is shirt am rough and his back am tough,
Do, pray, Mr. Paddleroller, give 'im 'nough.'

"De paddlerollers beat him nearly to death, 'cause that's what's wrote
on de paper he give 'em.

"I 'member a whippin' one slave got. It were 100 lashes. Dey's a big
overseer right here on de San Marcos river, Clem Polk, him and he massa
kilt 16 niggers in one day. Dat massa couldn't keep a overseer, 'cause
de niggers wouldn't let 'em whip 'em, and dis Clem, he say, 'I'll stay
dere,' and he finds he couldn't whip dem niggers either, so he jus'
kilt 'em. One nigger nearly got him and would have kilt him. Dat nigger
raise de ax to come down on Polk's head and de massa stopped him jus' in
time, and den Polk shoots dat nigger in de breast with a shotgun.

"Dey had court days and when court met, dey passed a bill what say,
'Keep de niggers at home.' Some of 'em could go to church and some of
'em couldn't. Dey'd let de cullud people be baptized, but dey didn't
many want it, dey didn't understan' it 'nough.

"After de war ends, Massa Fugot sells me to Massa Graham for 1,200 acres
of land, and I lives in Caldwell County. He was purty good to he slaves
and we live in a li'l old frame house, facin' west. I sleeps in de same
house as massa and missus, to guard 'em. One night some men came and
wake me up and tells me to put my clothes on. Missus was in de bed and
she 'gin cryin' and tell 'em not to take me, but dey taken me anyway. We
called 'em Guerrillas and dey thieves. Dey white men and one of 'em I
had knowed a long time. I's with dem thives and hears 'em talk 'bout
killin' Yankees. Dey kep' me in de south part of Missouri a long time. I
didn't do anything but sit 'round de house with dem.

"When I's sold to Massa Graham I didn't have to come to Texas, 'cause
I's free, but I didn't know dat, and I's out here two years 'fore I
knowed I's free. Down in Caldwell County is where de bondage was lifted
offen me and I found out I's free. I jus' stays on and works and my
massa give me he promise I's git a hoss and saddle and $100 in money
when I's 21 year old, but he didn't do it. He give me a li'l pony and a
saddle what I sold for $3.00 and 'bout eight or nine dollars in money.
He had me blindfolded and I thought I gwine git a good hoss and saddle
and more money.

"I looks back sometimes and thinks times was better for eatin' in
slavery dan what dey is now. My mammy was a reg'lar cook and she made me
peach cobblers and apple dumplin's. In