and have him interested in us, for we had never been treated mean like
heaps of the slaves in that neighborhood had.

"One white man in our county needed the help of the Lord. His name was
Boney Ridley and he just couldn't keep away from liquor. He was an uncle
of that famous preacher and poet, Mr. Caleb Ridley. One day when Mr.
Boney had been drinking hard and kind of out of his head, he was
stretched out on the ground in a sort of stupor. He opened his eyes and
looked at the buzzards circling low over him and said, sort of sick and
fretful-like, 'Git on off, buzzards; I ain't dead yet.'"

"The Reverend Doctor George Truett was a fine boy and he has grown into
a splendid man. He is one of God's chosen ones. I well remember the
first time I heard him speak. I was a janitor at the State Normal School
when he was a pupil there in 1887. I still think he is about the
greatest orator I ever listened to. In those days, back in 1887, I
always made it convenient to be doing something around the school room
when time came for him to recite or to be on a debate. After he left
that school he went on to the Seminary at Louisville and he has become
known throughout this country as a great Christian.

"I started teaching in old field schools with no education but just what
our white folks had taught me. They taught me to read and write, and I
must say I really was a mighty apt person, and took advantage of every
opportunity that came my way to learn. You know, teaching is a mighty
good way to learn. After I had been teaching for some time I went back
to school, but most of my knowledge was gotten by studying what books
and papers I could get hold of and by watching folks who were really
educated; by listening carefully to them, I found I could often learn a
good deal that way."