Then we seen hard times. We
knowed we was free niggers pretty soon back in them poor hills.
"I was more educated than some white folks up in them hills. I went to
school on the river. My teacher was a white man named Mr. Van Sang.
"Mama belong to the Garretts in Mississippi. She was sold when she was
about four years old she tole me. There had been a death and old
mistress bought her in. Master Garrett died. Then she give her to her
daughter. She was her young mistress then. Old mistress didn't want her
to bring her but she said she might well have her as any rest of the
children. Mama never set eyes on none of her folks no more. Her father,
she said, was light and part Enjun (Indian).
"John Prior owned papa in Kentucky. He sold him, brother and his mother
to a nigger trader's gang. Captain Jones bought all three in Tennessee.
He come brought them on to Arkansas. He was a field hand. He said they
worked from daylight till after dark.
"They took their slaves to close to Houston, Texas to save them. Captain
Jones said he didn't want the Yankees to scatter them and make soldiers
of them. He brought them back on his place like he expected to do. Mama
said they was out there three years.
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