Document text
LIFE 3/3TORT
J. Marsh LS -4
O Pair•
lords approx,.14;e0,
4. biziotillro• irrederiek Soothe
(Aictitieue nn:;
Mr. 4 Niro. Lottia Barniver
nan7)
a.
I
South Oommoroe Loony)
Sebring, nitride
Barber shop proprietor
Barbara Urn!, Darseys writer
4 begs Mead wens& vita a pleasant facto aimed ths sorom
tiolos at ay knack and ith, ile-saids Ge.right en late the
bedreea, Mrs. Gethe is resting, as visual, after limner it mill
he glad to talk o7Gh. s Thsn Artio Gooth,. called in a rather
but good...natured voices Game right on in here, you know
L always have tisrest awhile after dinner Ahat 771.4h all the trombko
bare With Ay galiwbiaddere stosseho heart, liver, tidnoys, and
bladder,. The 4octor eaid Z;suet must lihr dein ea boar meter Sash
'mai but he e,14,hit fm!.7 Image% tab..
As I passed thimmh the living rm., i misted that it vas
011ettly furniehee zad veil kepte A large davenport aineot filled
one aift of thQ email roan, nnd Pt oaoh nnd of it steed mall mend
tables one el'. vhi,-,h hold an attraetive lamp. In a corner by windier
steed a larger tabie hel(Anl; a radio and anothr lap.* A soft rig
nia tones of bre,.in and tan *covered the floor an bLoaded 'filth the
Poore' 001,(Fr ahem* 4, arizist lesed =Indians in pets steed at the
illeAsirs and several eeLitertable chairs oeeploted the SMONLAWmpftp
All et %Ws wed's* op& Sessitere was Sa sehespay timi810 the IOUs
Proderiek,essethelit. Mtetsry page 2
were seiied and paiated an iverp.whitee
I metered the bodioom to fLad Mirsw Geetke ayes the beds
folly dressed even to her shoe* but ahs ,rxtd a newspaper
*pen the savoy 441te spread under her feJt. kr. Clotho sat stiffly
is a =11 *hair noor4 Beth zrsv)ted ae luito 44loasantly and ors.
Goethe said to her husbaads Fred,I am ;pin,: ,f) toil her ail about
our life and esptelally asks you learned the barber tree c4se rhet
a geed tarber you are. II
Ur. liestho smiled but had little te styshosavor he did
f•
remarks I Walls Ilys been a barber nest all ay life, started to
tears it then Iwas just thirteen mad knew no other work. ir
this wife raLsodt hassolt en one arm and stared at his intently
for &Lout* tom salts 11 Tkati rLht Fred ani now you surely are
(mortis% oven if 1 de say se. Just get that pieture out of the
dresser drawer that's5 the ens where you are ia lessee pant sod
standing by a an la the barber alkali. Attu some loserratsig
he prefteed the "stow .01tiok lid indeed Show small bey with
slipper* la hand apparently working as a barber.
0 Tbat pieture vas 'Lags when I first started to learn the
trade neari.c Testy...too years ago," explained tr. tieethe I and
the 'shop was my elder brother's and in thJ rson oil our his.
La Snitamore. I literally grew 142 as a barber, gig uother smid that
nothing suited no sore Alen a,tinr bej than to b allesed to hamar)
my brother's instrumonte.fte soften laughed and said I eat nr.teeth
en the handle of a shaviaz trush• I
Ms then 'voted At to sattb, /thigh w., lams, eld tashiomod
epen-fseo geld mato& about so large as the ordinary bLesuit and *aids
i'Vells time I was jotting bask to the shop. Tau talk to Sootke
mesas just get her sterts4 mat she'll toll rou smough ler both
of as. Its met seek of a 'Mhos ass if sa a barter' a. them
rrederisk tosethe Life Aistorys pages 3
Leaned over 14,1114 MA tenderly kissed kerb saying. Mee duet
bother, lots ts the *offs, this nfternaon if you ars not toeilag
awl. orIA till I set hens Zor capper :or
As ar, asotho Um% his rtnr'e I lesh.ed about the meal&
battoest and noticed how *lean and noir/AA*, 1/La t.;.131iyin& rosusl.
atUfurnituse hors too vas is nahtvaRy finish. Thi bed as neatly
nada and mere/ with a haavy whits rwads the pillow slips were
of Linen tisaly mnbreidered. A vanity dresser sampled the apace
-Ultima* tie windows and a mall stable stood at the head at the
bed on right, both had attractive alostris lamps. A linelons riga
in blue, ivory and tan severed soot it the Mors that part not
*smiled *L. paintod task *roma and las highly volishal•
Mrs, fourth* lameshod at an.. upon oonversntians saying
that she Gould *von root bettor Ishan
a I an supposed to lay &sus after over- meal for an hour,
but lately I.rost *sly after time,* Of smosnin01 I like tsar' ant
as4 sator ay flame and werk in this yard sane. The doctor says .I
should not do that those& on attelniat of ay heart ang kidder trenskiew
She paused and breathed deoplys a lanstiams I -have terrible
spell a with ay hearts just cane her* and feel :10w Zast it's beetling
now. it woes that say all the tiLls oacept whoa Z have, a spell Vass
it netters and Swaps 3, can hardly breaths. I bet I have takes
moral quarts of digitalis en. this past yoars why part of the tine
I took a teaspoonful at a dose nnd that ',..verr four hours, 4 As oho
Insisted I went to the bedside and telt her pulse which sate very WOR
sad normal. I Rader no emmeont upon it but tried to Look weep esorioessi
as Nis, ftotho risme& Mr story.
