Interview

"I was born, in 1843, in Gallatin, Tennessee, 94 years ago this coming
(1937) Christmas day."

"Our master, Martin Henley, a farmer, was hard on us slaves, but we were
happy in spite of our lack."

"When I was a child, I didn't have it as hard as some of the children
in the quarters. I always stayed in the "big house," slept on the floor,
right near the fireplace, with one quilt for my bed and one quilt to
cover me. Then when I growed up, I was in the quarters."

"After the Civil war, I went to Ohio to cook for General Payne. We had a
nice life in the general's house."

"I remember one night, way back before the Civil war, we wanted a goose.
I went out to steal one as that was the only way we slaves would have
one. I crept very quiet-like, put my hand in where they was and grabbed,
and what do you suppose I had? A great big pole cat. Well, I dropped him
quick, went back, took off all my clothes, dug a hole, and buried them.
The next night I went to the right place, grabbed me a nice big goose,
held his neck and feet so he couldn't holler, put him under my arm, and
ran with him, and did we eat?"

"We often had prayer meeting out in the quarters, and to keep the folks
in the "big house" from hearing us, we would take pots, turn them down,
put something under them, that let the sound go in the pots, put them in
a row by the door, then our voices would not go out, and we could sing
and pray to our heart's content."