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	u.m.si~ø:i s‘ro~i~s	p~e One	~
(Texas)


MI~RYA BF4NDT, 83, was born a slave to LF~~5a1~2.s Gool.by, Henry Co. ~labama, who brought ber to ~exaa when ehe was five. They set tied. near Joodville ~ where linerva still lives,




	“My sanies ‚ ‘~embra~ce was de big, white sandy road what lead ‚ we,‘ froa de hottee • I t was clean end white ~nd u~s chilien 1 ove to walk in de soft, hot sand. Dat in Henry County, Alabama, where I‘ s bor* and ay old. narster was La~exus ~oolaby and he have de big plantation with lots of nigger folks. I •a~srnber 3ua‘ as good as yesterday wigglin‘ ~ toes iii dat sandy road and rtuinin‘ ‘way to de grits aill where dey grind de a~e~l. Dat have de~g water wheel dat sint~ and squeak as it go ‘round..

“Aunt Mary, she ~a~s all us little chilien sleep i~ de

heat of de day under de big, spreadin‘ oak tree in de yard.. My sema have 17 Chiliifl. Her same Doilie and. ~ d.,ddy name Herd.

	EI‘s 11ue‘ a little chile in diem days and I *tay in d.s house with de white folks. Dey raies ~. a pet in de f~ily. Missus Goolsby, she have two gals and dey give ~e to de oldest. Vben she dii dey pi~tt mi in d. bed with her ~t iNen I knowed she dyin ‚ dey wouldn ‚ t bulk able to cotch ~e. She rub ~y head. and tell her ~ and. m~a, ‚ I ‚~ gwine 1w~ ~tt I wants you prc~ise you ain‘t never whip i~y little nigger.‘ Dey never did..

	s ~ jus‘ ‚ bout fj~~ year old. when us aake de trip to Tsxaa. UI co1~e right near Voodville and aake de plentation. It a big place and dey raise core and cott ca aM cane. We ~a1c•i our own ~€er and. has
~Oi~74
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