meat, deer meat and possum
and coon and sich, and us sets traps for birds.

"Dey ain't nothin' better dat go in de wood dan de big, fat possum. Dey
git fat on black haws and acorns and chinquapin and sich. Chinquapin is
good for people to eat and to roast. I used to be plumb give up to be de
best hunter in Tyler and in de whole country. I kilt more deer dan any
other man in de county and I been guide for all de big men what comes
here to hunt. My wife, Minerva, she used to go huntin' with me.

"I kep' on huntin' and huntin' till de Jack-a-my-lanterns git after me.
Dat a light you sees all 'round you. Dey follow all 'long and dey stop
you still. Den one time it git all over me. Come like de wind, blow,
blow, and come jes' like fire all on my arm and my clothes and things. When
dat git after me I quit huntin' at nighttime and ain't been huntin'
since.

"One time I fishin' on de creek and I ain't got no gun, and I look up
and dere a big, wild cat. He never pay me no mind, no more dan nothin',
but dat ain't made no diff'rence to me. I jes' flew in dat creek!

"I used to belong to de lodge but when I git so old I couldn't pay my
jews, I git unfinancial and I ain't a member no more.

420174

MINERVA BENDY, 83, was born a slave to Lazarus Goolsby, Henry Co.
Alabama, who brought her to Texas when she was five. They settled
near Woodville, where Minerva still lives.

"My earlies' 'membrance was de big, white sandy road what lead 'way from
de house. It was clean and white and us chillen love to walk in de soft,
hot sand. Dat in Henry County, Alabama, where I's born and my old
marster was Lazarus Goolsby and he have de big plantation with lots of
nigger folks. I 'member jus' as good as yesterday wigglin' my toes in
dat sandy road and runnin' 'way to de grits mill where dey grind de
meal. Dat have de big water wheel dat sing and squeak as it go 'round.

"Aunt Mary, she make all us little chillen sleep in de heat of de day
under de big, spreadin' oak tree in de yard. My mama have 17 chillen.
Her name Dollie and my daddy name Herd.

"I's jus' a little chile in dem days and I stay in de house with de
white folks. Dey raise me a pet in de family. Missus Goolsby, she have
two gals and dey give me to de oldest. When she die dey put me in de bed
with her but iffen I knowed she dyin' dey wouldn't been able to cotch
me. She rub my head and tell her papa and mama, 'I's gwine 'way but I
wants you promise yo