. I staid with him four or five years. He
paid me for my work.

"Well, I hope we'll never have another war, we don't need it.

"I never had trouble votin' but one time. They was havin' a big row
between the parties and didn't want us to vote unless we voted
democratic, but I voted all right. I believe every citizen ought to
have the right to vote. I believe in people havin' the right what
belongs to em.

"I'm the father of thirteen childen by one woman--seven living
some_where_, but they ain't no service to me.

"Younger people not takin' time to study things. They get a lit