Document text
§OD ifELPAII Et
Written ay
Mrs. Ina I. Haekeks
Researsh Worker
Georgiii Writers* Project%
Athens .0.
Edited Ey:
John IL Booth
EPA Area is. 6
Augusta, Georgia
Ostober do 1939
August 28, 1939
Mrs. Luther Crmford
Danielsville Road
Athens, Georgia
Ex...School Teecher, Fnrm Owner
and Housewife.
Hawkes
"GOD HEITED US"
"Yes, 4P =ilve riht across the road here,"
said Pr. Ford. "Oh, yes, it's my wife you wPnt
to see. I'm sure we'll trAk to you, because she
likes comlymy. Just iO on up there nnei'll be
there to let you in just soon Pe I onn ,out this
school bus under sheltr."
Approaching the modern frame house I admired
the shrubbery th•t enhynced the appearance of the
well -kept 1,nce. I hr o to ço arouni. to the tpck door
where Pr. Vora met m and assisted me up the steps nd
into a tidy kitenen. ,:,oming in out of the glPre of the
nfternoon sun, I didn't see alvone ot first, but when
my eyes were accustomed to the shadows I saw a woman
sitting very still in a corner of the room. Hcr foe
was illuminated by a bright smile.
"I've brotWht you some colw-,ny,".said Mr. Ford,
when he hau introduced me to his wife.
"Sit down over here by me," e -id, as I re-
PePted rk; n P.e to her. "I was •itist ironing some pints
for my hust nd, but it's not necese-ry th.t I finish
them now." It sePmed incredible tro-t R person so -irmn
Hawke.
Page 2
and twisted in body should be able to iron
clothing, especially diffkoult pieces Buell
as men's trousers.
"Did you really iron those pints?" I
inquired. *Oh yes,* she proudly answered. "I
ironed them, and I do all my work now, but I
,Ness I'd better tell you something about my
earlier life and about how I got like this. My
life at home /is a girl I won't say much about.
I went to school in Daniellsville, Georgia, and
taen I taugnt for 15 yenrs in three different
school. Believe it or not, in teching all three
schools I nevH.r went but five miles from home. I
always went on horseback; you see, we were country
people. My father alWays said, 'If you can teach at
home what's the use of ,oing abroad?'
*My sister had typhoid fever, and it went into
rheumatism which left her crippled for life. It fell
to my lot to wait on her. I taught school in the
spring and summer. After my long hours at school I'd
start nursing her soon as I returned home. You see,
she was in such a fix she couldn't stand thP covers
or nightgowns to touch her. I finally hid to quit teaching.
I dust went to bed with her, night and day, to hold the
covers so they woldn't press on her anywhere. Now, you
can imagine what a strain I was in. This went on for weeks
Hawke@
Page 3
When the doctor came one day and found us like that,
he flew into a rage and said, 'This had to be stopp-
ed! There's no use in Loth girls dying.' My mother
was not well either at that tie.
"I'd met Mr. Ford here I still call him Mr.
Ford end we were planning to get married, but it
looked as though I couldn't leave home with no one
to look after my mother and sister. You see, I always
felt that way about them. I wasn't sure either what
married life would be like; that kept me back some.
"After my sister died, my married brother and
his wife said they'd take care of mother, Mr. Ford
and I married after I was 33 years old. My father
had left me e small sum of money, and we decided the
best thing to do was invest it in land.
"The year after our marrige in 1912 our
baby was born dead. Somehow I could never blame the
doctors, for I hgd the best of care, Lut it left me
helpless. I haven't walked step in long over 20 years
now. No, I don't use crutches or wneel chair either.
You can see wiay I am like this today.
"Well, things were going fairly well wita our
crop. !rr. Ford had to take caret me, for no one (mild
do me :.ny good but him. He worked with me night and day
and for 4 years continously, getting up sometimes twenty-
five or thirty times Pniht, nd sometimes not even going
Hawker
Page .4
to bed a Lean.
