“I used to have to go up the road to get milk for the old mistress.  She boxed my ears.  That when I was a child reckly after the war.

“They had a latch and a hart bar cross the door.  I never was out but once after dark.  I never seen no Ku Klux.  My folks didn’t know they was free.

“Dr. Washington lived in Somerville, Tennessee and brought us to Arkansas to farm.  He owned acres and acres of land here.  I was grown and had a house full of children.  I got five living now.

“I don’t vote.  I don’t know who to vote for.  I would vote for the worst kinder officers maybe and I wouldn’t wanter make times harder on us all ’an they is.

“I been cookin’ and farmin’ all my life.  Now I get $10 a month from the Sociable Welfare.

“I used to pick up chips at Mrs. Willforms—­pick up a big cotton basket piled up fore I quit.  I seen the Yankees, they camped at the fair grounds.  I thought they wore the prettiest clothes and the brass buttons so pretty on the blue suits.  I hear em beat the drum.  I go peep out when they come by.

“My old mistress slapped me till my eye was red cause one day I says ‘Ain’t them men pretty?’ They camped at what is now the Fair Grounds at Somerville, Tennessee, at sorter right of town.  My papa was a ox driver.  That is all he done bout.  Seem like there was haulin’ to be done all the time.

“The folks used to be heap better than they is now.  Some of the masters was mean to the slaves but they mortally had plenty to eat and wear and a house to live in.  Some of the houses was sorry and the snow come in the cracks but we had big fire places and plenty wood to cook and keep warm by.  The children all wore flannel clothes then to keep em warm.  They raised sheep.

“It is a shame what folks do now.  These young darky girls marries a boy and they get tired each other.  They quit.  They ain’t got no sign of divorce!  Course they ain’t never been married!  They jes’ take up and live together, then they both go on livin’ with some other man an’ woman.  It ain’t right!  Folks ain’t good like they used to be.  We old folks ain’t got no use for such doin’s.  They done too smart to be told by us old folks.  I do best I can an’ be good as I knows how to be.

“The times is fine as I ever seen in my life.  I wish I was young and strong.  I wouldn’t ask nobody for sistance.  Tey ain’t nuthin’ wrong wid this year’s crop as I sees.  Times is fine.”

Interviewer:  Miss Irene Robertson
Person interviewed:  Callie Halsey Williamson, Biscoe, Arkansas
Age:  60?

“Mother was born in Alabama during slavery.  Her name was Levisa Halsey.  Neither of my parents were sold.  Mother was tranferred (transferred) to her young mistress.  She had no children and still lived in the home with her people.  Her mother, Emaline, was the cook.  Master Bradford owned grandmother and grandfather both and my own father all.  Mother was the oldest and only child.