a dem. Dey squeeze de grapes and put de juice in a
jimmijohn(demijohn) to fo'men'.

"My mudder name was Keyia. Dat Injun. Daddy's name was Reuben. I 'member
when I's lil' us goes visit my uncle, Major Scott. He lib in Polk County
and he wore earring in he ears and beads and everyt'ing. He's a Injun.
He dead now, many year.

"My daddy work in de fiel'. He sow de rice and raise t'baccy. Dey have
fiel's of it. Dey put it in de crack of de fence to press, den dey dry
it on de barn roof. Dat was smokin' t'baccy! For de chewin' t'baccy, dey
soak it in sugar and honey. Us never see snuff den.

"On Sunday us didn' work. We has chu'ch meetin'. But dey has to have it
in de ya'd, so de white folks could see de kin' of religion 'spounded.

"I seed some bad sight in slavery, but ain' never been 'bused myself. I
seed chillun too lil' to walk from dey mammies sol' right off de block
in Woodville. Dey was sol' jus' like calfs. I seed niggers in han'
locks.

"After freedom dey wuk a whole year and den Major Sangers, he finally
come and make de white folks tu'n us loose. I stay on for years, 'till
ole mistus die. She larn me to knit and spin and sich like.

"In de early day, us hab to be keerful. Dey say witches ride dey hosses
on de da'k nights. Us allus put hossshoes over de door to keep de witch
out. Iffen us go out at night, us go roun' de house three time so de
witch not come in while us gone.

"I's fifteen year ole when I marry. Giles Paul was from de Wes'. He was
de fus' husban'. Us hab a real weddin' with a bride veil. My weddin'
dress hang 'way back on de flo', and shine like silver. Dey hab big
dance and eat supper.

"My second husban' name' Robert Brown and I's mudder of ten chillun.
'Sides dat, I raises six or seven day I pick up on de street 'cause dey
orfums and hab nobody to care for dem. Some dem chillun drif' 'bout now
and I wouldn' know 'em if I seed 'em!

420211

[Illustration: Zek Brown]

ZEK BROWN, 80, was born a slave of Green Brown, owner of six slave
families, in Warren County, Tennessee. Zek came to Texas in 1868,
with Sam Bragg. Zek now lives at 407 W. Bluff St., in Fort Worth,
Texas.

"My name am Zek Brown and Massa Green Brown owned me. He have a
plantation in Tennessee and own all my folks, what was my pappy and
mammy and two sisters. I never seed any of dem since I ran 'way from
there, when I's ten years old.

"I sometimes wishes I's back on de plantation. I's