In 121a I was operatod on for a fibre/0. tuner 0316h was
as large aa a Arelegrulto_leters that ger about three yam &bed
watered op am& end all the *esters said I hod kidney aed %dodder
rrodsris11., Goottd 4t Alstory. ?age I
*war of another teen ilk. Sebring :here ptople te$t keep chickens
right la town. I j that old hen and "tddies ia Artie ratik lest
week teratchik, Iv a bed ot crotsne• 4
She slghid end wiped her woos It dcnst do a blt-ot good
to **spiel* to her tenor or the polite they ll jusA laugh it ott.,
I tholight *eery to had u nuisance ordinance I doubt it their
have cue hue. Two weeke ao I uaa &val. Act aave. aa is one et uy
.11010tsrse and outther neighbor had G dog thz.t f-.1-sost run us aridly
barking and htrling. They kept it tht-ined in th,,: bask $4,44 The
other woman sent tTer and a&ld thai te 1:t%02. th-t. fieg still And
what ds you thiak they mid? Why they 'rsuld sioc!: to Mt* leg and
ask it not to hark, That aLde ne coo mad that I told the chiot of
Police an ani:m4 AWL= to mako them it .qi,t ho didnIt de
a thing about /to°
or 'czars were luTelj sad I r-duired- thoa As we Takat
about the yard. aho. explained that limo a!! `111,. c:1,,diuns tore vow
rats mad 'veld be hard to replato..as wero tht.: chryst-nthomMme*
We started up the step o 3nd :mat thol t!1- zriny little
bey anearod with tie lane scerlet oalTla pirnts in his arms yhtek
be proudly dion2o4 at Mrs. °oaths's feet.
6 Sees me mot pitty towers tor ',ray ill said..
The -Airy air ascot blazed for a few socendes but Ure. Sestho
nanagold to control her %*:or as sh2 ttok tho ;21•_nfe to remit SIM do
the border about this trent perch trem which the onlad had tern thou,.
Jinni, roe go bens to lour Grandma r.m.' &t 001110 balk
iteMar
over %ore today or 1411 get you Like 2 did thr,, eld hon.
thritatenad Airs. 4loothes
q 2 dust 1•0429 billOkOAS and I have ne chitalmalow, I Awn!"
oroe vlig A have to be re pestered with those, of *Us* people,
LI C.•i.11:
Preeetisik **eta° Li** History pcge 7
hen that little rmoc-1 there. pirtatiaz la the &mites
ut the fleAng ohild. verrles ne as nook as the hen and biddies
and he belittles to the sane neighbor toe.
I do fool sorry for hia
tor bis daddy Is dead, his mother works and his 4;r,incleta takes care
of him* ite when we !loved here I tiled ii be
SOW& he was moraine ever ..to IMO ne ever• day
about as fatA n2 7 ?lasted then.
'le retnrw.t, te the house throuab the 1-.1:10A WillOh Welt aisle
real; Mee to hin.
and 2ulling up 47 flowers
Am.,11 anti very nstt ant! °lean. Mrs. Seethe stitAiod to he me r
fine nert o Itove Thloh ,he had just purehaood. loc,ta at head spa
ono side 7:Ito a sparkling White immolated sink.
taltie 71.th white l'oreelain top.
I I de feel niehty proud of t,is stave. It is what 1 have
long wanted. I get so Ureter eimi*ing en r, koruzone stove* they
&Ivey, are lo unsatisfastery end still oat nmek g4410 Ibis We
~re *est plenty tee tut Amid to doing welt/ new eit whieultult
have tho things I went and
As she lcd the wa:. is the living roe= :.ritod if she had
rested sufficintly and she replied thA the hPft had enough rest
fOr that tine LA bedethat Sh4 W461 toe n,rvelv: svcr the depredetieme
at the little bey and the hea tio loni;sr 1r, tad.,
Lf X had childrea 5. y own Iaight feU diffrt,rRatly
rlieut the pvAks of ethers,/ denit snot!. When ':rwi tirct voirrial
*TOR though I vas then about thirtpstme I lowatt have scAded
having toe or three ohildren but ny h..aLthwr7,r bed doe to that
tumor I tole you about th I never haZ Lin.j Qn-11 ftftGr the operation
it was inpivIlibaist"esi0. she rather sadly.
