Well, sar, it am de funny sight to see him punish dat nigger. First, massa not him down on de ground front de quarters, where us all see him. Den he make dat nigger set down and give him do big bowl pumpkin sauce and make him eat it. Him eat and eat and git so full him can't hardly swallow and massa say, 'Eat some more, it am awful good.' Dat nigger try, but him can't eat no more. Massa give him de light breshin' and it am funny to see, dat cullud gen'man with pumpkin smear on he face and tears runnin' down he face. After day, us chillen call him Massa Pumpkin and massa never have me more trouble with stealin' he seed pumpkins. When war starts I's 'bout fifteen year old. 'Bout half mile from de plantation am de crossroads and one go to New Orleans and one go to Vicksburg. Dere am a 'Federate camp dere at de start, but after 'while dey goes and de Yanks comes. Dere a battle near, and us hear de sheetin' but us have to stay on de place. I done slip off and see de camp, though. De Yanks puts up two big tents and use dem for de hospital and de wounded am fetch dere. What I sees and hears dere, I never forgits, and it done turn dis nigger 'gainst war. Why can't dey settle dey 'sputes without killin'? Dey's meanin' and cryin' and screamin' in dem tents. One day de Yanks came clean de crib of all de corn and de meat house of all de meat. Massa am smart and fix it so dey don't find all de rations. Him dig a big ditch in de woods and hide lots of rations. Us didn't know when freedom come. It a long time after dat de Yanks come tell us, and it de some way en all de plantations round dere. De Yanks come and make massa pay us all fifty cents de day. After dat massa puts dem what wants to go en pieces of land and dey ain't charge for it till seven year after. Den dey has to pay rent and part de crop, and for de mules and tools all de time. I stays with my folks till I's twenty-four year old and den I's on my way to Galveston and gits work as de stevedere. Dat am on de wharf and I works dere twelve year. I votes dere two times. Some white folks done come to us, and de boss, too, and gives us de ticket. It am all mark up. Boss say us don't have to work do next day, and us to report at a place. When us comes dere, 'twas a table with meat and bread and stuff for to eat, and whiskey and cigars. Dey give us something to eat and a cup or two of dat whiskey and puts de cigar in de mouth. Us am 'portant niggers, ready to vote. With dat cup of whiskey in de stomack and dat cigar in de mouth and de hat cock on side de head, us march to de votin' place and does our duty. Fix up de way us was, us would vote to put us back in slavery. And de nigger what didn't vote, after all dat, him am in for de fixin'. I means he gits fixed. Dey pounds he head till him won't forgit to do it right next time. But I gits to thinkin' how massa say when us leave him, 'Don't let no white folks use you for to make trouble.' I figgers dat what am happenin' with dat votin' business, and I quits votin' and goes to farmin'. I 'lieve de cullud folks should vote, but not de igno'mous niggers like us was don. I farms till 1910 and den comes to Fort Worth, and dey am buildin' de Purina Mills Elevators on East 4th Street and I works dere at mortar work. Den I works at cement on lots de big buildin's in dis city. till 'bout ten year age, when it git too hard for me. I has de back misery. I gits married to Phillis Wilson when I's twenty-nine, in Galveston, and us don't allus have lots, but us gits by and raises de family. Now us have to live on de pension from de State, what am $13.00, and sometimes us am awful short, tryin' to pay de rent and buy de rations and what clothes us needs, but us am glad to git it. Ten chillen am what us raises and five am dead and four am scattered and us don't knew where, and one live here. Ain't it diff'rent how peoples lives? Us used to travel with de ox and now dem flies in de sky. Folks sings in New York and us sets right here and hears dem. Shucks! De way things am gwine, I's all fussed up and can't understand whether I's gwine or comin'.

