cured it. I cupped my knee. Put water in a
cup, put a little coal oil (kerosene) on top, strike a match to it and
slap the cup to my knee. It drawed a clear blister. I got it well and
the rheumatism was gone. I used to rub my legs from my waist down'ards
with mule water. They say that is mighty good for rheumatism. I don't
have it no more.

"No sir-ree-bob, I ain't never voted and I don't aim to long as I'm in
my mind.

"Times ain't hard as they was when I was coming on. (Another Negro
woman says Aunt Lucy Key will wash or do lots of things and never take
a cent of pay for it--ed.) Money is scarce but this generation don't
know how to work. My husband gets relief 'cause he's sick and wore
out. My nephew gives us these rooms to live in. He got money. (We saw
a radio in his room and modern up-to-date furnishings--ed.) He is a
good boy. I'm good to him as I can be. Seems like some folks getting
richer every day, other folks getting worse off every day. Times look
dark that way to me.

"I been in Arkansas eight years. I tries to be friendly wid
everybody."

Interviewer: Bernice Bowden.
Person interviewed: Anna King (c)
Home: 704 West Fifth, Pine Bluff, Ark.
Age: 80

"Yes honey, I was here in slavery times. I'se gittin' old too, honey.
I was nine years old goin' on ten when the war ceasted. I remember
when they was volunteerin'. I remember they said it wasn't goin' to be
nothin' but a breakfus' spell.

"My fust marster was Nichols Lee. You see I was born in slavery
times--and I was sold away from my mother. My mother never did tell us
nothin' 'bout our ages. My white people told me after freedom that I
was 'bout nine or ten.

"When the white chillun come of age they drawed for the colored folks.
Marse Nichols Lee had a girl named Ann and she drawed me. She didn't
keep me no time though, and the man what bought me was named Leo
Andrew Whitley. He went to war and died before the war ceasted. Then I
fell to his brother Jim Whitley. He was my last marster. I was with
him when peace was declared. Yes mam, he was good to me. All my white
folks mighty good to me. Co'se Jim Whitley's wife slap my jaws
sometimes, but she never did take a stick to me.

"Lord honey, its been so long I just can't remember much now. I'se
gittin' old and forgitful. Heap a things I remember and heap a things
slips from me and is gone.

"Well honey, in slavery times, a heap of 'em didn't have good owners.
When they wanted to have chu