heard hants outside, they peeped out the log cracks.  They saw something white out there all the doors were buttoned and propped.  When the boat came it blew and blew.  The master wondered what in the world was the matter down there.  The captian said he hated to put them out and nobody to meet them.  It was after midnight.  So some of the boat crew built them a fire and next morning when they got up on the hill they noticed somebody asleep as they peeped through the cracks and called them.  Saw their wagon and knew it too.  They said they was afraid of them hants around the house, too afraid to go down to the boat landing if they did hear the boat.  Hants can’t be seen in daytime only by people “what born with veils over their faces.”

Her father was going to mill to have corn ground.  It was before day light.  He was driving an ox wagon.

In front of him he saw a sweet maple limb moving up and down over the road in front of him.  He went on and the ox butted and kicked at it and it followed them nearly to the mill.  It sounded like somebody crying.  It turned and went back still crying.  Her father said there were hants up in the tree and cut the limb off and followed him carrying it between themselves so he couldn’t see what they looked like.

* * * * *

It is a sign of death for a hoot owl to come hollow in your yard.

* * * * *

Interviewer:  Mrs. Bernice Bowden
Person interviewed:  Mary Williams
                    409 North Hickory, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age:  82

“Yes mam, I sure would be glad to talk to you ’bout slavery times.  I can sure tell about it—­I certainly can, lady.

“I am so proud ’bout my white folks ’cause they learned me how to work and tell the truth.  I had a good master and mistress.  Yes’m, I sure did.

“I was borned in middle Georgia and I just love the name of Georgia.  I was the second born of ’leven children and they is all dead ’cept me—­I’m the only one left to tell the tale.

“When the ginnin’ started I was always glad ’cause I could ride the crank they had the mules hitched to.  And then after the cotton was ginned they took it to the press and you could hear that screw go z-m-m-m and dreckly that ‘block and tickle’ come down.  Yes mam, I sure did have good times.

“You ain’t never seen a spinnin’ wheel has you?  Well, I used to card and spin.  I never did weave but I hope dye the hanks.  They weaved it into cloth and called it muslin.

“I can ’member all I want to ’bout the war.  I ’member when the Yankees come through Georgia.  I walked out in the yard with ’em and my white people just as scared of ’em as they could be.  I heered the horses feet, then the drums, and then ’bout twenty-five or thirty bugles.  I was so amazed when the Yankees come.  I heered their songs but I couldn’t ’member ’em.