4 X., Att" like they aro, wort& oeaditioao ee
nesectsia send astthen Ps** air an sea wa011,I an gifiediISbele OD
so tree it steed
Fredertek Goethe Life Rieter7 Per, g
children. See.p-days too the Children seem se different„ they
don't obey and show the *roper ?sweet to their pnrents it seems
like but ofbouree th t may he the 'fault of the parents. Anyway, I
an very gla4 no that we have no children.
1110 sterPel to the window to draw asiae the curtain and ware
to woman who hst, eared to her ohne palming on the street-. The
wenan carriel (11 habl four ether small children followed her.
Wre. Goethe wet7;% 1 hIr irtcrit1y for a moven% as oho walked by and
then waid:
Noi th:A poor girl, there she is *ith five babies ygn night
as well say for the oldest is just raven. Rer husband makes so little too
and her health ie had hat they keep right on having children. In thid
day and time there's no roleon tor that for there is so muoh to he had on
the enbjeot of birth control. I just aan't flee shy people who ere is
usimited for it keep on having ohildren oolantit.vis it easy,' that they
are the ones that hAtire the net. Four is *sough for Rny family and too
many for moit pnorle. I lo, to sec the 'time when birth control will
be prootioed intelligently all over the eountry It just Mesas does
not, sem fir to children or p•rents for there to larger families than
can be taken oar of nn
-00e it.
Mrs. moethe aused f,ni absently smoothd her dress with hands
that, thou e no wrll kept miorneil livend rings, Ohowed
evidence of hprd or in the pet. winallyahe goo-ni to roans* with
a start tb”,t Ihe 1 -at eeased talking:.
Gonin6-3, t7114 isn't to-Linv you or..Ir life A.mtories it is.
I wan still thinkitvr of that poor girl with all those Imbiao and her
feelinfr CO bLd m1,1 the tim0. ICA now, I moot Iftr, aro wanting to hear.
about Fred and me. Guess I better toll you about myself fired for when I
start talking about Frei I just never know how to stop, but you eon tell
no when I've aaid enough.
Froderlok Goethe Life History, page 9
Mhe smiled in a tar -'y mannt-r aria eaGg4iad for pn instuat to be
visioning the past:
I wag born in Rove, Georgia, almost eixty yeara ago. To tell you
the truth, whioh I don't always 40, it Iill be sixty years the twelfth of
August. We lived thore rypl'!,y about sight years after I was born and than
we moved to Atlanta. My father *a* a bliokomith. my midden none was
Atoa4man and I had one brother mite, throe twisters, all flOW 111142X is
Birmingham. Alehamn.
ADMO *eonlo say that Iteadman. sotoutlike an gaglish name but
Yather el/osys, sail Ise 'era of German deooent. He liAn't look like a
German thous* for he **a little sni dark just like I AU. I have the sane
dark eyes and str-imht bleak hair that he hnd And I always thought we
wore wore like 'Miens than anytklngslom. luto rnthor esid'that his
Great Grandfather gas from Germany and earns from there straight to
°morels. sud ncer Row.
%ther nee was very large amt blond, she lenked something like
the lady you mat f!J% you memo is. Her maiden nags was Blankenship and the
was of English liosoent though oho did not know as muoh about her ancestry
as !rather did. Mha via. horn at Marietta, Opergia.
The sighed 4i.,t.ply and surveyed her oomfortat,ie little hone in an
appreelative manner. Waving one hand about to indieste the furnishings
she said earnostly:
All this oases like Reaves to me now mild I surely am proud of
it. As I.was groTir47 op we were always moo poor. Money seemed to slip
through ny father's fingers .7ith nothing to shoe or it nnd my mother_ was
sink a great deal too. 'he died when I as TO)out sixteen years old.
Whqn I nfts juilt ourtfren I left school and entered a dress
factory, Mother wso a fine dioramasr mid had taught ell us girls to owe
fren the tier we could hold needle. I didn't oars muek in those dere,
but *won at that it was sanest as much as. I got part of the tins on MA.
Frederiek Goethe Life History. page IO.
I think it was about two dollars and. "ifty oents q to start. At
firsts I MO on s strsivht ease but soon was put on piece work and then I
made a little mote.
wr When I was sixteen I vent beak to Rome -itvl my older 'deter
and entered training for a nnrse in D. Daddy's Hospital. That was a
hospital ror woven only.. My sister And I together aet our room and board
and ten dollars 'Tenth, when left nearly four years later I was
getting twenty 1oflrs a week. I never did like that work., only stook to
it because of nansxlity. As soon a* I left the hospital I went right
back to Atlanta, -ot M4 a lob in Van:us-Lowe Shirt vomitory shore I stayed
for eight years
A Prowlioded to forget all I knew about nursing.
A light step -Am boarel on thtl poroh, th sorson Aoor was opened
quietly alai 4,he large blond lady of my previous meeting (mem in. Hrs.
