"Nothing hurts me but my age. If I were younger, I could get along all
right. But the work is too heavy for me now.

"I get old age assistance from the state. They pay me eight dollars. I
have to pay four dollars for the use of this shack. So that don't leave
much for me to live on. I'm supposed to get commodities too, and I am
waiting for my order now."

FOOTNOTES:

[7] [HW: Jeff Davis captured May 10, 1865, outside Irwinsville, Ga.]

Interviewer: Miss Irene Robertson
Person interviewed: Nettie Hopson
Helena (home--Poplar Grove), Arkansas
Age: ?

"I don't know how old I is. I am old. I been here so long. I feel my age
now right smart. I want to do things and give out. I know I'm old. I
look old. I was born in Alabama.

"Mother was sold to Bud Walls at Holly Grove. Papa bought her and
brought us to this state. My father died seven months before I was born
my mother told me. She married ag'in. She was the mother of ten
children. We all lived and do better than we do now. Mother was light.
She worked in the field ever since I come to know 'bout things. Her name
was Martha Foster. I don't know my father's name but Foster. The rest of
the family was called Walls. Whether they wanted to be called that, they
was called Walls' niggers 'fore and after freedom both.

"My husband is living. My daughter died first day of March. It sorter
addled me."

Interviewer: Miss Irene Robertson
Person interviewed: Molly Horn
Holly Grove, Arkansas
Age: 77

"My ma and pa belong to the same white folks. I was born in North
Carolina. Ma and pa had six children. I don't know how many owners they
ever had in North Carolina. Ma and pa was named Sarah and Jad Nelson.

"When I was a baby Rubin Harriett bought me and mama. His wife was Becky
Harriett. Ma was too old to sell without me. They didn't want to sell me
but they couldn't sell her widout me. I am the baby of our family. Papa
didn't get to come to Arkansas. That parted them. After freedom her
other children came. I heard ma say how they kept papa dodged round from
the Yankees. The white folks kept him dodged round. He was a field hand.
Ma was a cook and house girl. She never did work in the field till she
come out here. She said white folks didn't whoop him; he wouldn't take
it. I don't know why they thought he wouldn't be whooped.

"I could walk when I first seed the Yankees. I run out to see em good.
T