"I votes a Republican ticket. I haven't voted since Mr. Taft run. I
don't have no way to keep up with elections now. Folks used to talk
more, now they keeps quiet.
"I never heard pa say how he come to know about freedom. Ma said she was
refugeed to Texas and when they brung them back, Master Will Walker met
them at the creek on his place and he said, 'You all are free now. You
can go on my place or hunt other places.' They went on his place and
they lived there a long time. I don't remember ever living on that
place. Pa wasn't there then. I don't know where be could been. Ma and pa
was both Walkers but no blood kin. Ma didn't talk much about old times.
She was sold once, she said. Bass Kelly bought her. I don't know if Will
Walker traded for her. She never did say. Bass Kelly was mean to her. He
beat her and one time she hid and kept hid till she nearly starved, she
said. She hid in the corn crib. It was a log house. She didn't enjoy
slavery. Pa had a very good time, better than us boys had it when we
come up. He worked and kept us with him. He and ma died the same week.
They had pneumonia in Mississippi.
"I got one sister. She lives close to Shreveport. She keeps up with us
all. I go down there every now and then. She's not stove up like I am.
She wants me to stay with her all the time.
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