DER, 86, was born a slave of the Cardwell family, near
Concord Deport, Virginia. She came to Texas with Will Jones and his
wife, Miss Susie, in 1860, and was their nurse-girl until she
married Will Elder, in 1875. Lucinda lives at 1007 Edwards St.,
Houston, Texas.

"You chilluns all go 'way now, while I talks to dis gen'man. I 'clares
to goodness, chilluns nowadays ain't got no manners 'tall. 'Tain't like
when I was li'l, dey larnt you manners and you larnt to mind, too.
Nowadays you tell 'em to do somethin' and you is jes' wastin' you
breath, 'less you has a stick right handy. Dey is my great
grandchilluns, and dey sho' is spoilt. Maybe I ain't got no patience no
more, like I use to have, 'cause dey ain't so bad.

"Well, suh, you all wants me to tell you 'bout slave times, and I'll
tell you first dat I had mighty good white folks, and I hope dey is gone
up to Heaven. My mama 'long to Marse John Cardwell, what I hear was de
riches' man and had de bigges' plantation round Concord Depot. Dat am in
Campbell County, in Virginny. I don't 'member old missy's name, but she
mighty good to de slaves, jes' like Marse John was.

"Mama's name was Isabella and she was de cook and born right on de
plantation. Papa's name was Gibson, his first name was Jim, and he 'long
to Marse Gibson what had a plantation next to Marse John, and I knows
papa come to see mama on Wednesday and Sat'day nights.

"Lemme see, now, dere was six of us chilluns. My mem'ry ain't so good no
more, but Charley was oldes', den come Dolly and Jennie and Susie and me
and Laura. Law me, I guess old Dr. Bass, what was doctor for Marse John,
use to be right busy with us 'bout once a year for quite a spell.

"Dem times dey don't marry by no license. Dey takes a slave man and
woman from de same plantation and puts 'em together, or sometime a man
from 'nother plantation, like my papa and mama. Mamma say Marse John
give 'em a big supper in de big house and read out de Bible 'bout
obeyin' and workin' and den dey am married. Course, de nigger jes' a
slave and have to do what de white folks say, so dat way of marryin'
'bout good as any.

"But Marse John sho' was de good marse and we had plenty to eat and wear
and no one ever got whipped. Marse John say iffen he have a nigger what
oughta be whipped, he'd git rid of him quick, 'cause a bad nigger jes'
like a rotten 'tater in a sack of good ones--it spoil de others.

"Back dere in Virginny it sho' g