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4 niot4140 UAwitte F41141
/AAA mod 140 In
Ihesee etinaor beneath the hies cL oak tree shieh sheltered his
desolate two roam house rag; dieturbed•
tinny), Irote, nnd lumbered uovird Lho oroWis bate
toweee S ,row*1&fl his elearist3 in the herearant•
.wasso,4 acagsket014, tale
ocinc in MO nei.elir
"Gone richt in, MOW. i hetet. hrd tLn to tiz this here este eines-r
1 bmnn #i•ilisin bores, seems like. Don't Ni no Mai to them pies ofbeleepin
steps. theell rep, asap sonnyo tbn$ see streheetae Rieder nioe
haste plcr in the yard, forither oho do oleos sp -the 80,0A40"
sith
floe enough. the Ace did runilood squeak, and cronta as r approsoNed
/0-4
the doors and tar se frichtnnma neverq, sornenr ohiew,enu that tmly Iles
out t I front, door with tIrriciai aggsvateo—
As feenn deavtruuskty LA4 VP around the pLos of old tin 06114 rpcs,
bones, sore 'obey 34nd other &sate he spoke enete• Alts emirs Weise 'Oa
find oo numb tomb hare, 7Tils pard been Js Line this meet eime_oloans is
are here tu I Jae baint hnd tine to clone hit 1104,"
.4 neared Vo• 47.4.yr and Jason, yalied for his vire d•il,y• hoceivint;
no rtA! -donee, two cononoi tAind the Cornor Ot the Mame mut entrnotad
hit tvAtiveter on oiLls con hit oldine _)1.604). ;..it iis nontl,y not
sLe Aint to "I &pa "mil; ,,nd is "iiar sa ,-ot b visitors!
calr's ilor,a Bettis add 10114re 5e" "6"1374 nine* 61111 r-
0441 PRin.7,01LV(144111
or,tnnr thP twee* eml
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oidled into the frf:nt r..;cm c.rtky arvir latorld. Jason waiToluoie iu
praiainc thsr*\but trey monad too shy to speak a aord. -.hen in dams Lily
from the adjoining room with a bane in her arms and another tugging at hor
Filo smiled as she extended a limp hand ln gr sting. As those giro
no ohmirs in the room she imlioated that Ito be coated upon one of the
beds rtile rhos eat upon Arlo other with the two babies. /Jason took the plump
of the pigs upon *he atop, and thn older children ranged thoneelves upright
and rigid against the wall.
Thee floor was greasy and crimed sitn dirt. There iere two rickety,
lopwelded b-ds with dirt, oovara. Throe girls sleep arose -else on ono Old,
-illy ul,Jpo 41 ft liat on th flocr, cnd Amon, 44479 and the tto ;ioungest
oHatzen sloop in the other. bed. At LAI t4.ndow opinta6:, tore atnrchod
white eurtairw naue of plerabe eftoxine. A bt.etn ghotand 1104 an as-
wort-ent of titent me4loinnt ftriU oa !,!nd end.. A ruch shelf loaning
a,ainat to* rear of the .!012,11 supported a tin pan and rusty baeket. There
wean° toilet of any -kind._
AteOn vas wearing a pat:lied, faded, and dirty pair of bluesienim
overalls, and a faded and poilod blue shirt. Like Lill: and all the children,
he war barefoot. Liire loose dress of feeda.sooking, fromehieh moot of
the lettering had often bleached, waL soiled too. Her heir vac diordered
and a dirty rag eLosely bound her hood.' Thin strearsi'of anuff.ran down
from the earner* of her mouth. 4he had a cold and travently wiped har nose.
with a rag or the book of her hand. The baby aogan to or, and she cave it
her breast to nurr414
tim4Sir
'"1 alius letlret tu, tc44 fos mil; as she le.eo.deef," jaeon said.
don't often have vivitorce *tion otrangers Gomm nhiie gnie Lily shots
the duors and 'tinders and won't it em owe in." He seemed Imovid of his,
family. "Pe nnd Lily sae both borned in Attilhe County but forty year &obi
1..don'trtbt1. noe b old .LW is. but I.Cue00 ahee lai6h ea tad ea leas
7e rot married Demo thirteen year ago and Ost out to find a likely.enot to.
form. rben es seen %hie place already built here in the hammook we jus lit.
anL1 moved right in and been here or einoe.t. The roof Leaks right smart
but hit's las: to TrIA tin Gant wider the leaky ,lnoes ifen hit rains hard.
don't larr honor, than this, hit slAto up all richt. One
room for eleepin and another for orlakin an. ,atin in. 1010 folks X know
WW1% pot Out one room and they of.pko out in the yard, but se &A a fine
stove ehloh n men rive me for haulin hit aosiy. An see them stiff ourtaine
at the wiaderst '4 lady ,71,8 Clint to idly when the last baby was Darned.
Ph* give iidly.and thn baby and the (iris eaos; a nice dress too and me and
rAlly a shirt. Lily tae richt c.::101 -oar -s em and washes and trope 3.0 When
Pe eo to Ohuroh nnd mon like.