Goethe introdneei ItP;r as Mrs. Holgin# end explained that uhe was
staying in town 4th har while Mr. Belgin was 111,in a hosoltaloolth
tetanus.
Tirs. Belgin spoke pleasantly and Own exeused herself to do ions
ironing. She 'Tore a handsome cream colored knitted dress and Hrs. Goethe
remarked that she had a number of knitted Areames in various designs and
colors. Ihe statc4 that Mr. and Mrs. pelgin lived In R trailer camp just
beyond the city limits. Kr. Belgin had been workin, in town at a planing
mill step he out his band ant tetanuf,. 'developed.
Poor people" -he said, they hove nothing exeept the little
he made at the mill. !The can't evon drive Ow oar, so I told ber.to cone
on in and stay here with us till he (rot better We can't de wesih for
anyone 1-ut we are always willinv to do what we can.
Mrs. Goethe le rr-ld in leer thou rflt then for a moment heifers
resuming: her story:
When my mother died I promised Of father that if he wouldn't
Prederisk Oosthe Life Ristery page
marry again I would remain sin le Ald look after him. Even when I first
met ?rod r had no idsa of marrying him even after voing with him for two
years or sore. But, early in 1911 my father died end then Prod and I were
married.
As I sal4 I worked in a shirt faotory for eight years and then
I worked In a faotory that made knit underwear. e ere always paid by
'Mum work and as ,I became nocustomel to it T lid quite well. Ton
dollars a week in that time was condidered s big wage but often made
as much as ftfteen. I always woe quick with my hnnds in sewing and any.
other manual work.
After we were married kept rikht on ,tith my tcork as long as T
was this. MVP the tumor mrew ao l'rge it worried me so muoh that I had to
quit working, enl thnn after the operatiou for a long time I wasn't able to
do anything, not even a little houme.work.
A veritable aasoade of ',livery bird notes filled the room and Mrs.
Goethe smiled lovingly 7ind invited me into the dining room to see her pot
(sanely which lived in a fine large cage swinginer ir a'sunny window. Tho
canopy nue it pals dull green -Ath soft blnok "tripes rul:Anpt lengthis0 OR
wings r1 tail feathers. His breast wna a soft fluff of p-10 green feathers
of a brighter hue and 39 I neared his oqge he lifted 3 orest of stiff tier
green Plethora hut continued to sing sweetly,
Mrs. Goethe flxrd.4.iled that' h
-1.1'a very rare type. tiv was sent
to her by a friend in Chicago whPn hv teal pt young bird i4 ehe had seised
him and had bred hir to nn ordinary yelloso canary itfl1 raised a number of
birds. She lamrnted thl. feet that all the young Arde -Art yellow liko
tisk mother. Last,ycar etntect the mother bird had !itd and since then she
had not 'lied to get -,.'ether. Ral-inr the birds -pas much n roopossibillty
eke said and so she (Welded to keep 'Pet' as she oaAled him just for his
beauty and singing.
Prederlok Goethe Life Alstory, page lt.
The dining room was small, like all thwother reams, and like them
it wae neat and clean end steely fur ,ished. Ne..0 shiny linoleum In shades of
green, rose, slid tan, oovered the floor. A breakfast set and a well sabinet
were in apple green, the table covered with a snowy linen ototh bordered in
green. Plovers stood at the Mtge window below the oage
Mre. Goetht: oonti, lied to talk as admired 'Pet'
wre1 wee horn in Baltimore. Maryland, and raised right there
and never left thw lity till he Tongi a grown lean. His father and grandfather
were barbers too -nd hls older brother lAborited the father's shop. They
had the *bop ?lest in the front room of their homes -lth cooking f.nd living
norAtle
rooms in the rear end sleeping Sonumupetairs. Vied was past naturally a
barber from the tit* he oonld hold on to 4nything and even efore he was
thirteen years old hc .,Aorked around his brother's shop.
You oar tell by his ofi.me that Is. is llorran. Pie grandfather
oano right from the Old Country, fron Berlin, I beileve it wan and settled
in Deltimore. His fathar wrt a Gerawn-Amrrican, he aleave *ailed himself
though he was borr in this Gountrr 4, Fred's mothflr we, german too end when
first met Prod he talked with quit, an accent, sometime* it warn hard to
naderetard him, hut ho ha bout gotten over sal thnt now.
After rred corned the trade he **eked l'or,n-hile in his
brother's -shop, At Arst he pot orly fifty cents 0 *fit but ofoourse that
was sober h why itmrring0 r1. it watin't 7onq. before -Ile was making more.
We grew rootless t$1,.11 nni went to Tnny of the "Grger oitiee nrd -orted in
lone of the harbor shore in thc' 'inest hotels la New York, Chien:" and nAlk
other places, Re jolneJ the Union mnd kept his sembership for a good may
years.
