I never did know what the punishment was.
"Since I have become afflicted (I'm ruptured) I can't do no work any
more. I can't remember anything else. If I had time to study I might
think of something else."
Interviewer: Miss Irene Robertson
Person interviewed: Hammett Dell, Brasfield, Arkansas
Age: 90
[-- -- 1937]
[TR: Some word pronunciation was marked in this interview. Letters
surrounded by [] represent long vowels.]
"I was born in Tennessee, 10 miles from Murfreesboro. They call it now
Releford. I was born October 12, 1847. I stayed wid old master till he
died. I was bout thirty-five years old. He lernt me a good trade, brick
layin'. He give me everything I needed and more. After the war he took
me by the old brass lamp wid twisted wick--it was made round--and lernt
me outer the Blue Back Speller and Rithmetic. The spelling book had
readin' in it. Lady ain't you seed one yit? Then I lernt outer Rays
Rithmetic and McGuffeys Reader. Old master say it ginst the law to teach
slaves foe the war. Dat what he said, it was ginst the law to educate a
nigger slave. The white folks schools was pay foe the war.
"My old master had a small farm. His wife died.
Pages:
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168