Document text
October 1, 1939
Edgar Wynce (Textile worker)
Charlotte, N.C.
Ethel Deal, ',Iriter
Dudley W. Crawford, Reviser
Original Names: Changed Names:
Edgar Wynce Elmer Wayne
Charlotte Riverton
Elmer Wayne, with his invalid wife and seven
childrellilived in a shabby little house, a duplicate
of fifty others along one of the narrow unpaved streets
in the new industrial section of Riverton. Unlike
all the others, Elmerts yard was filled with flowers
and shrubs, a bed of dahlias ran the entire length of
the house, while a well -kept vegetable garden could
be seen in the back.
The front door opened into a small vestibule
between two bedrooms, one of which was used as a
living room. The walls of the living room were un-
painted, decorated with two crayon enlargements of
deceased members of the family, a large calendar and
a framed embroidered motto, "Rest patiently and wait
for Him."
"Have off your things, no one here but me and
the baby; Elmer and the other children are at church."
Elmerts wife was a little woman of twenty-six.
Her tired -looking face bore the marks of suffering
and her body was stooped and distorted by frequent child
bearing. She moved nervously about the room placing
chairs, picking up playthings and papers from the floor,
and giving directions to her visiting sister-in-law
about dinner.
"Our house looks shabby, the rugs are all worn
out. Elmer can't make any extra money to buy things.
I feel so sorry for him. He works hard at night. My
health is not good. I've been nothing but a doctor
bill since we've been married. Elmer does the washing
every Monday morning. We have seven children and you
know what that is. We pay three dollars a week rent,
and it has to come every Monday morning or we get out.
He makes fifteen dollars a week. With nine of us in
family we can have only beans and potatoes. My children
don't have a thing to carry for lunch. Fat back and
flour gravy makes our breakfast.
"This is a terrible neighborhood to live in. There's
four sets of bootleggers on this street. Last night we
got no sleep for the cursing and carousing around us.
What can we do about it. We can't afford to pay higher
rent. The law locks them up, but others take their
place."
Elmer and the six children came in. He was good
looking, tall and slender, with blue eyes and dark hair.
His clothes were well cut and he moved about with ease
and assurance.
'II want to show you a surprise I've got for my
sister," he said, and returned in a moment from the
kitchen with a show white cake trimmed in pink roses
and birthday greetings.
"Today is Sister's birthday. I wanted her to
come down for dinner and I made this cake myself. I
have to cook a lot when my wife's sick."
Elmer sat down and began talking about himself.
"I belong to the little white church at the end
of the street. I'm thirty seven years old; was born
on a farm, quit public school in the fourth grade. My
folks were mill people. Father was an invalid and mother
had it so hard I quit school and went to work in the
cotton mill. I was only eleven at the time. I worked
twelve hours a day for three dollars a week. I been
working in the cotton mill twenty six years. Today I
make fifteen dollars. The most I ever made was twenty
eight dollars. I worked in one mill twenty-two years.
I'm a speeder hand, but I can do other things as well.
"My wages won't stretch to feed my family. I tell
you the truth. If it wasn't for God's people in the
church my family would have no clothes. Every shred of
clothing I have on except my underwear is a gift from
my wife's brother. I couldn't send my boy to school as
I had no money to buy books or clothes. Our pastor
found it out and they made up ten dollars at the church
in less than five minutes. That's the kind of people we
have in our church. The next week some of the ladies sent
each of the two girls two nice dresses apiece. I have no
money to buy clothes. Every thing we have to wear is gifts
from our friends and relatives. I'm not ashamed of this.
There was a time when I'd been too proud to accept them.
I went to school at night and finished the seventh grade.
The house work took so much of my time, after eight hours
in the mill, I couldn't finish. I hope to take up night
school again soon and finish High School. I attend church
regularly and have a class of intermediate children. One
of my boys has a nine year record in perfect attendance,
another has a four-year record."
Dinner was served in the kitchen. The long table was
covered with a white linen cloth. A low cut glass bowl
filled with roses in the center. Elmer bowed his head and
asked the blessing.
"I have but one ambition, he said. That's to raise
my family to be christians and serve the Lord. I don't
wish to be rich. If I was I'd want to use it to help others.
I'd like a better job, so I'd be able to support my own
family. Church work interests me more than any thing
else. I'm a retiring person. They asked me to take
the Sunday School class at the church, I tell you the
truth I didn't think I could do it. I told the pastor
I'd try it one Sunday. I wouldn't promise to take it
regular."
"And you forgot all about yourself when you got
started," I offered.
"I didn't." he said laughing. Laying down his
knife and fork he continued seriously. "When I rot up
before that class a cold sweat broke out all over me.
T got so weak I could scarcely stand. I taught the
class; thats been six years ago. Doing things gives
you confidence. My six year old girl wants to lead the
family prayer every night. Children come in off the
street to join us.
.my wife didn't have much education either. She's
been sick so much and the children to look after she
hasn't learned much, but there's a WPA teacher comes
here once a week to teach her and she's learning fast
too. Last week she counted up the grocery bill and
got it right. If we had a car we could go for a ride.
I've never owned a car, and I know Itll never be able
to at such rates. I'd rather have a home on the edge
of town. I'd like an acre of ground to plant in flowers
and vegetables; but I guess that is out of the question
too. You might say in the story, we're happy if we are
poor."