-moo he ht l bast in t/U1111064 for himself however he has given up
his Union affiliations Re esti ho sae tired of having thoother follow toll
bin hoe.he onul1 -sort. Now he le independent and °bargee what he wants to
and works any hours that suit his. as people here, espectally the ether
rsosaslok Goethe Life Nistery pegs X)
barters here in Sebring, get mad with him beoause ho-olts the prieee.
Prod ...aye however that twenty-five Gents is enough for a Wray,* and
fifteen *nets for 11. shave. He le a real artist too in cutting voissags haft
and has a great welly women patrons. He doesn't oharge th-411 anymore thus
he does the men cIther hut in tor beauty shops here they oharge fres
fifty eente to n dollar or hatrouts.
Than the woroen *tret started coming to him he was working in
anotiker Witon in t-wn here Re didn't want that work !or he said he
knew he Gould novor please the woman but hv dia ri ht from the start it Sat
*Wined and soon he hnd a large patronage.
At tirst all the shop proprietors said they wished the waniNt
Weed eta* away fro-, their shops, they felt it would ruin their
patronage Ilot it liln't seem to bother thn mon customers ilbtx for tip,
kept es too. wh!ln ?red opened his shop he declared that he wasn't going to
de Womens work and hi q shop is right .next door to OL *Ina lovve beauty
parlor but h(- gets more trade than they do. Lots of women will Riot hie te
wet their hair th.111 go to the beauty iih,p for our) a, ehampoos and sea."
Mrs. Goethe spoke with muoh pride anl showed a great Interest
In her hueband's work.
a'Aluosit as soon as we were warriei in Atlanta we came to
Plerlds and lived in Tampa for a season. There. ?red worked in the shop tt
the WIllsbore Rotel, which 4as one of the finest hotels there then. Re
get a small salary and lot a of tips. just one month he saved every tip for
1110 be out a' slot in a olgas box and nallel the box up tight. 'hen I IMMO
Opened it I bad more than two hundred dollars and I went right down tows
and made the first payment en a OUT. WO get it all pall for before we left
Tampa tee and mostly with tips.
I le came to Sebring soon after itwae founded and have been
here ever eines. It is best to live in ono place and stay in ono shop
.Tredontiok Onethot, Is to atete*Ye Ps. 111
even if the **somata net so goods Pot we many years ?rag soot free
piano to plows, wIiih ofeourse was an ofteation in itself °or hoitono• 00 IS
many *Mos 1-Att he did not save any 00110, at all.
In faot we never saved nay till Trod got this shop for htmoolf.
'Whorl ha worked hors in Sabring for other barbers ho never na40 see,
than oightoon dollars a week and usually it vows around fifteoam You
know that p.opls 040st liva•deeontly ow mob a small among* a. that
and we lust had to find the ohospost little old apartments and rooms In
which to livs. Soots always haw* been high her. In Solsting, as you prointali
know too, and so is food. The idea seems to be to always lenge the
tourisi hors but in gouging the tourist the town people are host too
and it goes on the /oar ssum46# 5áU WO. 00eth0 wiSh firs in her opt.
There were tines when so were even hftgry nd we never scold
ham* los or other.esevonlenoss moci living sureay was tommmtortabla. I
used to sometimes dread for a new day to osmo,this -struggle to make ends
nest on such a emit wage was so great.
When Trod wait so *Sok %y awl to go on relief but they were good
to us and holped with the dootor hill end proper diot for Trod. The*
when he got bettor I sent In the sewing room as a SUIPOIViler, there were
two, and I got along alright."
Oho sat silent for a few nononts as if renting from the esoits0
seat of her narrative. During this pines we (mull, hoar Pet staging happily
away evidently not bothcrs4 by soly tiaras.
One day red met a man Whom he had known la etrisiMpo_ehosi he
was working there. That was after he had shout rsonverad from his illness
arid was wo,ig in &shoe' 4 shop again. The man had a long talk with bin
and then name and talked with me. He said that Trod was toe goal
barber to spend his life in eithar metes Ammo and he offered to lend us
the money for him 4 *tart 1* slope. That was pima what I had slams *venni
Proderlek Oseeles Life Rietory page 15
foribla het we mover mad see our way clear for it, and too Trod ems
always afraid to trust.hiaself as a, business mast. Well, we took ,some
tine to think the matter over after our friend mats the offer. Ne were
already am tooled with deeter and hospital bills, and bills for food am&
aedloine that to hesitated -to got in ears debt.
It use just like I Solt ?red: however, oa the little fifteen
Sr eighteen, and mantises twelve dollars a week, no just muAdast get
along und we were gain more in debt all the time. Op we deoldad to
amept the loan. After Fred get his shop fixed up our fortunes seemed to
*hangs right away. A man offered.us a nios little house to live la just
tabu care of the. property an4 friendsloaned or gave us furniture.