°I don't have to pay no r-.4it netthare nalt...t a nein -Joi0 here
and bey he owned thio land and sante4 Jere celibates fyr rent. NOW I billow
that q a an !vain lAtin nio Ian., ha hadn't armor oharge niibody Elise what
tAte to 14-e_Aat. But I rtV i', the oabbacen ,Lo it rid of hic. and haint
seen him since -tit"
"Met vas the manse nano?" as4.14.
le4)-1?
Jason looked eurmised• "/hat's the ube to bother bout thett"
e
As a boy aeon holpeu nio :.at!lor txth at termitic ho did, and both
he and hie father worktui at any odd jobs that mime to hand. Thew never had
,steady work. on attendo olthool for three or four years and Lot,swic.1 to
.read and write a little. A.Lly can neither road nor vivito; shoUid not go
to °shoal bateau., of her aar and orr Oonditions.
Tho family kriso with the oun Worm., they have always deco so. They
fcllou no dalkg routtna IVers Ut to mJalso and can see no reason why anyone
iv
/F
should. Jason works shin the 14o.ime moves his. any 0 than b000me
tired or sleepy durinv the day thew take a nap. Uoually they retire at
attad0111
%hen t asked. Jopon about hie Mark hl laeme4 rothor eMbarrscsed.
go hesitantly pointed ut the window to a small oabLage patch and explained.
that ha hadn't had much time C6r tarminc lately and his family wouldn't eat
no011 vottitabioe earevik "There taint no aalt for em, neither," he added.
!moot everbody round hero raises plenty."
MO insLotod that be so a farmor, and spoke of the time *bout two
years ago whena he Wharg4ropped for a awludoissonanr in town. Me received
five reilona of cane syrup as his Oars of tho Proceeds. Axe, that time.
he Me been unable to find time to engage Ln.sharrearopplac, he sa14. as
Vas proud of the foot thst he rOs one of. thcie t- whom the “aollor had
given seC4 to 1ant Several years ago.
"I didn't make cooh with that t.oro garden," said Jason. "ThOf Jus
zcuidn't giro me_ tho kinds soefis I wanted. hey jus saint my kind of
verotablos."
v.
&son oems dilapidatld'id autoroblio whion he kr...10 under a that4hed
shed. Mims he needs a little Gash, nnd no-publie work iv available, he
and
sometime, pethere or out* wood which he ,Jisainto the Willa of his car./vells
in the towns. ometimes he lean not even do this beoa.xe he dcesn't have eas
for The ear. "I don't work steady el i the time. -hat's the use? .hen I its
°nowh to buy what we seede I don't want no more work nosey far a ti:40.
I dan't have time to work !Itondy meth, roaft it hurts mysarms, t0s.
wife bate so deer. I have,to etay to home.ond look after tUngs•0
ge.maintaivw that he •does not altos his family to co 111401 very
often.. a fishes, catcheo reJnite end et hares and ffikth,OZL t7e odo of the
oakbage palm whiekhis whole family like's. Ih'y are very fond of ."flour
dough fried breads" which Iv made with flour and hoEtreaes stirred up with
water and dropped by spoonful into hot grease. If the riser is selforisiego
or if there is oaiing powder in the house. so mooh the batter, for then the
frict.1 breed Is wisp.
*One time thilst I wee worqiin on the HOW a lady come to tell us
what to buy and how to o-ok hit. Row that nada me and Lily eighty emit
flaw did that Ivo= know whet we wanted tc: eat? 4us give um plenty grease,
salt pork, a little dabber,' stewed applee, and flour clwth fried bread sad
we is Bativfied, ‘Aue ohillerne Wee sash too. :von that there Little &LAY
jus bout a year old, vas sure lame the broad. rhea oho starts amoryin,
she .will tn6s a piece of salt pori- rind and tie Pitt to Allea hand add
she *tarts suokin n hit and right off quits her runr."
£ll of-Jheense end oiles children sere Exer n their ehack in the
hammoolt without meciioal aid. aeon is proud that a. dcotor has never had to
ems to his homy JksOn said that attar the doath at birth of three babies
in rapid swami= following the birth of Tolly Who is eight years O4.
there was a wait of several rears before anoWmpasme, "We dome thought the
not
Lord washandin us no moms *hiller* but he shors-did. And hove MAO ALig
bout thirtawn month ago and then this imbr now two months old for another
Little pet. itan any :orte comes we vent Owe* Just as soak not have no
more now but I guess it taint be helped and the Lord know', best.
m'efto Lily, dim do suftwr sumps terrible with them hoadaohos ell her
Life. Suet nothing do her no good sopt headache pills sad lets of an. der
as ewe bit's'eaused by toe meth bleodounein in her head so so tLmie up
tight to stop the blood. *Igo I.vuritsd on the Relief they sent Lily to a
doctor and he said she had tubes in her oars shot one stopped ups That bothers
her eyes too. The doctor give her some gresweedioine to put'on-ootton and
stiok down in her ears but Ohs said it buried so one did**, use it.
