the hook. We used to be bad about stealin' watermelons, eggs,
chickens and sweet potatoes and slippin' way down in the woods and
cookin'.

"Wasn't no such things as screen windows and doors. That is some of this
1900 stuff to my knowing. Flies and mosquitos was plentiful. Our cooking
was plain boiled or fried cause we cooked on fireplaces. Wasn't no
stoves. We used all brown sugar from syrup that turned to sugar. White
sugar is about forty years old to my knowings. My ma used to cook the
best old syrup cake and syrup potatoes pudding. She knitted all our
socks and sweaters for you couldn't buy things like that because stores
was few and she spun and wove for the white folks and knitted too."

#658
Interviewer: Miss Irene Robertson
Person interviewed: Rosa Hardy
Biscoe, Arkansas
Age: ?

"I was born in Brownsville, Tennessee. My mother died when I was real
young, and I had no father. Pike Sutton was mother's master. He was my
old grandfather. He owned a big farm. Tove Sutton was his son and my
father. Mother was light but not as light as I am. I had a sister older
than I am I lived with. I never lived among white folks except in a town
with them. I don't know a thing about my people to tell. I don't know my
age. I give myself a birthday. I don't know the day nor month I was
born. But I'm old. I can count back enough to tell that.

"I work in the sewing room. I'm the oldest woman in there at De Valls
Bluff. I get twenty-one dollars and this month I am to get twenty-seven.

"If you don't have work times are not good. I know that. I don't hardly
know the young generation. Of course I see them but that is all. They
hurrying their way and I'm going my way."

Interviewer: Mrs. Bernice Bowden
Person interviewed: Ida Harper
819 West Pullen Street; Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age: 93

"Now what you want with me? I was born in Mississippi. I come here
tollable young. I'se ninety-three now.

"My old master mean to us. We used to watch for him to come in the big
gate, then we run and hide. He used to come to the quarters and make us
chillun sing. He make us sing Dixie. Sometimes he make us sing half a
day. Seems like Dixie his main song. I tell you I don't like it _now_. But
have mercy! He make us sing it. Seems like all the white folks like
Dixie. I'se glad when he went away to war.

"But they used to feed you. Heap better meat than you get now. I tell