A little later that plea, was sold but we found another nioe plain rbr
a mall rental but it was mefortahle and attrastive. Noe just last year
we found this Plane which. Is the hest of all where we have lived. It to
small but the rent is resemble and it is oonveriertly arranged as yen
ma see and freshly painted and redecorated.
It I. near rred's shop too and when h* is very busy I take his
'male to his. Me tries to be very regular about the noon abd *Tonto'
seal and we if he 'lent hone Just at ens oolook and at sevea then I brew he
is held up with 'work and I fix his male and carry to him.
A brieh knook was heard and Mr16.0oethe moulted herselUto ammer.
I sould not keep from hearing the oonvereation:
Mrs. Goethe, mama says mu you do the quilting on a qullt for
bor. She ha e just,finlahed it and wants it wilted in a special design.
ft* wants to send It to Illa, you know, tor a birthday proem*.
In a fire ewes tons Ni. Ooethe replied: Nu Janie, I don't de
that work kayos,. now. Tell y ur Sawa I would be glad to if I still
everked blt it has been nearly two years aew slum -I've demo sank. I as
net iell and I :uat don't feel like It.
rredoriek,!oothe Lift 111 story page li
As she returned to the living renew ihe explainiMit
't used to sow on4 maks quills and oomforte, one time I paid our
milk bill for three months by making quilts for a enema. ants thank
goodness I aon't wipe to do duoh things now Atli rred meeting a geed
living: dome people don't eel* to Imo* it and think boosuee we owe
so peer for a long ttme we met remain so I reohon.
Whoa ve fet the loan Per ttir shop it was arranged In rer,
408AAY PAYWate over a Ipag time and we have been able to meet the hills
as they coos duo 90 we don't have to worry about that. Life seems se
nueb bettor apd more worthwhile mhos finanooe are ample. We were alloys
nighty barely, even in all our trouble, but ofeouree we couldn't help
betas worried a lot. 1, *aid Ilre. Cooethe
goteral oloar notes from a ftate or clarinet filled the air
and thew there wag a dinoord nod notes were more carefully repeated.
Mrs. Oothe-leaowd forward to peer through the window and then oeiled
sy attention to e small airl sitting upon the steps of -a house scree.
the street (imaged in earnest prolatea of a munio lesson.
That Foes on every dare said Mrs. Meth., and sometimes when
I have a hoodoo* and an very nervous it wilco me terribly. That 10
Imixt of the school work and a good thing perhaps for it dose owe to War
keep the children off the streets. It iasa seem 10 NC though that the
oehoble of today toaeh so many unn000*sary things no wonder they don't
have the money for all the work.
When west to school no thought. that leernimg to read sad
write and some arithmetic was about all there was, and believe me so
had to Mara it toot -Fred quit easel uhea he moo real Tense and so did
I but we both had learned to read and write and we imps:reed our kmenlodge
as we could by reading and ?red in traveling about the eoustry a lot.
If the present sohhols put more tins ea reading and *Elting and
ftedoidst aostboy,Ife notary -pain IT
thity world be bettor fitted to t im up -life for themselves. Th. obildren
these days seem so dependent and stay at how and let their parents
surport thins even after they are grown up. They don't seem to knew bow
to take oar* of thitm selves In volt* of all the new fashlose in enbool
meek. Thy whim t we,a fourteen I was growisup and responsible antriorking
for myself. Do you khow of a elogle ohi2d_in thin town of fourtoen years
of age who oould be malting two or three dollars it /mak as soon as they
startled to works or would know any k!na of work to start at for that
matter 1 6
Tbse mei° oontinuod soros the way and the littlo girl filially
stakisved a perfect chord Oda she repostod a mishitr of times. The
Offait Was silvery and pleasanto.the minor notes filloCwith a certain
appealing wistfulness. Reverel-little ebildron had gathered at the
foot of the stops to listen and seetiod to sit In admiration of the
soloist and appreidation of her musts.
Ives gra. ^oaths paused to listen and e soft look oswinto bier
asses expressive brown eyes aS the #2420 melody aontinued.,
6 Ofeourse we are *12 proud of our gebool Ohnarionnklp Mind. and
we sajoy the band conoerts and other progrrets *blob they give. I roma
said* is always a part of ri-ht living, I know I enjoy it a lot °vim my
radio-- nOt the silly ragtime, or *totevSt it's celled now day*, bai
real minste. Trod and I both enjoy good programs each evellemi. I ammetimes
wimg, or flea that I ought to ask some boa In In 1140Y It too Who
doemet have a radio.
I an rather timid about trying to help °they', for ow loft we
just oculdn't lb silythi):g for anybody that now I hardly knor.how to
start end I au-slways afraid of offending tomoeno. Buts I *6 appremiste
the good things of life thiat we now hetTO tnd feel I ithentd skate- this to
SONO **Wilt.
Whwa Mrs. Basin's %jams& got se Risk felt that Ira* a abikt
TredestOk Goblim Life Nistorn .oega 18
shame tar is. to de ourpart in helping others not so fortunate
no WO 'Mod her to oomit hers and stay to be near the hospital. It
erowde as some for as you see we have no extra bad roam and ebo has
to sleep .bore on the davenport but le were glad to have her.
