SLAVE NARRATIVES - Library of Congress

. v
x
30736
Interviewer Mrs* Beraiee Bowden
Person interviewed Alice Rivers
W. 17th, Highland Addition, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age 81
*Yes f m* I remember when the Yankees come* I ricollect when they
throwed out all the meat from old master 1 s smokehouse * The colored folks
was tryin* to ketch it and I know I tried to ketch it too*
"DonH I look like I been here in Reb. time? I was born in Mississippi
on Colonel Reed f s place in 1857*
"I just know the Yankees come through* Had on blue coats with gold
lookin* buttons© I never will forget it f cause it was so frightening*
*I can ricollect way back there*
n I don f t know whether the white folks was good or not, we hardly ever
saw *em* Had a old woman that cooked for the chillun at the quarters* I
ricollect they had a big old kittle and she f d cook that full of somethin* •
I know the old lady give us plenty of somethin f to eat*
n All the white folks didn f t treat their hands mean* Some of f em was
a fool 'bout them little niggers*
"Old woman what cooked for the chillun was old Joint Henie and she walked
half bent with a stick*
W I went to school some after freedom* Learned how to spell and read
but not much writin 1 *
W I can f t tell you f bout no whippin f s *cause if they whipped the folks
they didn't do it at the quarters where the chillun was*
51