"It went on like that until he became so
exhausted thet he would completely give out anc
fall asleep. Sometime it would be impossible for
me to w ,ke him. You see, I suffered agonies all
over, Faid when he went to sleep I couldn't 'rouse
him a Vali. We decided to pull my cot up to his
bed at night we didn't sleep together then and
tie a string riround my finger nio then tie it to
his hand. Then, when I couldn't stand it another
minute, I'd .oull the string. I'd have to keep on
pulling harder and ht,rdur sometimes for he'd be so
tired and worn out thet when I pulled the string
he'd Just shake it off his hand, and turn over mad
go to sleep. Well, he geve me n stick to punch him
with, but I was so weak and gradually losing use of
myself, till I couldn't use the stick to any advantage.
He kept on working with me and having me treated until
finally I got to combing my hair, and then I found I
could use my limbs a little.
"It was a terrible sorrow to me when I began
to lose strength again and for 12 months I lay help-
less again. One night during this relapse our home
caught fire. When they come to get me out of the house
it took four men to hold me. I was carried to that
little cabin you see out there in the back yard. I was
still suffering bpd, but the doctor said he couldn't
Hawkes
P!..ge 5
give me much dope. He was afraid I'd get in the
habit of taking it. I'm telling you this because
I was determined not to be a dope addict. The
doctor advised Mr. Ford to give me some whiskey,
but that didn't ease me pains.
*Mr. Ford and I decided that we were not
living up to God's word and will as we should.
Now this is where my life changed. I'd always
been a Presbyterian, but a lady came and talked
to me one day alyilt my soul, and she told me about
Christian Science. The doctors weren't doing me
cmy good, so the lady taught Mr. Ford and me to
declare and affirm the truth. After we had kept
this up a long time I began to move my bead and
arms. Soon I was stronger. I only weighed 78 pounds
,hen. I put my whole heart and mind on God. You
see, until we understand and stay steadfast with
God we don't get any relief from Rim. We cling to
Him; we know He is divine love. He has done so Itich
for me since I learned to deolAre end affirm His
love and promises.
"We lived in that babin in the yard for 12
years. Mr. Ford continued to plant crops of cotton,
corn, and vegetables. Of course, we still had our
land. Ne even saved a little money, and with a loan
we built this house we are living in now. With God's
Mamkes
Page -7
permission to look through the house. "I was want-
ing you to," she replied. "I want you to see my
rook mantel. Mr. Ford and I value it so much." The
mantel, beautifully designed and finished, was in
the diningroom. The furniture here was plain, but
clean -nd well -kept.
In the bedroom everything was arranged so
th,,t she could do her own house work. Noticing
that she had only one narrow cot in the, rows, I
asked where Mr. Ford slept. She lrughed, "That's
all we need. I'd have twin beds or a double bed,
but you see, I have to have Mr. Ford to brace me
at night, -nd he might roll away from me in a double
bed. I can go to bed now and sleep like a baby because
I work all dm. I never hire any work done. Sometimes
people oome along wanting something to eat or wear
Rad I let 'em help me out some then so .they can ern
what they need so bad.'
you own your house now, Mrs. Ford? You said
*Do
something about e loan or mortgage on it," I inquired.
*well we're still paying on it, rid if we keep loving
God we'll soon get it paid for. That's where Clod help.
ed us again. You see, the mortgage was to be paid off
on a certFin day. We'd put in for another loan !qid it
hadn't gone through, so of courre the place was adver-
tised for sale. Well, the man that put the house up
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Page. 8
didn't show up at the sale a Vali, and in a few
days the loan went through and we used it to pay
off the old mortgage. We've managed to make our
aayments on the new loan regularly ever since.
"I have my telephone fixed so I can oarry it
anywhere over the house that I want to. When I go
to any part of the house I always take it with me.
I have friends that I've never seen that call me
'most every day for a ohat. I take orders over the
telenhone for our farm produce and have it sent in
to town 'most every day. And, toot I have my electric
lights, frigidaire, electric iron, and radio. Most of
all I have my God who is the cause of my having what I
haw. today.
"I do lots of political work on my telephone, too.
You see, that's the only way that I can help, and I do
all I can that way."
As I prepared to leave I told her, "I've enjoyed
this short visit with you, Mrs. Ford.°
'I'm
do glad y3u came, and do come again or call
me sometimes over the telephone," she said, as she
walked her chair toward the front door.