Another way get a big long cane cut out holes long down to the joint,
hold your fingers over different holes and blow. I never had a better
time since freedom. I never had a doctor till since I been 80 years old
neither.
"Later on I made me a bow of cedar, put one end in my mouth and pick the
string wid my fingers while I hold the other end wid this hand. (Left
hand. It was very peculiar shaped in the palm.) See my hand that what
caused it. I have been a musician in my time. I lernt to handle the
banjo, the fiddle and the mandolin. I played fer many a set, all over
the country mostly back home (in Tennessee).
"We had a heap of log rollins back home in slavery times. They have big
suppers spread under the trees. We sho know we have a good supper after
a log rollin'.
"We most always worked at night in winter. Mama worked at the loom and
weaved. Grandma and old mistress carded. They used hand cards. Auntie
spun thread. I reeled the thread. I like to hear it cluck off the hanks.
Papa he had to feed the stock and look after it. He'd fool round after
that. He went off to the war at the first of it and never come home.
"The war broke us up and ruined us all but me. Grandma married old man
soon after freedom. He whooped and beat her up till she died. He was a
mean old scoundel. They said he was a nigger driver. His name was Wesley
Donald. She died soon after the war. Mama was dead. Auntie married and
went on off. I was 18 years old. When freedom come on Mars White says
you all set free. You can leave or stay on here. I stayed there. Mars
White didn't give us nuthin'. He was broke. All he had was land.
"Come a talk bout Lincoln givin' em homes. Some racketed bout what they
outer git. That was after freedom. Most of em never got nuthin'. They up
and left. Some kept on workin'. They got to stealin' right smart. Some
the men got so lazy they woulder starved out their families and white
folks too. White folks made em go to work. The darky men sorter quit
work and made the women folks do the work. They do thater way now. Some
worse den others bout it.
"Me and Mars White went to work. We see droves darkies just rovin'
round. Said they huntin' work and homes. Some ask for victuals. Yes they
give em something to eat. When they come in droves they couldn't give em
much. Some of em oughter left. Some of the masters was mean. Some of em
mighty good.
"Me and Mars White and his boys rigged up a high wheel that run a band
to a lay (lathe). One man run the wheel wid his hands and one man at the
lay (lathe) all time. We made pipes outer maple and chairs. We chiseled
out table legs and bed post. We made all sort of things. Anything to
sell. We sold a heap of things. We made money. If I'd had sense to keep
part of it. Mars White always give me a share. We had a good livin' soon
as we got over the war.
"I farmed. I was a brick layer. Mars White lernt me that. When he died I
followed that trade. I worked at New Orleans, Van Buren, Jackson,
Meridian. I worked at Lake Villiage with Mr. Lasley, and Mr. Ivy. They
was fine brick layers. I worked for Dr. Stubbs. Mr. Scroggin never went
huntin' without me but once over here on Cache River. He give me land to
build my cabins. I got lumber up at the mills here. Folks come to my
cabins from 23 states. J. Dall Long at St. Louis sent me a block wid my
picture. I didn't know what it was. Mr. Moss told me it was a bomb like
they used in the World War. I had some cards made in Memphis, some
Little Rock. I sent em out by the telephone books tellin' em it was good
fishin' now.
"J. Dall Long said when I go back home I send you somethin' nice. That
what he sent in the mail.
"It was ugliest picture of me in a boat an' a big fish holt my britches
leg pullin' me over out the boat. He had me named "Hambones" under it. I
still got my block. I got nuther thing--old aunties bonnet she wore in
slavery.
"I quit keepin' club house. I kept it 27 years. I rented the cabins,
sold minnows and bates. They give me the land but I couldn't sell it.
Old woman everybody call "Nig" cook fer me. I wanter live like Nig and
go up yonder. I ainter goner be in this world long but I want to go to
heben. Nig was not my wife. She was a fine cook. She cooked an' stayed
at my cabins. This little chile--orphan chile--I got wid me was Nig's
grandchild. When Nig died I took him. I been goin with him to pick
cotton. I want er lern him to work. Egercation ain't no good much to
darkies. I been tryin' to see what he could do bettern farm. They ain't
nuthin'. I set down on the ground and pick some so he will pick. He is
six years old. When it rain I caint pick and set on the wet ground.