about 'em, they get
educated, but there's not much for them to do when they get finished
with school but walk the streets now. I been always trying to help my
people to rise 'bove their station and they are rising all the time, and
some day they'll be free."

420298

MOLLY HARRELL was born a slave on the Swanson plantation, near
Palestine, Texas. She was a housegirl, but must have been too small
to do much work. She does not know her age, but thinks she was
about seven when she was freed. Molly lives at 3218 Ave H.,
Galveston, Texas.

"Don't you tell nobody dat I use to be a slave. I 'most forgot it myself
till you got round me jes' den. Course, I ain't blamin' you for it, but
what you done say 'bout all de plantations havin' schools was wrong, so
I jes' had to tell you I been a slave myself. It jes' slip out.

"Like I jes' say, I knows what I's talkin' 'bout, 'cause I use to be a
slave myself and I don't know how to read and write. Dat why I say I
can't see so good. It don't do to let folks know dey's smarter'n you,
'cause den dey got you right where dey wants you. Now, Will, dat de man
I's marry to, am younger'n me but he don't know it. When you git marry,
you don't tell de man how old you is. He wouldn't have you if you did.
'Course, Will ain't so young heself, but he's born after de war and I's
born durin' slavery, so dat make me older.

"Mr. Swanson use to own de big plantation in Palestine. Everybody in dat
part de country knowed him. He use to live in a plain, wood house on de
Palestine road. My mother use to cook and wait on tables. John was my
father.

"Dey use to have de little whip dey use on de women. Course de field
hands got it worse, but den, dey was men. Mr. Swanson was good and he
was mean. He was nice one day and mean as Hades de next. You never
knowed what he gwine to do. But he never punish nobody 'cept dey done
somethin'. My father was a field hand, and Mr. Swanson work de fire out
dem. Work, work--dat all dey know from time dey git up in de mornin'
till dey went to bed at night. But he wasn't hard on dem like some
masters was. If dey sick, dey didn't habe to work and he give dem de
med'cine hisself. If he cotch dem tryin' play off sick, den he lay into
dem, or if he cotch dem loafin'. Course, I don't blame him for dat,
'cause dere ain't anythin' lazier dan a lazy nigger. Will am 'bout de
laziest one in de bunch. You ain't never find a lazier nigger dan Will