Stories Prom Ex-.Slaves . ~ ‚ ~ 3

	‘~We had. to get a pass from marse ii we went out. If de patrollers caught us vvidout a pass dey V~iOUid whip u~.

	“Right atter de war ae Ku Klux started. I ‘member dem when dey would march up and dov~n de road. Dey marched most at night, and we could hear de horses i~or a long dist.ance as deir feet struck de ~ round.

	“I married Nellie Wilson, and had 12 children. I i~ot now ō children; my wife is dead. I ~ot Live grandchildren arid eight great~ ~raridcnildren.

	ft1 thina abraham Lincoln and Jei~f Davis was good men in deir

way, as dey thought. Booker Tm Washington is a great man, and he is done lots 01 good for de riiggers. I think slavery was good in some ways arid bad in others. I was better ofi den dan I am now.

	“I jined de church when I was 20 years old, because it was de law ~ to trust in de Lawd, you got to belong to de cibiurch.

	“I member somethiri~ ‘bout 40 acres or land and a mule dat de slaves ~ou1d get, but never come anything about it. ~hen freedom come most or de slaves hired out as wa~e hands, cutting wood and working on farms or any odd jobs dey could get. Dar was lots ot new ground, and many o±~ de niggers got work clearing it up.

	“We didn‘t ~et any money in slavery time, but ~ot plenty to eat; and atter de war, we got a little money and a little to eat. I ‘member dat old Mr. Brown hired me out once about 45 years ago at 3O~ a day arid ray meals. I think de younger. generation ain‘t so good. Dey have deir own way and don‘t respect old Loiks. Dat‘s de way it is wici. both whites and blacks.“

Source:	Fred James (81), ~‘~ewberry, S.C. RFD
Interviewer:	G.L. Summer, Newberry, S.C. 1/10/38