I am Anthony W. Lacy . I was bo'n in Jasper county, six mile' souf'wes' of de den little town of Jasper. And I libs yit, right w'ere I was bo'n sebenty-five year' ago. Joe Trailor was our marster, and he hab 'bout a hunnerd slaves and he mek t'ree or fo' hunnerd bale' of cotton a year. He w'at I call one bad marster. You couldn' lay yo' han' on my mudder' back but you would hit a stripe. Her task was t'ree hunnerd poun's of cotton a day on ha'f rations, and fadder's was five hunnerd. Fadder offen stay in de woods, and wouldn' tek he punishment. W'en we was sot free, our marster didn' give he niggers a t'ing. He got up and move' to Wes' Texas, and say he was goin' to stay w'ere he couldn' see a free nigger, as dey didn' deserve freedom. I don' 'member so much 'bout de war, but my fadder say befo' he come wes', you could hear de cannon from Natchez to Lou'siana. Two and ha'f poun's of meal, was de weekly ration give de slaves, and dey wuk dem hard. Dey was tol' dey better not call for no mo' rations befo' Saddidy night. Marster sell t'ree t'ousand poun's of cotton for fifty cent' a poun' jes' befo' he go Wes'. Us didn' hab no good time 'til atter us got free. I's so small, dey not bodder me much, but w'en I see dem whip mudder, and de other slaves, it skeert me and mek my heart so' (sore) at our marster, 'cause he so mean to all dem and punish' dem for mos' nuttin'. He git so hard on dem dat Wade Grimmet , Peter Trailor , and Jan Trailor run 'way and go to de woods and lib in caves. You kin see dese ol' caves in de woods yit, w'ere dey and other slaves libbed. Fadder was a nat'ral mechanic. Marster was better to fadder, 'cause he mek all dey plows, and dey hab to hab 'em. He mek some fine plows dat dey said would hab cos' two t'ousan' dollar' at dat time. In slav'ry days, dar was a w'ite man stay here by de name of Palmer . He mek bus'ness of huntin' run-away niggers wid bloodhoun'. One day he run some of us neighbor's niggers. One of dem jump in de water up to he neck. De dogs come atter 'im, and he cut one of dem in two. Den dey git 'im out and mek 'im carry dat dog a mile or mo', den dress and eat a ham of 'im. Den dey ax 'im, 'Is he good? De nigger say, 'Yeah, gimme some mo'. Den dey tek 'im and wo' (wore) 'im 'pletely out whippin' 'im. Us see very little of de war, but I's lib right 'bout six mile' from Jasper all dis sebenty-five year' of my life. I's come to town 'bout twict a week to sell my farm produce, and buy stuff at de sto', and hab see many change' in dis county durin' dat time. I see Jasper grow from mos' nuttin' but bresh heap to fine big town. I knows mos' eb'ry-body and dey knows me. I's lib a good straight life and mos' people 'spects (respects) me. I likes Jasper and it de only home I ebber hab know, and I well satisfy to stay here 'mong my fren' (friends) whar fadder and mudder die' and be bury.