Mrs. Belgin had in the meantime finished her iroring and gong
out ageln perhaps to visit her husband who was very Airs. 800lbo
st-ted tit he had been in a desperate'oondition but was -Showing some
impepvevent. The *aid that his jaws had books& from the trouble, and
that the antitoxin "hi 'h was given his had mai* his muff*, grsa*17 and
oritiaally
b000me anparently more ii8StSatts ill but that it vas the only thin
to lo for him.
We then talked of other maltase for how minutes and MVOs
Gaatha impresmed her self as not interested in polities.
me are both Desoorate she said. and always hero been
but we don't tplre ,-uoh interest in polities 9sarilass we sato ln
the National elections, and if Presides* Roosevoit runs gp1a I Just
boos we will vote and I will feel like getting out and working fat hits.
if. has made such a wonderful President, why our Country would base boss.
la pore tsoehla than soma of those in Europe today. if it hadn't been for
bias. I feel like he was seat to sort our United States tram disaster.
Oftouree everything hasn't some juet like he planned and seas
peapla gat mad Pt him for it, but he just eantit keep en with every
little town and twenty and know just haw thing* are ma there. If I
was like epee other people aould be and at him to' for my work in the
*PA srsiag roan was just astol, woolly would rather be dead than lam
Mime that I had to go beak they., to work the way it was ran. Bat I
don't blame our President for that lit* sena of the women did, that
mould be so silly. statad Mrs. Goethe rakomsatly.
senetimee t fail that mayba we Should take Nor a lateral* in
polities but we jest sae* do it, solos ilk. sus, sga aftogo togs,
1Predierielt Opethe Life History, page 10.
fitted flor it. Some folks say thet voting iwt arty ang a privilege
and everyone Should aocent it. I leolars, I juet don't knor what it
is. I know T don't enjoy goin to the polls and wniting arm:14 to vote.
I Alway% •e di 10 out o* 1 ts, 00cM4 like that in morr o manis job.*.
3he -nr.ur401 ntgrrded me seriouely:
My. bow times have chenged! When T wae n wirl and growing up
we nnver wont near the polls and Mt even out or VIC atreet on election
tiny if we o412.1 help it. It -Rivet onneiderci 'ft clr women to be
r'aat thtlt lay ani no eelf respecting one would be green near the polls,
noN the womon lite/601y gotm to runmoet c' tt c1 otlons and get right
out on tht; !trecits en A Nerk *or eertmin onndidates. Mtlyhe ry leak of
intereet in rotinv7 iFr! Jue to the influesee EY ttnee porly dIroe
never do vote ir loos.) lrotions though mAlbe we should, Nre.
Coot attAed in a meditative mrtnner.
II TiTA03 have changed In other ways too, uei the. "'en
I wale a Kiri the liquor problem was dreadful in so Toney hnmee and
there AHI ,go mull) poverty
nuffering in firri ins beam, e the
father Irork. ZoN thee still eeria to he a lot nf IrinVing 17.nt
thorn Aewir to e very few familieo :44414 oeffering on onoolint of it,
and you bardly ewer nee drunken man on the el -net, or nne being brought
home intoxioated. Then Iwee ft Ora that wee n. enrnnn ting qn4 we
Children hould all Attend around and ratoh whiae 0 oprriner or *hack°
as a r:Allad them ,irove un to a home nnd a. irunk mt3r wna narrin1 it. Iff
it IIHm terrible!
Peueei in eed reminiscenoe for a. fel. ITtnents end then
refelved her lenver40:on, or rather monologue:
A People hive eheneef. with thl ti,flne mbout the working oleo,
ton. Mon I firet'went In 'aotory work meet of it 1**ne jult awful though
I eta,* lumky to tet in f'-nni chops ut even in them working coedit/ on. 'Seri
Frederiek Goethe, Life Ristery, page 20.
crowded
not of the best. we ware al,,oya gxelted nrd conditicno eere more or
less unsanitary n.1 th;+re 'rent fel. safeguards agnin't nocideets. Thee
too the people +1th Toney im often leweJ to lo-) 401n oneooso sho
had to go outlide thfqr !n to Tvork. But, all of that im ()bonged Aim
end I think a lot the ohnges for the better are Aue to President
Roosevelt. Re szies to navV 410t an ur,Jerstaneing; heart and great
sympath!f for thse rot mo v',1essei in the 0000 thilv,m of life.
Ofon4rla lo pour and no=idy were taAen oar* ollAn those 4wre
but I bqlteve :q7:e wed* tc. fool objects of ah'rity wore than they
are today. 'Than al Norked on the FtRA ee kn.'s it las Government help
because rio oouli not help ourselves hut the fact th.At rfis had work made.
us Ilt7 'letter, mt%tild Mrs. Goethe seriously.
