1.50 the day and three drinks of
whiskey a day.

"I marries four times but had only one child, but I never done nothin'
'citin'. I lives by myself now, and gits $11.00 pension to eat on.

420074

[Illustration: Issabella Boyd]

ISSABELLA BOYD was born a slave of Gus Wood, in Richmond, Va., who
moved to Texas by boat before the Civil War. Isabella still lives
in Beaumont.

"Lemme see, I come from Richmond, Virginy, to Texas. Massa Gus Wood was
my owner and I kin recollect my white folks. I's born in dat country and
dey brought me over to Richmond and my papa and mama, too. I was jus'
'bout big 'nough to begin to 'member.

"I come from Richmond yere on de boat, sometime de steamboat, sometime
de big boat. When we left New Orleans dat evenin' we struck a big storm.
Us git on dat boat in Richmond and went floatin' down to de big boat dat
mornin'. Looks like it jus' fun for us, but every time we look back and
think 'bout home it make us sad.

"I had a dear, good mistus and my boss man, he furnish a house for he
servants, a purty good house. And dey had a place for de Sunday School.
Dem was good times. De mistus cook dinner and send it down for de old
folks and chillen to have plenty.

"My mistus kep' me right in de house, right by her, sewing. I could sew
so fast I git my task over 'fore de others git started good.

"Lots of times when de gals wants to go to de dance I he'p make de
dresses. I 'member de pretties' one like yesterday. It have tucks from
de waist to de hem and had diamonds cut all in de skirt.

"Our boss man was 'ticular 'bout us being tended to and we was well took
care of. He brung us to Beaumont when it was de plumb mud hole, and he
settle down and try to build up and make it a go.

"Massa Wood he allus takes de paper and one night they set up da long
time and do dey readin'. Next mornin' de old cook woman, she say, 'Well,
dey have de big war, and lots of dem wounded.' Befo' long us has to take
care of some dem wounded soldiers, and dey has de camp place near us.
Dey all camp 'round dere and I don't know which was de Yankees and de
'federates.

"When we all gits free, dey's de long time lettin' us know. Dey wants to
git through with de corn and de cotton befo' dey let's de hands loose.
Dey was people from other plantations say. 'Niggers, you's free and yere
you workin'.' Us say, 'No, de gov'ment tell us when we's free.' We
workin' one day when somebody from Massa Gri