rits, salt, sugar, etc., and such articles as the house wives would
give him out of sheer sympathy. To every friendly greeting he always had
the humble response of "Tank Gawd, my eye is open."

He is well known throughout the town. One Sunday night a short time ago,
while the services of a white church were in progress, distinguishable
sounds of Amen were heard at regular intervals coming from the outside.
On investigating they discovered that it was "uncle Dave" reverently
enjoying the proceedings. Many times he has been seen outside the same
church listening to the services.

_SOURCE_
Interview with (Mrs.) Minnie Huges, age 43, 179 Spring Street, welfare
worker.

=Project 1655=
=Martha S. Pinckney=
=Charleston, S.C.=

=FOLKLORE=

=Approx. _637_ words=

=_INTERVIEW WITH EX-SLAVE_=

Everybody in the town of Mt. Pleasant, Christ Church Parish (across the
Bay from Charleston) knows "Tena White, the washer," "Tena, the cook,"
"Maum Tena" or "Da Tena, the nurse"--the same individual, accomplished
in each art, but best as a nurse.

The house where Tena lives is the second in a row of Negro houses. The
writer, calling from the gate, was answered by Tena, a middle-sized
woman of neat figure. As the writer ascended the steps a friendly cur
wagged itself forward and was promptly reproved by Tena, who placed a
chair, the seat of which she wiped carefully with her dress. The piazza
was clean and on the floor a black baby slept on a folded cloth, with a
pillow under its head. The writer was soon on friendly terms with Maum
Tena, and was told: "As soon as my eye set on you, I see you favor the
people I know. My people belonged to Mr. William Venning. The plantation
was Remley Point. I couldn't zactly member my pa's name. I member when
de war come though. Oh dem drum; I nebber hear such a drum in my life!
De people like music; dey didn't care nothing bout de Yankees, but dem
bands of music! My mother name Molly Williams. My pa dead long before
that. All my people dead. I stayin' here with my youngest sister
chile--youngest son. He got seven head ob chillun."

"I can do anything--wash or cook--aint no more cook though. Oh yes" and
her eyes sparkled, "I know how to cook de turkey, and de ham wid de
little brown spots all over de top. Nobody can collec' my soup for me; I
first go choose my soup bone. One wid plenty richness. My chile say,
'While my Tena live I wouldn't want nobody else.' But I couldn't