William M. Thomas , 87, now residing at 514 Hayes St., Ft. Worth, Tex., was born a slave to Dr. Frank Thomas, who owned 44 slave families and a plantation in Lauderdale Co., Miss. William's father was sold while he was still and infant, and his mother mated with another slave. William's mother and her husband, remained seven years on the place after emancipation, then they moved to a tract of land and established a farm of their own. William remained with them until he was 24 years old, then migrated to Galveston, Texas., where he worked 12 years as a stevedore. He then farmed until 1910, when he came to Ft. Worth and secured employment as a mortar man in the construction of the Purina Mills elevators. Cement and mortar work has been his vocation since 1910. He married Phillis Wilson in 1870. The couple reared 10 children, five of whom are demised, four are out of touch, and the other one is residing at Stop Six, a suburb of Ft. Worth. His age forced him to quit work in 1931. He and his wife now receive a $13.00 monthly pension check from the State of Texas. His story

I's know 'zactly how old I's am, 'cause de Marster gives mammy de statement ob allus. De Marster does sich fo' all de cullud fo'ks. 'Cordin' to de statement, I's bo'n on May de 17th, 1850. Dat makes me 88, next May. I's bo'n on Marster Doctah Frank Thomas's plantation, neah Meridian, in Lauderdale County, Miss'sip'. Dere was 44 slave fam'lies on de place. Him owns 'bout 700 acres ob land, so him have plenty ob pasture, wood, an' field land to raise ever'thing dat am needed fo' de livin'. De money crop was cotton, ob co'se. My mother an' sis' was on de place, also my stepfather. My father am sold an' tooks to Texas w'en I's so young dat I's don't 'membahs him. Aftah him am sold, den mother tooks a tudder man, an' dat am my stepfather. All de cullud fo'ks live in de quatahs 'cept de house servants, an' deys live in de servant's quatahs. Dere's whar I's a lucky nigger w'en I's small. My mammy am de cook fo' de Marster, so I's live wid my mammy, an' am 'roun' de kitchen what 'twas plenty ob good eats. De Marster have two boys, 'twas Frank an' Lawrence . Deys 'bout my age, an' w'en weuns am growin' up, weuns plays together. dat's tudder thing dat gives me things de tudder cullud chilluns livin' in de quatahs don't git. De Marster have one girl, an' Virginia am her name. She am mammy's pet. Always comin' to mammy fo' de favors, an' she does mammy de favors, so 'twas good fo' both ob weuns dat mammy am de cook an' I's her kid. Cause I's so young befo' surrendah, I's never does wo'k as a slave, 'cept to be errand boy. I's fetch de eggs an' sich. Yas Sar, Marster have lots ob chickens. I's wid de tudder chilluns, fetch in as high as 1,000 eggs in one day w'en de hens am layin' good. Sho, de cullud fo'ks have eggs to eat. Marster Thomas was awful good Marster. Dere am never de holler 'bout de feedin'. I's bet none ob de niggers lived so good since deys am freed.

Let me told yous what weuns have to eat. Weuns have all de meat weuns want. Mostest pork, some beef, an' some mutton. Deys kill 'bout 500 hawgs w'en hawg killin' time comes. Dat meat am made into hams, bacons, an' some sausages. White man, deys talk 'bout hams nowadays. W'y, if yous ever eats sich ham an' bacon dat am made by de butcher on de Marster's place, yous can says dat yous never have eat de ham or de bacon. No Sar, dere am none sich now, an' de sausage, w'y dat am sausage dat makes yous mouth wautah to think 'bout it. Gosh fo' mighty! I's gwine to stop talkin' 'bout sich. My mouth am droolin' so full now, 'tis hahd fo' me to talk. What tudder foods weuns have? Well, 'tis veg'tables, fruit, co'n 'lasses, an' sugah. Dat am all made on de place. De rations am not measured out, 'cept de white flouah on Sunday Mo'nin's. 