Jack Hudgins--Law,
child, law----"

A feeble hand reached for the hand of the white woman and took it. The
old eyes filled with tears and the face distorted in weaping. For a
few minutes he sat, then he rose, and the young woman rose with him.
For a moment she put a comforting arm around him and soon he was
quieter.

"Law, so your father was Jack Hudgins. How well I does remember him.
Whatever did become of that fine boy? Dead did you say? I remembers
now. He was a fine man, a mighty--mighty fine man. Jack Hudgins girl!

Yes, Miss, I guess you has seen me around a lot. Lots of folks know
me. They'll come along the street and they'll say, 'Hello Logan!' and
sometimes I won't know who they are, but they'll know me.

I remember once, it's been years and years ago, a man come along
Central Avenue--a white man. I was going along the street and suddenly
he grabbed me and hugged me. It scared me at first. 'Logan,' he says,
'Logan' he says again. 'Logan, I'd know you anywhere. How glad I am to
see you.' But I didn't recognize him. 'Wife,' he says 'wife, come on
over and speak to Logan, he saved my life once.' Invited me to come
and see him too, he did.

Things have been mighty hard for the last few years. Seems like we
could get the pension. First they had a rule that we'd have to sign
away the home if we got $9.00 a month. Well, my wife's daughter was
taking care of us. Even if we got the $9 she'd still have to help. She
wasn't making much, but she was dividing everything--going without
shoes and everything. So we thought it wasn't fair to her to sign away
our home after all she'd done for us----so that they'd just kick her
out when we was dead--she'd been too good to us. So we says 'No!' We
been told that they done changed that rule, but we can't seem to get
help at all. Maybe, Miss, there's somthing you can do. We sure would
be thankful, if you could help us get on.

All my folks is dead, my mother and my father and all my brothers, my
first and my second wives and both my children. My wife's daughter
helps us all she can. She's mighty good to us. Don't know what we'd do
without her. Thank you, glad you come to see us. Glad to know you. If
you can talk to them over at the Court House, we'd be glad. Good-bye.
Come to see us ag in."

Interviewer: Mrs. Bernice Bowden
Person interviewed: Elvie Lomack
Residence: Foot of King Street on river bank,
no number; Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age: 78

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