I's birthed below Nacogdoches, and dey tells me it am on March 19th, in 1852. My mammy had some kind of paper what say dat. But I don't know my master, 'cause when I's two he done give me to Marse Frank Sparks and he brung me to Bosqueville. Dat sizeable place dem days. My mammy come 'bout a month after, 'cause Marse Frank , he say I's too much trouble without my mammy. Mammy de bes' cook in de county and a master hand at spinnin' and weavin'. She made her own dye. Walnut and elm makes red dye and walnut brown color, and shumake makes black color. When you wants yellow color, git cedar moss out de brake. All de lint was picked by hand on our place. It a slow job to git dat lint out de cotton and I's gone to sleep many a night, settin' by de fire, pickin' lint. In bad weather us sot by de fire and pick lint and patch harness and shoes, or whittle out something, dishes and bowls and troughs and traps and spoons. All us chillen weared lowel white duckin', homemake, jes' one garment. It was de long shirt. You couldn't tell gals from boys on de yard. I's twelve when us am freed and for awhile us lived on Marse Bob Wortham's place, on Chalk Bluff, on Horseshoe Bend. After de freedom war. dat old Brazos River done change its course up 'bove de bend, and move to de west. I marries Nancy Clark in 1879, but no chillun. Dere plenty deer and bears and wild turkeys and antelopes here den. Dey's sho' fine eatin' and wish I could stick a tooth in one now. I's seed fifty antelope at a waterin' hole. Dere plenty Indians, too. De Rangers had de time keepin' dem back. Dey come in bright of de moon and steals and kills de stock. Dere a ferry 'cross de Brazos and Capt. Ross run it. He sho' fit dem Indians. Dem days everybody went hossback and de roads was jes' trails and bridges was poles 'cross de creeks. One day us went to a weddin'. Dey sot de dinner table out in de yard under a big tree and de table was a big slab of a tree on legs. Dey had pewter plates and spoons and chiny bowls and wooden dishes. Some de knives and forks was make out of bone. Dey had beef and pork and turkey and come antelope. I knows 'bout ghostes. First, I tells you a funny story. A old man named Josh , he purty old and notionate. Every evenin' he squat down under a oak tree. Marse Smith , he slip up and hear Josh prayin, 'Oh, Gawd. please take pore old Josh home with you.' Next day. Marse Smith wrap heself in a sheet and git in de oak tree. Old Josh come 'long and pray, 'Oh, Gawd, please come take pore old Josh home with you.' Marse say from top de tree, 'Poor Josh , I's come to take you home with me.' Old Josh , he riz up and seed dat white shape in de tree, and he yell, 'Oh, Lawd, not right now. I hasn't git forgive for all my sins.' Old Josh , he jes' shakin' and he dusts out dere faster den a wink. Dat broke up I's prayin' under dat tree. I never studied cunjurin', but I knows dat scorripins and things dey conjures with am powerful medicine. Dey uses hair and fingernails and tacks and dry insects and worms and bat wings and sech. Mammy allus tie a leather string round de babies' necks when dey teethin', to make dem have easy time. She used a dry frog or piece nutmeg, too. Mammy allus tell me to keep from bein' cunjure, I sing: Keep 'way from me, hoodoo and witch, Lead my path from de poorhouse gate; I pines for golden harps and sich, Lawd, I'll jes' set down and wait. Old Satan am a liar and cunjurer, too - If you don't watch out, he'll cunjure you.' Dem cunjuremen sho' bad. Dey make you have pneumony and boils and bad luck. I carries me a jack all de time. It am de charm wrap in red flannel. Don't know what am in it. A bossman, he fix it for me.

I sho' can find water for de well. I got a li'l tree limb what am like a V. I driv de nail in de end of each branch and in de crotch. I takes hold of each branch and iffen I walks over water in de ground, dat limb gwine turn over in my hand till it points to de ground. Iffen money am buried, you can find it de same way. Iffen you fills a shoe with salt and burns it, dat call luck to you. I wears a dime on a string round de neck and one round de ankle. Dat to keep any conjureman from settin' de trick on me. Dat dime be bright iffen my friends am true. It sho' gwine git dark iffen dey does me wrong. For to make a jack dat am sho' good, git snakeroot and sassafras and a li'l modest one and brimstone and asafetida and resin and bluestone and gum arabic and a pod or two red pepper. Put dis in de red flannel bag, at midnight on de dark of de moon, and it sho' do de work. I knowed a ghost house. I sho' did. Everybody knowed it, a red brick house in Waco, on Thirteenth and Washington St. Dey calls it de Bell house. It sho' a fine, big house, but folks couldn't use it. De white folks what owns it, dey gits one nigger and 'nother to stay round and look after things. De white folks wants me to stay dere. I goes. Every Friday night dere am a rustlin' sound, like murmur of treetops, all through dat house. De shutters rattles - only dere ain't no shutters on dem windows. Jes' plain as anything. I hears a chair, rockin', rockin'. Footsteps, soft as de breath, you could hear dem plain. But I stays and hunts and can't find nobody nor nothin' none of dem Friday nights. Den come de Friday night on de las' quarter de moon. Long 'bout midnight. something lift me out de cot. I heared a li'l child sobbin', and dat rocker git started, and de shutters dey rattle softlike, and dat rustlin', mournin' sound all through dat house. I takes de lantern and out in de hall I goes. Right by de foot de stairs I seed a woman, bit as life, but she was thin and I seed right through her. She jes' walk on down dat hall and pay me no mind. She make de sound like de beatin' of wings. I jes' froze. I couldn't move. Dat woman jes' melted out de window at de end of de hall, and I left dat place!

