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N.C. District #2 Subject: Ex-slave Story No. Words: ?? Story Teller:Milly Henry Worker: Mary A. Ricks Editor: Daisy Bailey Waitt"
"Whar I seed de first drunk man dat eber I seed. He put de back o' his knife ginst my neck an' said dat he wus gwine
ter cut my throat. I tell you dat I is knowed a drunk eber since dat time."I wus drawin' water at de well at de end of Fayetteville Street when de Yankees comed. I seed 'em ridin' up destreet wid deir blue coats shinin' an' deir hosses steppin' high. I knowed dat I ought ter be skeered but I ain't, an' so Istands dar an' watches.
"Suddenly as dey passes de bank out rides two mens frum Wheeler's calvary an' dey gits in de middle o' de street
one of de hosses wheels back an' de man shot right at de Yankees, den he flewed frum dar."Two of de Yankees retracts frum de army an' dey flies atter de Rebs. When de Rebs git ter de Capitol one o' demflies down Morgan Street an' one goes out Hillsboro street wid de Yankees hot in behin' him.
"Dey ketched him out dar at de Millsboro Bridge when his hoss what wus already tired, stumbles an' he falls an'
hurts his leg."Durin' dat time de big man wid de red hair what dey calls Kilpatrick brung his men up on de square an' sets underde trees an' a gang o' people comes up.
"When dey brung de young good lookin' Reb up ter de redheaded Gen'l he sez 'What you name Reb?'"De boy sez, 'Robert Walsh, sir."What for did you done go an' shoot at my army?'Case I hates de Yankees an' I much art dey wus daid in a pile.', de deo wez, an' lougns."De Sen'l done got his dander up not, an' he yells,' Darry de web sommers out'r sight o' de ladies an' hang him."De Neb laughs an' sez, 'kin' o' you sir,' an' he waves coodoye ter de crood an' dey carried him off a laughin' fit ter
kill.
"Dey hanged him on a ole oak tree in de Lovejoy grove, whar de Governor's mension am now standin' an' deyburied him under de tree."Way atter de war dey moved his skileton ter Oakwood Cemetery an' put him up a monument. His grave wus
kivered vid flowers, an' de young ladies cry.
"He died brave do', an' he kep' laughin' till his neck broke. I wus dur an' seed hit, furdermore dar wus a gang ofwhite ladies dar, so dey might as well a hanged him on de Capitol Square."De Yankees wus good ter me, but hit shore wus hard ter git a job do', an' so I ain't fared as good as I did 'fore de
war.
"Mr. Buck wus good ter us. Sometimes he'd lose his temper an' cuse, dem he'd say right quick, 'God forgive me, I pray.' Dat man believed in 'ligdon - When de oberster, George Harris, 'nd start ter beat a slave dey larned ter yell fer Mr. Buck an' make lak dey wus gittin' kilt.
"Mr. Buck'd come stompin' an' yellin' stop beatin' dat nigger.'
"Course dis ruint de slaves, case dey could talk lak dey pleased ter Mr. Harris, an' iffen dey could yell loud nuff dey ain't got no whuppin'.
"Yessum, l'se glad slavery am over; we owns dis home an' some chickens, but we shore does need de ole age ension. I'se got two fine gran'sons, but let me tell you dey needs ter wuck harder, eat less, an' drink less. On de count o' dem boys I wants de ABC Stores so's dey won't drink box lye.
EH
N. C. District No. 2 Subject CHANEY HEWS Worker T. Pat Matthews"