%ddenly fi):4 PlhiNced he subplot: Te to not go to Ohuroh, She
said flet;IY, anJ then vatted as IP For comment from me. I laid nothing, _
feeling tm she.-4ould amplify that ntatement quiJkly.
Then I u a qirl r attended the pt oral 9:unday FkohooI and
coonsionally sent to thtir Churoh servi00 76or. I liked it Ell very much.
T di‘l rot joir !or I mover felt the urge to do ac. None of ry tily were
Church aprrbera ant .,.cre not bron:Alt ur to feel any tuty toward the
As I gre.a oDJr. Ifare up all Churoh assooiation4 entirely. It
seemed'that I s either toe busy or too tired to vo to Churolt end take
an interest..
're l v.ac rr3Amed 4+, Oatholo id at time* attended but has not
new for eevvral years. bmve only been to Churoh twice vino* we have
lived here in Sebring. It takes in wuoh coney 1rd mob fine clothes to
go to eurch those lays, said MTS. 004,t/10 rather regretftaly it geese&
That's nrotIlet change in time,* but not for th, better. It used
to he that poor people were just is 'vslmove in the Churoh a* the riohs but
you just try it now. I have several friesnds tl!ftt really had to give up
going to Churoh whe they became re poor for they were made to feel se
rreder1ek Goethe Life Rletery page 21
u000nfortable eone of the wolathy ,,,embers. Ono friend maid thnt
one "ember who had tinIfimIly °limbed to wealth kn.5.2 mooial ponition would
le:od'e) mhabl'y olothes *sob
it a point to atrn,i. nnd loolc at her tt
aunday.us 1" mhe 1.14A 'holt .round more 1-1.1rA bnR. that Sid
managed to crftw3. into the Uhuroh.
7-ont tht (Thurnhe4 here 3e, Ai ry: t 0 be !ToatIy momial
polit:tora t rnolcon it's thqt way ovotywh3r new.
oenis to me
tbv„t 1' tbe poorer were more 4ellomo in the Illuretheil it mould he
more Christian -lie.
After ,bia burs% of Ipnerontly unpromedild ire tomard the
Churches, 7hic,), m(l' Tel entirely sincere, re. Ooetbi rosted moment
ar,4 mrokIr
I )on't nel that not Voing: to Ihuroh han bur% um mmoh. Of
pouree ire 11?t,cti ir GoA anl try to nefve Him to thu btist of our
"re'blvn nn nrecill had habits and T bel!Ave ne on be just
;*ool. (Ihrinti.' nut of the ("huroh as in. Ylerb,Ipa we are not as
great aiornra al limmt) folks would bavn you telieve, .he smilod.
!erre aerli ,In 'or not Anin4 to Church but that
Rft,47 hothnra wr$ti, Am lonR a* I behave -ay al:f and do not break the lame
anl b000me nuionknoe, don't nay limb attention to ,ftiat oth*re think or
say of ms. vy Ii f igir errn !,:nd I must live .it as it lic,To* hest to as.
I vo alom,' trvir- tn1 thtb !,nalt I man In nvefv Tay I em prou-:A of my
husband awl bin mork mni r:Onl T was nb1r. to holy him vitlar it Wall
11.0efleary• lort arn frrOviing older I am indeed g ta‘i that we have
a pleasant life loft owe help others some.
When feel mell, Pnti sofretimus "Then I d.o, I have a walti
to heap -with the work, or do it sal if ntaeseiszy. Thbre gre, yeoplit
riqht around hcru wbn pay I am extrava4ant in that, hut we oast affiard
it onl the Kiri rood* tht- mork and I ivied the rest, so why not have her.'
W5 aptri:i very little time or mew on the popular sautatoento.
Yrederlok Ooothe Life RI story pass 22
hi/Moult been to a pleture ehow for years and they always did seen a
-Waste of time to me. Mayba that's from having to work so hard for 110
long and not having any mousy to *spend In suoh. Ws do enjoy our radio?
Ilk.
and it is a 400d one too. and, we tiakx to get out on 9Unday and ride
about in our oar ar1,A. visit other towns and places of interest. Often of
*Wining we play cheokors, we hardly ever go away from home at night.
re both liku to read and enjoy the 4ally raper and some books
and ragazines. Prod is not much of talker and some folks think he 011)44
not want to 'lc friendly but that is just his way. He la always glad to
have friends sail on us but he wouldn't go to see his own mister if ski
lived here. Anyway I guess I visit and talk enough for both of us,
she
laughed.
As arose to take my departure she went with me to the door
and into the yard and oftrseod we balblets and cuttings from her many
sutiful flowers. I left her standing in the midst of a flower bed,
looking almost like a tiny brown pansy herself.
Names used in above life history:
FlotItioue name
Bertha
Dr. toonard
Mire. 2elgia
Bones
Real name
Allos
Dr. Martin
Mrs. Keverkee
Urine