I was borned in March 19, 1852 on de fa'am out below Nacogdoches, East Texas. Ole Marse gived me to Marse Frank Sparks an' w'en I was 'bout two years ole he brung me to McLennan County to he fa'am out at what dey call Bosqueville. Dat was a sizeable place in dem days. Marse Carroll an' Marse Houston dey had 'em a store dar 'fore de Freedom war. I wukked on de fa'am. Marse Frank had er wommin ter raise me. I jes' don' 'member no gran'ma er gran'pa. My Mammy she come long ter dis county 'bout er month er two atter I come. Marse Frank , he say I'ze too much troubble. Mammy she was de bes' cook in dis county an' she was a master han' at spinnin' an' weavin' an makin' thread an' cloth. In dose days de folks made all dere cloth an' de close an' de shoes. Dey call hit de cursey cloth. Dey made dere own dye. De walnut an' elm made red dye an' de walnut by hitself, made brown color; shumake made er black color. W'en dey want somefin' er yellow color, dey gits de cedar moss outten de cedar brake on de Bosque hills er on de trees in der bottom an' dat make a good yellow. Mammy could spin, card, weave an' quilt jes lak eny boddy wanted. Us raised wheat an' corn but did not raise only a little patch ob cotton. All de lint was picked by han' offen de cotton seed an' hit was er slow job. I'ze gonner sleep er meny er night settin' by de fire, an' pickin' de lint from de cotton seed. Durin' de bad winter weather an' on rainy days, us'd set by de fire an' pick cotton lint, or patch de harness, patch shoes, or whittle out somefin'. Us whittled dishes, bowls, troughs, traps, spoons, an' er lot ob things dat us needed 'roun de place. De neares' mill was Gills' mill, below de bridge on de Bosque riber. I was twelve years ole w'en dey freed de slaves. Us had allers wore Lowell's white duckin' home made, an' jes' one garment. Hit was a long shirt. All de chillun wore dat kind ob er garment 'till dey was 'bout grown. You couldn't tell de gals f'om de boys on de yard. W'en us was freed, us libed on Marse Bob Worthams place fer erwhile. Dat was on Chalk Bluff in Horseshoe Bend. Den us libed at Hackberry Spring. Dat was 'bout two miles f'om de little town of Erath. Erath had er Post Office, er gin, an' er sto'e. Dey call hit Rock Creek sometimes. In dem days, what dey call Patrick, was call Shoefly an' hit had two or three sto'es, a sawmill, a couple gins an' er saloon. Soon atter de Freedom War, de Brazos Ribber, hit changed its course up 'bove de bend an' for four or five hundred yards hit moved to do west. I married Nancy Clark in 1879. Us didn't hab no chilluns. I jined de Missionary Baptist church 'long 'bout den.

Dar was er lot ob deer, bear, wild turkey, an' antelope in dis kountry right atter de Freedom War. I'ze kilt er bar er two an' one antelope, an' 'bout er skillion turks. Dey was shore fine eatin', wish I kould stick er toof in one now. I'ze see as many ez fifty antelope in er drove at dar waterin' hole. No, I jes' didn't lak ter kill 'em. (antelope). Dar was plenty Indians 'roun here in my growin' up. De Texas Rangers had er time er keepin' 'em back. Dey would come in de bright ob de moon an' steal an' kill de stock. Hit was hard ter keep er good hoss. Waco was jes' er little place den. Bosqueville had de quality folks, an' de school, an' hit was de bes' place fer er long time. Dar used ter be er place call old Smiths ' Tavern on Bridge Street, an' dat was whar folks travellin' through de country stayed. Dey call 'em hotels now. Dar was a ferry 'cross de Brazos, an' Captain Ross he run hit. He shore fit dem Indians. De Barnard Boys had what dey call er Tradin' House out on de Tehuacana. Atter a year er two, dey was one ob de Barnard boys, he moved ter Waco, an' one went up 'bout whar Hood County is now, ter 'stablish er tradin' house up dar wid de Indians. On Second and Bridge Street, Marster Tom Padgitt had er saddle an' harness shop in de early days. De men 'ud come f'om far an' near ter git dar saddles an' dar harness made by him. In dose days de men 'ud git 'em er good hoss an' saddle whar dey has ter hab er ottermobile now. Dar was a gang ob w'ite thieves dat hid out on de cedar brakes along de Bosque Ribbers, eider de North, er de Middle, er de South Bosque; fas' ez de settlers would gang up an git dere guns atter 'em, dey'd move ter ernodder spot. De Bosques was good hidin' places on ercount ob de caves an' woods in de hills. De w'ite folks har in Waco uset to hab big times. Dar was de ole McLelland opera house, hit was on North fourth St., between Austin an' Washington, about half way ob de block, dar's er fernichure store in hit now. Well, I uset ter help eroun' dar some. An' back in 1885, I think hit war, dey had er funny show dar.

