The Yankees said, 'We's freed
you all this mornin', do you want to go with us?' I said, 'If you goin'
North, I'll go.' So I stayed with em till I got back to North Carolina.
"After surrender, people went here and yonder and that's how come I'm
here. I emigrated here. I left Raleigh, North Carolina Christmas Eve
1883. I've seen ninety-six Christmases.
"I member the folks said the war was to keep us under bondage. The South
wants us under bondage right now or they wouldn't do us like they do.
"When I come to this country of Arkansas I brought twelve chillun and
left four in North Carolina. I've had six wives and had twenty-nine
chillun by the six wives.
"I've seen them Ku Klux in slavery times and I've cut a many a
grapevine. We'd be in the place dancin' and playin' the banjo and the
grape vine strung across the road and the Ku Klux come ridin' along and
run right into it and throw the horses down.
"Cose I believe in hants. They're in the air. Can't everybody see em.
Some come in the shape of a cat or a dog--you know, old folks spirits. I
ain't afeared of em--ain't afeared of anything cept a panter. Cose I got
a gun--got three or four of em. You can't kill a spirit cept with
silver.
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