The slave pronunciation of "m(o)ster" is more nearly correct than the
normal pronunciation of "m(a)ster." Frequent pronunciations are marse,
marsa, m(o)ssa, m(o)stuh, and m(a)ssa.




Interviewer: Samuel S. Taylor
Person interviewed: Silas Dothrum
1419 Pulaski Street, Little Rock, Arkansas
Age: 82 or 83
Occupation: Field hand, general work
[May 31 1939]


[HW: Don't Know Nothin']

"The white people that owned me are all dead. I am in this world by
myself. Do you know anything that a man can put on his leg to keep the
flies off it when it has sores on it? I had the city doctor here, but he
didn't do me no good. I have to tie these rags around my foot to keep
the flies off the sores.

"I worked with a white man nineteen years--put all that concrete down
out there. He is still living. He helps me a little sometimes. If it
weren't for him I couldn't live. The government allows me and my wife
together eight dollars a month. I asked for more, but I couldn't get it.
I get commodities too. They amount to about a dollar and a half a month.
They don't give any flour or meat. Last month they gave some eggs and