You know de game ob chess? My ole Marse Frank he an' he frien' play dat er lot. I uset ter bring deir toddy build er fire an' sech w'en dey play an' I sho' like ter watch dat game. Well, dey had er fine game ob dat chess at de ole McLelland opera house an' stead ob de chessmen dey used real folks. Dey was shore drest up purty. Dar was Mis' H. M. Thompson an' Mis' Ed Rotan dey was de players. Colonel R. B. Parrott an' Marse William Cameron , dey was de Kings; Mis' Ed Rotan an' Mis' George Clark , dey was de Queens; Mis' Pace , Mis' Graham , Mis' Woodward an' Mis' Carroll dey was de castles; Marse C. T. Young , Marse W. V. Fort , Marse J. R. Downs an' Captain Badger dey was knights; Professor J. N. Gallagher , Marse Will Grider , Doc J. R. Ferrell and Marse R. G. Patton dey was de bishops; de pawns was played by Mis' Park , Mis' Gurley , Mis' Pearre , Mis' Richer , Mis' Mann , Mis' Robertson , Mis' Thompson , Mis' Ross ; de chessmen was Dr. Dawson , Marse Richer , Marse Wells , Marse Park an' two odders I don' 'member. One ob Marse Frank's cuzins git married back w'en I was a youngster. In dem days ebery boddy w'ent eberwhar on hoss back an' de roads was jes' trails; de bridges was jes poles akrost de creeks. I went erlong wid de Sparkses kinfolk ober ter de bride's home. Dat mornin' us started real early kase us wanted ter git dar by dinner time, dat was de time dat folks allers got married in dem days. Dey git married an' den all de folkses dey got ter de dinner table. De men wore linsey huntin' shirts an' mos' ob 'em had leather breeches, leggings an' home made shoes or moccasins. Dey made all dese at home in dose days. De wimmin had on linsey or linen clothes an' mos' ob de Sparks wimmin an' men folks had fine sto' boughten shoes, dat come f'om Houston. All ob us rode hoss back or on mules. De trails was mos'ly narrow so only one could ride at er time single file. Dar was some ob de folks dat libed in de country roun' dar dat dey wuzn't 'vited. Dey full ob deir debbilment an' dey git out de night 'fore an tangle wild vines ercross de road an' in one place, dey had cut er tree so hit fall ercross de trail. But us Marse he sma't an' some de men had axes an' dat didn't stop us long.

Den in er thicket some ob dem hid an' make er lot ob funny racket dat skeered de hosses an' mos' throw some ob de wimmin. But 'side stoppin' an' wasin' time an er lot ob screamin' by de wimmin, dar wa'ant no ha'am done. W'en dey see dat none ob dese things had bodder Marse an' he folks much, den dey hid an' dey shot er couple ob times ober our haids ter skeer de hosses an' wimmin' but us could hear dem in de woods an' dat ain't bodder much. Dey sot de dinner table out in de yard under er big tree, an' de table was er big slab ob er tree on legs. Dar was pewter plates an' spoons an' chiny bowls, an' wooden dishes, an' silver bowls an' pitchers. Some ob de knives an' forks was made ob bone De neighbors allers brought what was needed ter help out case dar was allus a big crowd, an' dar was den. Dey had beef, pork, turkey an' I 'members Marse Frank had sont ober de day 'fore one ob he cooks an' some ob a antelope dat he had kilt. So dey had venizon too. An' at some ob de big dinners dey had bar meat. Don' guess dey had none dis time, I don' 'member. Dey cooked out er doors on a fire place in pots an in covered skillets dey call ovens. Dey had taters an' odder vegetables an' cakes an' pies. Dey eat an' dance an' eat some more an' dance till daylight de nex' mornin'. Dey made de coffee in er big pot out in de yard. Yass' ma'am, I'ze called er meny er dance. At dis an' at mos' all de parties in dem times, dey 'ud dance three an' four handed reels or squar sets an' sometimes dey'd jig. Dey in general begun wid a squar four an' den someboddy 'ud jiggi it off erwihil. Dey'd single out two ob de four dancers outten er squar set fer er jig an' den de odders 'ud foller dem. W'en dese git tired, odders 'ud take deir places. An' den dey'd squar dance ergin. All de night long.

