Laney could be quiet no longer. "My husband," she said, "is a self-made
man. His educated brother, Claude, that graduated from Maryville School
in Tennessee, says that he cannot cope with my husband."

John smiled indulgently and continued: "We were in sad and woeful want
after the war. Once I asked my father why he let us go so hungry and
ragged, and he answered: 'How can we help it? Why, even the white folks
don't have enough to eat and wear now.'

"Eleven years ago I rented a little farm from. Mr. Jasper Thompson, in
Jackson County. After the boll-weevil got bad I came to the other side
of the river yonder, where I stayed 7 years. By this time most of the
children by my first two wives had grown up and gone off up north. My
first wife's children were Robert, Ella, the twins, Julius and Julia
Anne, (who died soon after they were grown-up), and Charlie, and Dan.
Robert is in Philadelphia, Ella in Cincinnati, and Dan is dead.

"Fred, George, and Johnny, my second wife's children are all living, but
are scattered in far-off places.

"Everybody was powerful sorry to hear about Lincoln's assassination. At
that time Jefferson Davis was considered the greatest man that ever
lived, but the effect of Lincoln's life and deeds will live on forever.
His life grows greater in reputation with the years and his wisdom more
apparent.

"As long as we were their property our masters were mighty careful to
have us doctored up right when there was the least sign of sickness.
There was always some old woman too old for field work that nursed the