pinched.

"Lan', but them was good old days when Master Billy was alive."




Texarkana District
FOLKLORE SUBJECTS
Name of Interviewer: Mrs. W.M. Ball
Subject: Anecdotes
Story:

Information given by: Albert Cummins
Place of Residence: Laurel St., Texarkana, Ark.
Occupation: None (Ex-Slave)
Age: 86
[TR: Personal information moved from bottom of second page.]


An humble cottage, sheltered by four magnificent oak trees, houses an
interesting old negro, Albert Cummins.

Texarkana people, old and young, reverence this character, and obtain
from him much valuable information concerning the early life of this
country. This ex-slave was freed when he was fifteen years old, but
continued to live in the same family until he was a man. He says: "All
de training an' advice I evah had come frum mah mistress. She wuz a
beautiful Christian; if I am anybody, I owe it to her. I nevah went to
school a day in mah life; whut I know I absorbed frum de white folks!