, a paper man. He printed the 'Spirit of the
Age,' a newspaper. I reckon you can find it in the Museum. I reckons
dey keeps all way back yonder things in dere jest to remember by. He
had a lot of printers both black an' white. De slaves turned de wheels
de most of de time, an' de white mens done de printin'. Dere wus a big
place dug out at each side of de machine. One man pulled it to him an'
de other pulled it to him. Dey wurked it wid de han's. It wus a big
wheel. Dey didn't have no printers den like dey got now.

"De ole printin' place is standin' now. It stands in front of de
laundry on Dawson Street, where a lot of red wagons stan's goin' up
towards the bus station. De ole buildin' wid stairsteps to go up. Dey
sot de type upstairs an' de machine wus on de groun' floor.

"Marster married Gormans twice an' dey wus both named Mary. Don't know
whether dey wus sisters or not, but dey wus both Virginia women. So my
missus name wus Mary Gorman.

"I do not know my age, but I wus 'bout 12 years old when Wheeler's
cavalry come through. Dey skeered me so much I squatted like a rat. Dey
pulled clothes off de line an' stole clothes from stores an' went down
to de depot an' changed clothes. Dey stole de womens drawers an' filled
'em wid things. Dey stole meat, corn an' other things an' put 'em in
womens drawers, throwed 'em across dere horses backs an' went on. You
know women den wore long drawers open in front, ha! ha!

"Wheeler's cavalry tied up de legs an' front of 'em an' filled de legs
an' seat full of things dey stole. Dey jest grabbed everything an' went
on. Dey had a reason for leavin'; de Yankees wus at dere heels.

"Jest as soon as dey lef' de Yankees come. You know, dere wus a man
here by de name of Governor Holden an' de flag wus a red an' white
flag, an' when de Yankees come dere wus another flag run up.

"I want to try to tell de truth 'cause I wus teached dat way by marster
an' missus.

"De flag brought peace 'cause de Yankees did not tear up de town. Dey
had guards out around de houses an' dey marched back an' forth day an'
night to keep everybody from robbin' de houses.

"De Yankees wid dere blue uniforms on jest kivered de town. Dey wus
jest like ants. Dey played purty music on de ban' an' I liked dat. I
wus fraid of 'em dough 'cause marster an' missus said dey were goin' to
give us to 'em when dey come. I stayed hid mos' of de time right after
de surrender 'cause I didn't want de Yankees to ketch me. W