De white folks then an' de darkies, dey just had more
confidence in each other seems like in dem days. I don't know how 'twas
in de other states after de War, but right here in Phillips County de
white folks, dey encouraged de darkies to buy 'em a home. Dey helped dem
to git it. Dey sure done dat. Mr. Marve Carruth, dat was really a good
white man. He helped me to get dis very place here dat I is owned for
fifty years. An' then I tell you dis too, Boss, when I was coming up, de
folks, dey just worked harder dan dey do these days. A good hand then
naturally did just about three er four times as much work in a day as
dey do now. Seems like dis young bunch awful no 'count er bustin' up and
down de road day and night in de cars, er burnin' de gasoline when dey
orter be studyin' 'bout makin' er livin' an' gettin' demselves er home.
"Yas suh, I riccolect all 'bout de time dat de niggers holdin' de jobs
in de courthouse in Helena, but I is never took no part in that votin'
business an' I allus kept out of dem arguments. I left it up to de white
folks to 'tend to de 'lectin' of officers.
"De darkies what was in de courthouse dat I riccolect was: Bill Gray, he
was one of de clerks; Hense Robinson, Dave Ellison, an' some more dat I
don't remember.
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