Document text
3eptember 8th 1939
Ruth Kanipe, Textile ,orker
Newton, N.C.
11,thf-1 Deal, riter,
Judley ,.Crawford, Reviser.
Original Names
Ruth Kanipe
u2pb
Changed Name
Ruby Knox
"I'll give you my story, if you'll answer a
question for me. I'm thirty years old and not married.
Can you tell me why I can't hold a man. Every one I
y with leav,s me for another girl. I've wated to
get married for a long time but the ones that have
proposed, I wouldn't have. that is wrong with me?"
"Loose about twenty five pounds," I said; 6 pay
more attention to your personal appearance and see
how attractive you can be".
"I can't lose I get so hungry, I guess about
the only way is to look in the mirror whenever I get
hungry, and remember what eating's going to do for me.
"About that personal appearance,it seems like
I never have time. I go to work at seven and get up
about six thirty. I know my clothes look like I'd
called for them to follow ae when I run out the door.
I don't even take a bath in the iaorning. Must be the
way I was raised.
"We was poor share croppers and never had much
time to think about looks, even ..other worked in the
field with us when she was able. Cur family was large,
five girls anu two boys. Ahen fall came and the cotton
was sold we had to pay our debts, buy a few clothes
and nothing ilicre. Dad worked all winter by the day to
r:uy flo r and meat. Mother did not have the things
she needed in the house. The cook stove was rusty
and the dishes cracked.
*About the time I was fourteen I got sick and
tired of grubbing. One or at dinner I told my parents
I was going to town and ot s job. oad never said a
word, he's that kind. A5:ther is timid little eoullPi
scared of her show. 5hOlowed as how 'd never been
in a mill ai,d wouldn't know how to work. I told her I
could learn and I was goinj to buy her 41034 things for
the house. Ale'd heard awful tales of the people working
in the mill, she was scared to death. aut I went on
anyway and stayed at qrandmother's in town.
°I got me a job spinning. ;Al pay wee eight dollars
a week. This loQked big to n.s, but I gave Venda* three
dollars for boards that left as five dollars. I had
never had t ut auch ir my life before end I was Proud.
fter six weeks I got a job at the hosiery mill.
They put me 1,o looping. I got eight dolLare s week
while I was leuraine. then they gave me s machine I
worked by the Jason. on I was inking good money
I opened s bank account and started to save money.
I bouAht mother a Ikt of things *he needed, and clothing
for the children. I gave her a whole set of kitchen
furniture incluiling a big wood range. I spent the Neek
ends at nom, and went to church, a Lutheran. ote didn't
h ve a spare bedroom so I bought a whole suite in grey
enamel.
.3.
I wanted a place to invite my friends, so I fUrnished
the living room through out, and bought a radio.
"For several years the mill run good end I made
five dollars a day. Its not doing that well for the
iiist three years. ages has been cut, and I don't make
ouch now.
"The first car I bought was a row -Aster. I didn't
keep it long i traded it in and bou8ht a large ear so
I could take the whole family.
"I moved ttefemily to town end one of my sisters
got work, Lad works when he owl get it. Cae of my sisters
got married and the rest are in school.
"I'Ve been workinid; sixteen yet4rs. I've bought
three ears, paid all the doctor'e at hospital bills,
kept the family in c;othes and heed buy the groceries.
"Last jeer we bought the house we live .n. hod
it painted and s bith roo put in. 'i-other is very proud
of the gift got her, a nsw eet of kitchen furniture in
green said ivory. The old crackalairthee and pots are a
thing of the past. 5ometimes she says,0Rubi you seem
more like a v.man than e women, see re lie you know what
abody needs and goes and gots it. Now your daddy never
pays bit ot attention to whet; te wood gives out, or
the flcr.x ii is empts he just depends or-, you'.
"I guess that is part of my trouble, I don't
put any time aLd thought on myself.
"Do you reckon if I'd get up early in the morning,
take a bath, put on fresh clothes, and go to the beauty
parlor about once a week I could get me a man? But,
heck, I'm hungry as a wolf."