in a big long trough. Dey git oak and ash and hick'ry wood
and mek a fire under it and smoke it. My gramma toted de key to dat
smokehouse and ol' mistus she'd tell her what to go and git for de white
folks and de cullud folks."

"When Crismus come 'roun' dey give us big eatin'. Us hab chicken and
turkey and cake. I don' 'member dat dey give us no presents."

"My gramma and my ma and ol' man Norsworthy dey come from Alabama. I
never hear of him breakin' up a family. But when dey was livin' in
Geo'gy, my ma marry a man name' Hawthorne in Geo'gy. He wouldn' sell him
to Marse Norsworthy when he come to Texas. Atter freedom marster go to
Geo'gy to git him and bring him to Texas, but he done raisin' up anudder
family dere and won't come. Li'l befo' she die her husban' come. When he
'bout wo' out and ready to die, den he come. Some of de ol'es' chillun
'member dey daddy and dey crazy for him to come and dey mek up de money
for him. When he git here dey tek care of him 'till he die right dere at
Olive. Ma tell 'em to write him he neenter (need not) come. She say he
ain't no service to her. But he come and de daughter tek care of her ma
and pa bofe."

"I's got 8 gran'chillun and 5 great-gran'chillun. I 'vides (divide) my
time 'tween my daughter here and de one in Houston."

"You wants to tek my picture? Daughter, I don' want dat hat you got
dere. Dat one of de chillun' hats. Git dat li'l bonnet. Dat becomes me
better. I can't stan' much sun. Dey say I's got high blood pressue."

420186

JAMES HAYES, 101, was born a slave to a plantation owner whose name
he does not now recall, in Shelby Co., two miles from Marshall,
Texas. Mr. John Henderson bought the place, six slaves and James
and his mother. James, known as Uncle Jim, seems happy, still
stands erect, and is very active for his age. He lives on a green
slope overlooking the Trinity river, in Moser Valley, a Negro
settlement ten miles northeast of Fort Worth.

"Dis nigger have lived a long time, yas, suh! I's 101 years ole, 'cause
I's bo'n Dec. 28, 1835. Dat makes me 102 come nex' December. I can'
'member my fust marster's name, 'cause when I's 'bout two years ole, me
and my sis, 'bout five, and our mammy was sol' to Marster John
Henderson. I don' 'member anything 'bout my pappy, but I 'member Marster
Henderson jus' like 'twas las' week. I's settin' hear a thinkin' of dem
ole days when I's a li'l nigger a cuttin' up on ole m