off like two colts. Uncle Tom and Andy played the 11 Arkansas 
Traveler” and switched, without stopping, to the “Devil’s Dream” 
and to “The Fishing Creek Horn Pipe.” Jim and I danced at least 
30 minutes without stopping, and Uncle Tom raked the sweat from 
his brow with his hand, arouse from his seat and addressed the con¬ 
gregation. lie said, majestically. “I has been playin’ the fiddle fer 
many years and has seed lots ob dancin’ but I wants to say to you 
all nigers right heah, dees two boys, bein’ only chillin, is de best 
dancers T ever seed and when dey gets a liddle more muscle on dem 
youse niggers will have to take a back seat.” 
Right here I will promise you readers that I will never mention 
Jim’s name in this story again. As I write the tears rise in my eyes, 
to think how our very souls were rapt together. When old Ezell 
followed me and took Jim, had I been awake I could have shot him, 
I know, without a twinge on my conscience. 
As I began to go to our country dances they soon learned I could 
dance and I was very often requested to dance for the entertainment 
of the others, which I never refused as I really enjoyed dancing, that 
is, never refused until I was old enough to cast sheep eyes at the 
girls, which were not a few; after that when I was called on to 
dance alone for the entertainment of others I would refuse—I didn’t 
want to make a monkey of myself before others. Not that I didn’t 
like to dance as well but I was afraid it wouldn’t make a good im¬ 
pression on some of the pretty girls. I liked the girls and enjoyed 
their company, but would never allow myself to fall in love with them, 
as my heart was set to lead a romantic life. 
My father finally sold the old White Spring distillery and pur¬ 
chased a farm in Hickman County, on a large creek known as Mill 
Creek. I suppose Dad’s conscience hurt him because of the effect 
that White Spring whiskey had on the neighborhood. I was glad he 
sold out myself because that ended my nightly task of carrying supper 
to the night crew. Then again, it gave a new hunting ground, as the 
one I had at that time was badly rustled and I would have to go 
three or four miles to set my traps, or even strike a trail with my 
dogs. 
The move was made, the location was fine for hunting and trap¬ 
ping, but as I grew my father put me to work on the farm, making 
a splendid hand out of me with the plow and hoe. Of course this 
steady work broke into my hunting and trapping, nevertheless Daddy 
was kind to me and allowed me some spare time for my greatest sport. 
The following year, after our move, Dad took a contract to fur¬ 
nish all the cross ties for three miles and all the bridge timber for nine 
miles of a new railroad. When this work started he lined me up 
with two yoke of cattle and a wagon, to haul cross ties and bridge 
timbers. I was familiar with driving oxen as in those days they 
were used altogether for hauling heavy loads in rough places, and 
often used to haul produce to town. They were a fine animal for 
such work when well treated and gave good service in return. 
This railroad work lasted about 18 months, so I was about 15 
— 13 — 
