"Old master died before the War broke out and my mistress died in '67.

"My father died in Texas. That left my mother a widow. She spent about
two weeks at the old home place in Louisiana. She pulled up then and
went to Natchez to my father's people. She made two crops with my young
master. His name was Otie Railey. Help her? Well, I was comin'. I had
one brother and one sister.

"In '68 she worked with a colored man on the shares.

"I started to school in '67. A colored man come in there and established
a private school. I went in '67, '68, and '69 and then I didn't go any
more till '71 and '72. I got along pretty well in it. I know mine from
the other fellows. I can write and any common business I can take care
of.

"We had two or three men run off and joined the Yankees. One got drowned
fore he got there and the other two come back after freedom.

"My mother worked for wages after freedom. She got three bales of cotton
for her services and mine and she boarded herself.

"In '74 she rented. I still stayed with her. She lived with me all her
life and died with me.

"I come over to Arkansas the twenty-third day of December in 1916.
Worked for Long-Bell Lumber Company till they went down. Then I Just
jobbed around. I can still work a little but not like I used to.

"I used to vote Republican when I was interested in politics but I have