Ah got freed in Texas. We went tuh Texas on a steamboat an dey
wuz a lot uv people on de steamboat. We sho 'joyed dat trip. We went wid
our mistress an moster. Dey wuz de Lides, Mistuh John Lide's parents. De
Lides run one uv de bigges' stores in Camden now, if yo knows dem dey is
de same Lides. One uv de boys wuz named Blackie Lide, one John Lide, one
named Hugh Lide. Dem wuz granchillun. Hannah Lide, Minnie Watts now, dey
wuz de granchillun. Now let me see, one Miss wuz named Emma Lide. Dem
sho wuz good fokes. Ole miss died when we wuz on ouh way tuh dis
country. An ole moster been daid since way back yondah. But when we got
tuh dis country we settled bout seven or eight miles fum Camden in
Ouachita County. Ole moster wuz named Peter Lide. We jes went tuh school
nough tuh learn our A.B.C.'s cause we had tuh work in de fiel. We
carried our meat tuh de fiel an cooked hot ash cake fuh dinnuh. We kep'
spare ribs and backbone all de year roun'. We pickled de backbone an dem
spareribs. We worked evah day. Wednesday night wuz wash night. Dat's
when de women would do de washin. We'd go tuh de fiel way fo day.
Back in dem days we had er log church. Ah went in mah shirt-tail till ah
wuz six.
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