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	Ex-Slave Story	. ~ . Page 2.	»:	j9





riders were here. But de boss got ‘round it this way. He had. de slaves di~ trenches ‘cross de road and tie grape vines over it. Den have de dark~ les go up on de hill and sing corn songs. Den de nlghtriders corne a~rush~ ing and sometimes dey would get four or five whites in these raids. It would kill de men and horses too, when dey fell into de trench. On Saturday night we had a shindig. We would eat chicken and pound cake and of coarse whiskey made in Kentucky. De jail was callethde watch-house.

	“After de war de government instituted religious trainin‘ ‘inong de colored peopleand gave dem white teachers. I was in Lexington, Ky., when I learned my letters. Just how dose latter-day children~ learn to read without de letters is a mystery to me. ~

	“l‘s one of de preachers of de church he±~e and axa a deacon, too. I studied at de University of Louisville, where I was a theolOgical student, ana was one of de main orators in de school.

	“I‘ve married a lot of tern, in Poplar Bluff, Kennett, Farniington, and Fredericktown, and have preached quite a few funerals. Have preached some brush arbor sermons and stood under a ~arbor when we was married. I baptized
	42 in Pennsylvania.	~

	“1 ain‘t eligible enoughto express ‘bout slavery. I ain‘t sayin‘ nothing.“



Interview with L.C. Parson Allen,
~ .e~-s1~ve, aged.?8, Fredericktown, Mo. I~tervi ewed by 3~ a Tom~ Miles.