'Twas dis away, all de week, de meals am cooked in de big kitchen, an' old Pat am in charge ob dat. De meals am served in de big shed. Each fam'ly cooks fo' demselves on Sunday, so 'tis on Sunday dat de Marster measures out some ob de rations. De quatahs I's talkin' 'bout am a numbah ob cabins. Deys was a little bettah dan mostest ob de cabins built fo' de cullud fo'ks 'roun' dere. De flooah am made ob hewed logs, an' matched, so weuns am kept off de damp flooah in de wintah time. Bout de good times. Dere was no pahties an' sich. De Marster don't 'lows de big doin's. Dere was one old fiddle on de place dat Jack used to saw on. Weuns goes to chu'ch if weuns wants to. De Marster gives de pass fo' sich, an' lots ob de cullud fo'ks tooks de 'vantage ob de pass fo' to go to chu'ch. De chu'ch was 'bout fouah miles off. Bout de whuppin's, 'twarnt any. Dere am once dat a nigger gits de whuppin'. Dat am 'cause him stole Marster's favorite pun'kin. 'Twas dis away, de Marster am savin' de pun'kin fo' to git de seed. It am big as de ten gallon keg. De co'n field am full ob pun'kins an' dat nigger can tooks what him wants fo' to make sauce, but him tooks de Marster's choice pun'kin. Well, dat cullud gent'man must be awful hongry dat time, 'cause he tooks dat big pun'kin so to make lots ob sauce. Dat pun'kin am so big, de nigger have to tussle wid it befo' he gits it to his cabin. 'Twas lak stealin' de elephant, yous can't hide it in de watch pocket. Co'se, lots ob de cullud fo'ks see dat cullud gent'mans wid de pun'kin, an' 'twarnt long 'til de Marster knows it. Well Sar, 'twas funny sight to see de Marster punish dat fellow. Fust, de Marster sats him down on de groun' in f'ont on de cullud quatahs, whar allus can see him. Den de Marster gives him de big bowl ob pun'kin sauce wid a spoon, an' says to him, 'Eat dat sauce.' De cullud gent'mans eats, an' eats, an' eats. Him gits so full dat it am hahd fo' him to swallow, an' him stahts to gag. Den de Marster says, 'Eat some mo', 'tis awful good'. Dat nigger tries 'gain, but him gags, an' can't tooks any mo'. De Marster hits him a lick, an' says, 'It am good. Eat some mo'' an' den hits sev'ral light licks. Sho was funny to see. Dere sat de cullud gent'mans wid pun'kin sauce smeared on his face, an' tears runnin' down his cheeks.

Aftah dat, weuns younguns would call dat nigger, 'Marster Pun'kin', an' he sho chase weuns ever'time weuns call him sich. De Marster never had any mo' trouble wid de pun'kin stealin'. I's 'membahs w'en de wah stahts 'cause I's 'bout 15 yeahs old. 'Bout half mile f'om de plantation am de cross roads. One goes to New O'leans, an' tudder goes to Vicksburg. Dere am a Confederate camp dere at de staht ob de wah. Den aftah a while, de Confederates leave an' de Yanks come dere. 'Twas a battle neah dere, too. Weuns could heah de shootin', but weuns couldn't see any ob de fittin'. Deys fit heah, an' dere 'roun' dat paht fo' some time. De Yanks puts up two big tents, an' use dem fo' deys hospital. De wounded f'om de battlefield am fetched dere. What I's sees an' heahs dere, I's never fo'gits, an' it tu'ned dis nigger 'gainst wah. W'y can't deys settle deys 'sputes widout killin'? Sho, deys moanin', cryin', an' sometimes screamin'. Sich could be heahed all de time. De Yanks am dere 'bout a month. Twarnt long aftah de battles am fought, 'til deys come an' clean de crib ob all de co'n, an' de meat house ob all de meat. De Marster am smaht, an' him fixed it so deys don't find all de rations. Dere was a big ditch digged in de woods, an' lots ob de rations am put in dere. W'en freedom comes, weuns cullud fo'ks don't know 'bout it, an' 'twas dat way wid tudder plantations 'roun' dere. I's don't know de time, but 'twas long time aftah surrendah w'en de Yanks come an' told weuns. De Yank's come an' read a long papah. W'en de man am done, him says, 'Yous am free, de same as de white fo'ks'.' De Yankeeman makes de Marster pay all de cullud wo'kers 50 cents fo' each day dat deys am s'posed to wo'k aftah de fo'ks am s'posed to be freed. No, I's don't git pay, 'cause I's not reg'lar wo'kah yet, but my stepfather an' my mammy gits paid. Aftah de Yankeemans come, de Marster puts de fam'lies dat wants to go, on pieces ob land, an' deys am not charged fo' it 'til aftah seven yeahs. Den deys am to pay fo' de rent ob de land, or give part ob de crop. Co'se de cullud fo'ks have de clearin' ob de land to do, an' deys have to pay fo' de mules an' de tools. Twas lots ob de cullud fo'ks dat dey's fam'lies made de fahm on de Marster's land, an' deys done good. My fo'ks cleared land, an' aftah seven yeahs, deys share cropped.

