2.	‘69


	“There was a big gourd han~1ng up by the well. We kept it there. There was a bucket tUII ~. Be said, ‚ Give me wate‘ i handed over the gourd full. He doue something with It. u.. kept me hax~ding hi~ water. K. 8aid, ‘Hold my crowi~ aiid draw me u~p another bucket fui.‘ I was so seared I lit out hard as I could run. ~ It was dark enough to hide me when I got a piece out o~ his way.

	“The owners was pretty good to mother to be slavery. Shé had clothes and enough to eat ai]. the time. I used to go back to see ail our white folks in Kentucky. They are about all dead now I expect. Mother was glad to be free but for a long tinie her life was harder.

	“After we ~ot up larger she got along better. I worked on a steamboat twelve or thirteeii years. I was a roustabout and freight picker. I was on passenger boats mostly but they carried freight. I went to school acme. I always had colored teachers. I farmed at Bughea and Madison. ever sines excepting one year in Mississippi.

“I live alone. I get $8 and coimnoditles from the 8ociable Welfare.

	“The young folks would do better, work better, if they coull get work all time. It is hard at times to get work right now. The times is all right. Better everything but work. I know colored folks is bad rnanagsrs, That has been bad on us always.

	“I worked on boats from ivanaville, St. Louis, Memphis to New Orleans mostly. ‘It was hard work but a fine living. I was stout th~n.~