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ClASPER BATTLE
Ex-Slave - Age 80.


	The shade of the large water oaks in îasper‘s yard was aweicorae sight when the interviewer completed the long walk to the old Negro‘s place in the sweltering heat of 8 SUflflY July afternoon. The old house appeared to be in good condition and the yard was clean and tidy. îasper‘s wife, Lula, came around the side of the house in answer to the call for 3asper. A large checked apron almost covered her blue dress ~nd a clean white headcloth concealed her hair. Despite her advanced age, she seemed to be quite spry.

	“3~us‘ corne back here whar I‘se a-dom‘ de white folks‘ washin‘,“ she said. “J‘asper‘s done been powerful sick snd I can‘t leave hirn by hisseif none. I brung him out here in de shade so I could watch him and ‘tend to him whilst I wuks. Jasper stepped on a old plank what had two rusty nails in it, arid both of ‘ein went up in nis foot a fur ways. I done driv dein nails plumb up to dey haids in de north side of a tree and put ~irnpson weed poultices on Jasper‘s foot, but it‘s still powerful bsd off.“

	~	By this time we had arrived within sight and earshot of the old rooking chair where ~Tasper sat with his foot propped high in another chair. His chair had long ago been deprived of Its rockers. The injured member appeared to be swollen and was covered with several layers of the jiinpson weed leaves. The old man‘s thin form was clothed in a faded blue