-1,1)
%tit boon might sick at. tine but so doctors. her at hems. Ones-%
Ohs had Nebo headache I had to wee a doctor abut hits The Belief paid
for that too so hit didn't oost me nothin. I give her sin hoods4he pills
and she got worssothen I give her acme sive mass pills and she got still
worsors than I ma40 her drink most a sup o **stow oil, than take *altos but
she didn't it ao beWr and I had to pit the Ballot to let no ask a (twice
bout her'. I didn't hardly have time to go to town about hit neiShere
Teo of the girlm and Vilir had bows fitted with gismos by the maw.
Amega said. but thordidet Like to sear the glasses and he didn't make thaw
Xi took the glees., out of a boa and put them on the ohildran to show am how
Ahoy locked. The ohildren wore also given ov-me troatessat for hookworm but
&son believes that they aro just as wolliboff without it.
After UvLw In this house ail -the years of his married life, Jason
said that last year ha grey tirod of it And deoided to move to the "city,"
a email town of oomn tvo,thonoand population nearby. lue soda all plans for
movinc, and even ranteA a housie.....vilhout pkinc rent. .:ben he suddenly be.
atm* apprehensive about his proopeoto in the city and so decided to remain
sh7re ha wee. Jason is nee clod that he cave up the idea of morini4 as he
siellt not has found tort. La the Aty, not knosinc any trade. And be doubts
if rabbits and gopher° are to be had richt in town. "Thl-ohikLern 4on't
have ncOody to ficht vith hors, orf.1 oe havo,to wcryw thdut hca our
clothes loc:ke as them oitritoo4e. allus toem tufo
I asked if he fad Uily vero interested la polities and if they voted.
"1 olluo votes," be replied, "but Lily don't not notbin bout then
P01.1lies and is. fraiditkleave home on.lootlon,days.*
Farther ouostionim- bruncht out thl foot that &con vas vniy vacv547
familiar with oven looal politioal matter*, and. always voted for his friends.
Pa Mapco) idea of national affairs!, and the "GovIrmint" memo a distant and
benevolent personality. WO not &member of any oolitioal party.
"Politico are all awe and tile asimeito slos," he said, "and what', the
use to verri,ovor em? Besides Lhaint got Use to find outmuob about ems"
rhea lleotloo dny *moo hl roes to vote with awns who amps f9r his er
bwir his a rallaa of as so he *an drive hilliest to town.
Jason sante hid obIldpan to "lam midis) end vritim," but has no
turtbor oduastional ambitions for thorn. -ben 1 noised vhat stork his ohildras
would be edmeated'for, he expressed great'ourprise at tiwi.ti,oftid,
P9
4111610
"1 tIonght odjaoation meant readin and oritinS" &win is oeitain Lola that
is all thot is touch% at the school his children attend, s comdlained
that "the t000hers there Mint hardly lam il1j netbin stall." rilly is
twelve years old and still in the first grade. ohs= has over thought of
odueation as means of nakinc a living, and doesn't oiolloto that education
helps peoplorany say. Its children have to go to school at Ilact part
'of the time or the truant offioer will arrest him. 116 wife** that his
ehildren had better °lather to wear to aohooli
t/4)
hen there la gas for tho ear, Jason and 4.1.4 soustiOen take th#
ohadren to ehurch servioes, partioularly when to service includes a pica*.
If there to no gas and if no ono mans ky,for the% the; wale to the graded
road and (latch rides. rhea ealkinc 4117 and Jason Garry their ehv's in
their hands with the two babiet. AlL of tbo ohildren go batefcot. The
shildroa soneWes want to Ore monoy o the ohuroh, oat Amon trilnks that
is foolish. re believes that 0hurchec e.aould memo their affairs hithout
CAstionsoit "Now ifen I had plenty of moony," he soya, "1 guess itd give
some tc the church, and ifes 1 had a fins oar 1 sure would drive ruun and
Mr folks to tbs oherche.honse."
Amon and Lily would like to be able to attend the notion pilaw**
regularly. Jason does not Like nrsepapers, nna only oecosiOnally doss he
rota a colored pieture neeasine.
Although only forty years e14. -Jason looks forward to the time then
hi will be eligible for an oldgegepension, NO does not know enaotly where
the pensions Goole frvme but he does knew elmerni porsoos %no are now gittin
sixteen dollars a math, reroler ever month, without dvis no work aiall•
All they need is to 4o sisigpitve year 014 and sithout no money &forehand,
and the:: sure site all thet noneye
Jason would like to have a rise automobile, and um& mom; to 1001,
food, olota.ne, snuff1 and tokens); and mind, for the ehileen. Lily does
not empress that she thinks about lift. but Abe has a placid aspressivn,
and smiles lovinciy at her ohildrIn as May cluster about bar in the bare
little room.
As I Late the entire family swotted no to the bmtee the children
still t,Aleve=tieds Lily smiling, and Jason insisting that A acoopt'a Gabbed,
from his garden.