Oh, dey's allers er tale er two erbout ghoses. Dar was on dat allers mak me laif. Dar was er w'ite man dat I wukked fer i de Brazos bottom an' he had anodder ole feller dat had bin wid him er long time. Dis man was name Josh . Josh he gittin' purty ole an' he purty notionate. Marse Smif , de w'ite man he bin seed ole Josh ebery ebenin' er stoppin' un'ner er oak tree an' squattin' down. So de w'ite man he slip upa an' he wan'ner hear what Josh er doin' an' he hear dat Josh er prayin' ter de Lord "Oh God, pleze come an' take pore ole Josh home wid you." So Marse Smif , de nex' day, he wait till ole Josh start in from de cornfiel' ter feed de team an' Marse Smif, he wrop heself in er sheet an' he git up in de top ob dat oak tree an' wait till ole Josh come erlong. W'en ole Josh pray "Oh God pleze come an' take pore ole Josh home wid you", Marse he say "Poor Josh , I'ze come ter take you home wid me." Ole Josh he riz up an' he seed dat shape in de tree an' dat sheet er wavin' in de wind an' he say "Oh Lord, not right now, I'ze hazn't got forgibness fer all my sins." An' he was jes' er shakin' an' he dusted outten dar fas'her dan er wink. An' dat broke up he prayin' unner dat tree. I

 nebber studdied no kunjurin' but I knows dat de skorripins an' things dat dey kunjur' wid ez pow'ful medicine; an' dey uszes hair an' fingernails an' tacks an' dried inseks an' worms an' bat wings an' sech. Mammy aller tied er leather string eroun' de babies' necks w'en dey teefin' ter make dem hab er ezier time. An' she'd put er dried frog er a piece ob nutmeg eroun' deir necks too fer teefin'. Mammy aller tell me dat ter keep f'om bein' kunjured fer ter sing: Keep 'way f'om me hoodoo an' witch Lead my paf' f'om de po' house gate; I pines fer de gold'n harps an' sech Oh, Lawd, I'll jes' set an' wait Ole Satan am er liah an' a kinjurer too Effen you don't watch out he'll kunjure you Dem kunjurers am sho' bad. Dey kin make you hab neumon'y, boils an bad luck. I carries me er jack all der time. Er jack hit am er cha'am wrop in red flannel. Don' know what am in hit. Er boss man he fix hit fer me. I kin sho' fin' er place whar you sho' git water effen you want ter hab er well dug. I got me er little limb f'om a tree, what am lak a V; I'ze done driv er nail in de end ob each branch ob hit an' nodder nail in de krotch whar de branches jine. I takes er holt ob each of these branches an' walk ober de groun' an' effen I walks ober water in de groun' dat limb gwine turn ober in my han' 'till hit points down ter de groun'. Effen dar is money buried eroun' hit kin be foun' dat er 'way too. No ma'am I hasn't 'zactly foun' no money but I'ze heard folks say dey had done hit dat erway. Effen you fill a shoe wid salt an' burn hit dat will call luck to you ebery time. I wears er dime on er string eroun' my neck an' one 'roun my ankle to keep er trick eny conjurer gwin set fer me f'om havin' eny hinfluence ober me. Er silver ball will do dis too, er wear a dime in yo' shoe. Dat dime I wear will be bright effen my frien' am true an hit shore gwine git dark effen dey do me wrong. Red pepper pod in your shoe an' ober de door ob your house gwine be good too. Effen you wants ter make er jack dat am sho' good you git some snake root, some sassafras, a little lodestone, an' brimstone, some asafoetida, an' resin an' blue stone, some gum arabic an' er pod er two ob red pepper, put dis in er red flannel bag at midnight on de dark ob de moon an' hit sho' do de wukk. Dar uset ter be an' ole two story red brick house in Waco on 13th an' Washington St. Dey call hit de Bell house. Hit was a fine big house an' mos' folks dat rented dey couldn't use hit. So, de w'ite folks dat own hit, dey git furst one an' tother ob de niggers ter stay 'roun dar an' look atter things. But hit git whispered 'roun dat can't noboddy stay dar on some nights. De w'ite folks dey want me ter stay dar an' I jes' tell 'em what I bin heard. An' dey say dat all nonsense, an' dat dars a wild young w'ite man, name Bryan O'Neil an' dat he been wroppin' heself in er sheet an' skeerin' folks so he can hab dat place to git he frien's togedder an' hab er little game. Den too, dat O'Neil , dey say he git er lot ob fun out ob skeerin' folks, both black an' w'ite.