|
|
James Additiem, Pise Bluff, Arkansas
Age 90
"I was born here in Arkansas. Durin' the war we went to Texas and stayed one year and six months.
"My old master was old Dr. Brewster. He bought me when I was a girl eight years old. Took me in for a debt. He
had a drug store. I was a nurse girl in the house. Stayed in the house all my life.
"I stayed here till Dr. Brewster --- Dr. Arthur Brewster was his name --- stayed here till he carried me to his
brother-in-law Dr. Asa Brunson. Stayed there awhile, then the war started and he carried us all to Texas.
"I seen some Yankees after we come back to Arkansas. I was scared of em.
"I don't know nothin' bout the war. I wasn't in it. I was livin' but we was in Texas.
"The Ku Klux got after us twice when we was goin' to Texas. We had six wagons, a cart, and a carriage. Old Dr.
Brunson rode in the carriage. He'd go seed and pilot the way. We got lost twice. When we come to Bed River it was
up and we had to camp there three weeks till the water fell.
"We took some sheep and some cows so we could kill meet on the way. I member we forded Saline River. Dr.
Brunson carried us there and stayed till he hired us out.
"After the war coasted he come after us. Told us we didn't belong to him no more --- said we was free as he was.
Yankees sent him after us. All the folks come back --- all but one family.
"I had tolerable good owners. Miss Fanny Brewster good to me.
"Old master got drunk so much. Come home sometimes muddy as a hog. All his chillun was girls. I nursed all the
girls but one.
"I was a mighty dancer when I was young --- danced all night long. Paddyrollers run us home from dancin' one
night.
"I member one song we used to sing!
'Hop light lady
Cake was all dough ---
Never mind the weather,
So the wind don't blow.'
"How many chillun I have? Les see --- count em up. Ida, Willie, Clara --- had six.
"Some of the young folks nowadays pretty rough. Some of em do right and some don't.
"Never did go to school. Coulda went but papa died and had to go to work.
"I thinks over old times sometimes by myself. Didn't know what freedom was till we was free and didn't hardly
know then.
"Well, it's been a long time. All the Brewsters and the Brunsons dead and I'm still here --- blind. Been blind eight
years."
(S. S. Tayler)
