The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-21

gray. his heavy. bushy eyebrows are still
almost jet black, and he can dispose OF a
solid drink OF good rye whisky with the
sort of smack that betokens the heartiest
relish. Though he believes his father TO
have been an Indian. his skin is white,
and his features are OF pronounced Cau-
casian type.
When / told him a few days ago that
/ wished to write OF his life for the news
papers, he gave evidence OF the greatest
delight, and when / added that l intend
ed to have him photographed. so that all
the world might see how the oldest man
appears. he trembled with Joy.
'Oh. NAH gracious. sub" he cried. in
an accent reminiscent both OF the South
and the sea. yet greatly influenced by
his long sojourn In New Jersey, have
the folks In the big cities heard OF me-
oh. nah gracious, what pity II Is that
i can't see no mob. SOS | could read tall
about myself. Where was l born? In
Moth Cahlinoh, sub. I'm Eatontown. Gates
county. jess ovah tn Nsginny line. two
or three years before the Revolution. /
can't remember II. of course. Nah mother
she was a South Cshiinoh white woman,
name Sarah Raby. and NAH father was a
Moth American Indian: yes, sub, yes,
suh-a native OF this country. name An
drew Bass. Nah father and nah mother
never married, sub. and l didn't have
went to school AT all. but learned 10
read the Old Testament and the New
Testament and the hymn book and the
newspapers. l never read the newspapers
much, though. There amt anything spir-
itual In em, sub, I never learned to
write. can't even write my own name.
We'll. my mother she lived in house
made of pitch pine poles, notched at the
ends and plastered with mud. She was
81 he wan ted n 2 a
/ had TO go somewhere. SO was bound
out when I was years old 20 an old
whIte-headed farmer named Mills Field,
and I stayed on his farm Til / was II.
Mr. Field agreed 70 give me one years
schooling. bat he didn't do it too stin-
Ey, navbe-but he was a pwerfnl fine
man He had big farm just over the
line in Virginia from Gates county. and
he had lots Of slaves. One OF his slaves
was the strongest man I ever saw Nr.
Mills was offered lots OF money for Big
Tom, hat he wouldn't sell. he didn't be-
lieve in selling niggahs. sub. but he was
willing TO own EN-. Mr.. Mills wasn't no
professor OF religion. sub. but he was
good man. and he always treated every
one around him right.
II began - smoke. sub. when ] was
home with nv mother. when was about
$ wears Old I used 20 light my mothers
pipe for her-fu * with tobacco. you
know, and pat a coal on u ana take
few v.hErs No ! don't rickcllect that to-
hecco ever made me sick I don't think II
has ever hurt me. either, and l have
smoked going on 20 us years now. sub
Mines cigars and stogaz. sun. but no
cigarettes Never. sub, I've drank whis-
XIV almost as long as I've smoked. sun,
ard fust as steady. But I was never
overcome BY whisky. sub. what you might
rau drunk. but three times In my life.
II was about Is or II, the first time
tess a boy. Well there was going 70 lie
an eclipse aud some folks said the "oria
was coming to an end vas poor.
sr,c-anf hoy then. and ] vas powerful
scared and I believed IKE enough ne
-,-orld vxouls an burn up Ia know better
ROW. but then ] made up ny ulhd mat
,s tho end was coming. ~o0l1n Kf."
anvrhgug about r. Well, SUM- Young NJ
eTsT,s - me and an old Niger went 70
town the day before the eclipse, ne nag
s.ola a shilling. and he asked me 10
htrv him some whisky Al tha tA+stn A9t
~t..Is,- vronyau't dare sell 10 whisky 70
,,,.-a- IN them old days. and I got a
- tSarsx hottie full 7 took one big drink
- 7 -a.e the bottle up and the mig
=, ,~a .xve more oh. my gracious
- rr~at big drtnks.-and THAI set
- - s,sh I was drunk on Eny o~n sc-
-, fheu ard had 20 Kit down in the
$50. ~ the OK cart aud lie thsFe al
- ~-s, home and young Mr.. Mills, he
- =. s~4ye che oxen home Wen. Re
-, ne oxea once and ras four times with
80 ~ rad ali the way home. on. was
f,sss74a bat Z could feel them wnaekE on
- rssrs sun. and between the whisky