“They went to see Carrie and played with her till Addie married and mama come close to Martin to live with them.  Addie took consumption and died, then mama married Frank Bane and he died and I was born.

“My pa was a white man.  He was a bachelor, had a little store, and he overcome mama.  She never did marry no more.  I was her only child.  I don’t remember the man but mama told me how she got tripped up and nearly died and for me never to let nobody trip me up that way.  I sorter recollect the store.  It burned down one night.  We lived around over there till I was sixteen years old.  We moved to a few miles of Corinth, Mississippi on a farm.  Mr. Cat Madford was the manager.  I got married.  I married Will Bratton.  We had a home wedding on Sunday evening.  It was cold and freezing and the freeze lasted over a week.  Will Bratton was black as night.  I had one little boy.  After mama died Will Bratton went off with another woman.  He come back but the place was mine.  Mama left it to me.  I wouldn’t let him stay there.  I let him go on where he pleased.

“Times been growing slacker for a long time.  People live slack.  Young folks coming on slacker and slacker every day.  Don’t know how to do, don’t want to know.  They get by better ’en I did.  I work in the field and I can’t hardly get by.  I see folks do nothing all the time.  Seem like they happy.  Times is hard for some, easy for some.  I want to live in the country like I is ’cause I belongs there.  I can work and be satisfied!  I did own my home.  I reckon I still do.  I got a little cow and some chickens.”

Interviewer:  Samuel S. Taylor
Person interviewed:  Frank Briles
                    817 Cross Street, Little Rock, Arkansas
Age:  About 82 or 83

[HW:  Gives up the Ghost]

“I was born right here in Arkansas.  My father’s name was Moses Briles.  My mother’s name was Judy Briles.  Her name before she was married I don’t know.  They belonged to the Briles.  I don’t know their first name either.

“My father was under slavery.  He chopped cotton and plowed and scraped cotton.  That is where I got my part from.  He would carry two rows along at once.  I was little and couldn’t take care of a row by myself.  I was born down there along the time of the War, and my father didn’t live long afterwards.  He died when they was settin’ them all free.  He was a choppin’ for the boss man and they would set them up on blocks and sell them.  I don’t know who the man was that did the selling, but they tell me they would sell them and buy them.

“I am sick now.  My head looks like it’s goin’ to bust open.