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Work Projects Administration

"Arkansas Narratives, Part 2"

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Interviewer: Carol Graham
Subject: Ex-slaves
Information given by: Sarah Douglas, El Dorado, Arkansas

Mornin' honey. I thought you wuz comin' back tuh see me ergin las'
summer an' I looked fuh you the longes' time. I'se plum proud tuh see
you ergin. Dis other lady ain't de one that wuz wid you las' summer is
she?
Now jes lis'en tuh that will yuh, she wants Aunt Sarah tuh tell huh some
more 'bout slave'y times. John Bufford wuz mah marster's name. I wuz
bo'n in Alabama an' brought to Louisiana by my marster's fambly. Aftuh
de wah he freed us an' some of 'em mixed up in politics an' the white
folks from the North fooled 'em into makin speeches fuh 'em, but dey
soon learnt bettuh.
I ain't been well lately. The doctuh said I had slamatory rheumatis. I'm
ol' now end don' have nobody tuh do nothin fuh me. My mistress wuz mammy
in de ol' days.
Aftuh I got up fum mah rheumatism I went down tuh that church you sees,
I give de lan' fuh hit, me and Tom did and I jes felt good and wanted
tuh praise the Lord. I wuz so glad the sperit come once more, I got
happy and I got up and went down tuh de fron' and said; "I want to shake
hand wid ever' body in dis house. I wanna stroke yo hand.


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