~x—slRve Stories	Pnge ~wo	 ~.
	(Texas)		IL)()






	t~My uncle~, Romaine Vidrine, ~ son of old rimn iidrine, he have de ~i~y:est prooe~ty. H~ was a s1avehoIds~r. De~r was a nuinb~r nigge~rs in Loui~ir~n~ what owned slaves. Romaine,, he ha~re ‘bout thi~ty~.~ei~ht. ï)ey was a bi~ diftence mF~ke ‘twe~m S13VC ni~ers and owner niggers, Dey so much di~!ence as ‘tW‘~en white folks ~md culiud folks. My uncle wouldn‘t I ~ slave niggers to eat at de s~me tabl~-.wi4h him or with ~xiy of us free—born nig~ers~

	“~‘olks corne down from de nath sonetirnes and mistook de slave for c~e owner or de owner for d~ slave. My unci~ r~as sich a purty, bright r~n, h~ nust of be~n a quadroon. He had long bumsides ~nd a long tail coat ~li de time. He was ver~r dignified. He was good to rJ~ he sl~ves, but when he say work, he mean work. He ain‘t never ‘low none de~ ~1aves b~ f~iniliar with hirn.

	Hp~ old R0maine house was a oldfashion~d houses make out of cypress. Cat ever1~istin‘. It corne to a p‘~ak on top ~nd dere was one big room what !‘tln (i~ whole lengt~r In de back rnd dat d~ sleepin‘ room for nil de li.‘l chi1len~ De ~rowed.up folks have si‘~epin‘ rooms, too. Dey have a cook shack outside, It r~. s~p‘rat~ house.

	“tie 1ive in a purty good house not very far from ~ hig house. Dey have ~~/hat (5My calls a private school. It was kep‘ by my uncle. Only de free—born riiggers went to it. Dc older onec educated in French and de young ones in French arid ‘nierican, too0 After de war d~y hire a white man n~~d W~illi~m Devoe to be teacher. He educate de chilien to ~e third gen1ration~ He corne to Texas with me and die ‘bout flvefrears ago.