This section consists of three published pieces. There are two poems by Harris, and one short story entitled "Grand Pa's Slave Stories":

Passing the Old School Ground
Memories of the Titanic
Grand Pa's Ghost-Slave Stories

I took a stroll one evening.
Looking about and around
When suddenly on Hickman Road
I passed the old school ground
I stopped and gazed, and pondered
Over youthful days gone by
When we as children played together
On these grounds beneath the sky

There were many changes thereabout
Which appeared to me so strange,
Old street improved, new streets were cut
Many buildings of brick and frame
There were small children playing near
On the lawn of grass and flowers
Which brought the past more to my mind
Of my childhood happy hours

This school was then a private school
The teacher has long since died
Still I never shall forget her face
Her counsel, rules, and pride
When I visit the home of her relatives dear
As I sometimes make a call,
While looking around I find in view
Her picture on the wall.

Some of my schoolmates are enjoying this life
Others have joined their teacher dear
Enjoying that perpetual life,
Which we speak and read of here.
'Twas at this school that I made my first start
Through in changing about and around
Those thoughts came to me, the words to impart
After passing the old school ground.

Memories of the Titanic April 15th

'Twas just three years ago today
When the great Titanic sailed away,
With its galliant crew so bold and true
Between the hours of the night and day.

Mid scenes of pleasure and pure delight
Whiel the stars displayed their radiance bright.
They bade good bye to friends and home.
On their last trip, no more to roam.

There were mothers and daughters, husbands and wives.
On a voyage soon, to lose their lives.
Some were awake while others slept
As death so suddenly on them crept.
When out of sight of land and trees
Exposed to the perils of the deep wide seas
As the ship sailed on across the waves
Bearing sould to their watery graves.

When the sound was heard and the sign was given
They stood alarmed, between earth and heaven
When they found that death was near at hand
The news was spread throughout the land.

Their faces are missed their voices are still
And the watery graves with souls are filled.
While the band played "Near my God to Thee"
The ship sank to the bottom of the sea.

      Elizabeth Johnson Harris, "The Hill"

Grand Pa's Ghost-Slave Stories
By E.J. Harris

"The Calf and the Ghost"

"When Grand Pa was a boy during the days of slavery, he had a certain amount of work for each day, the last being his task to bring the calf in from the lot.  So one day, it being very warm, he stopped to rest late in the afternoon, lying down under a shady tree, in a quiet place he fell asleep and there he slept rather late, until he was awakened by a loud call from one of the slaves to bring in the calf.  He rushed out hurriedly as it then about dark, and he had to go a good distance accross the Field while on his way there was a sudden out-burst which sounded as a cannon at a near point following this was a terrible flash which illuminated the field, this of course frightened him terrible, but he had to get that calf in just the same and then a frightful object in the form of a black calf appeared at his side while he was running in the awful fright.  He ran on until he reached the place to get the calf.  He took her by the rope and started back running for home while this other frightful object growing larger with huge red eyes kept right up with he and his calf.  He ran screaming to the house, turned his calf aloose to go to her Pen while some mischeivous person stood on the upper step seeing him runing and exclaimed in a mischeivous tone "Run, little Devil, Big Devil will catch You," and he ran and fell in the door way almost scared to death.  He wasn't able to tell his experience until the next day.

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