I's stay wid my fo'ks 'til I's 24 yeahs old, den I's goes to Galveston, Texas. In Galveston, I's gits wo'k as de stevedore on de wharf. I's wo'ked dere fo' 12 yeahs. Bout de trouble aftah de wah, I's have none an' jus' heahs dat 'twas sich, an' sich at diffe'nt places. Yous see, 'roun' de Marster's place, 'twarnt any, 'cause de Marster 'tend to sich. De Marster tells de cullud fo'ks what to do, an' tells dem never to go widout de pass. He says to de fo'ks, 'Always come to me fo' de pass.''Twas dat way befo' surrendah an' de Marster 'sisted dat de nigger git de pass so de Patterrollers can't catch de niggers an' whup dem. He never 'fused to give de pass. Yous ask 'bout my votin'. I's will tell yous 'bout my 'sperience wid sich. I's voted in Galveston, two times. Dis am de way 'twas, some white fo'ks an' de boss come to weuns cullud fo'ks, an' gives weuns de ticket. 'Twas all marked up, an' tells weuns dat de next day, weuns don't have to wo'k. Deys o'dahs weuns to repo't to a certain place. Dere weuns repo't, an' 'twas a table dere wid meat, bread, an' tudder stuff fo' to eat. Dere am whiskey an' cheroot cigahs. Well, deys gives weuns some eats, den a cup or two ob de whiskey, an' puts a cheroot in our mouth. Weuns am den, 'potant niggers an' ready to vote. Yas Sar! Wid a cup ob whiskey in de stomach, a cheroot in de mouth, de hat cocked on de side ob de head, weuns march to de votin' place an' does our duty. Yas Sar! Fixed up de way weuns was, weuns could vote fo' to put weuns back in slavery. Now de nigger dat failed to vote, dat failed to put de ticket in de box, he am in fo' a fixin'. W'en I's says sich cullud gent'mens gits fixed up. I's mean he gits fixed. Deys pound his head 'til him wont fo'quits to do it right de next time. 'Twarnt often dat it am necessary to fix de nigger fo' de neglect. Lak I's says, I's do dat twice, den I's gits to thinkin' 'bout what Marster Thomas says. Him says, 'Don't let de white fo'ks use yous fo' to make mo' trouble.' I's figures dat am what dem white men's am doin, an' dat it am gwine to git weuns in trouble. Dat am one ob de reasons I's quit de wharf an' goes fahmin'. Yas Sar! I's sho wants to quit dat votin'. I's b'lieve de cullud fo'ks should vote, but not de igno'mus fo'ks lak weuns was. Fo' de cullud fo'ks dat am edumacated, 'tis right fo' to vote, but fo' de non-knowledge ones, deys bettah stay home f'om de votin' place. I's wo'ked 'til 1910, on de fahm neah Galveston, an' den I's come to Fort Worth. Dat was w'en deys was buildin' de Purina Mills Elevators on East 4th Street. I's wo'ked dere as a mortar man. I's wo'k as de cement wo'ker, an' de mortar man on lots ob de big buildin's in dis city. I's wo'ked on de Texas Hotel, de F. and M. Bank, an' many tudder buildin's 'til 'bout 10 yeahs ago. De wo'k den gits to bein' too hahd fo' me. De last five yeahs, I's do nothin', 'cause I's can't wo'k any mo' on 'count ob de back misery. I's aint good fo' anything any mo'. I's always make it fair 'til de last few yeahs. I's gits mai'ied to Phillis Wilson w'en I's 29, 'twas in Galveston. Weuns don't always have lots, but weuns always gits by an' raised de fam'ly. Now, weuns have to live on $26.00 a month, an' dat am a pension f'om de State. Weuns have to pay rent, buy de rations, an' clothes, 'taint 'nough an' sometimes, weuns am awful short. Weuns raised a large fam'ly, 'twas ten chilluns. Five ob dem am dead, fouah ob dem am scattered f'om Caifornia to New York an' weuns don't heah f'om dem any mo', an' de tudder one am livin' at Stop Six. Now it am jus' Phillis an' I's 'lone. Often weuns sat heah an' think f'om de slave days 'til now an' says, 'Aint it diffe'nt how peoples live.' Weuns used to travel wid de ox, now deys fly in de sky. Fo'ks sing in New York, an' weuns sat right heah, an' heahs dem. Shucks! De way things am gwine, I's all fust up, an' can't undahstand whether I's gwine or comin'.