Document text
September 22, 1939
East° Meadows, (Housewife)
Catawba, N. C.
Ethel Deal, Writer
Dudley 1. Crawford, Reviser
Original Names: Changed Names:
Essie Meadows Eva Means
Ellen Helen
K. C. Meadows J. C. Means
Lincolnton Jefferson
Newton Bakerton
Tva sat on the edge of her chair, and clutched
her black worn bag nervously. She was dressed in a
green flowered print and a small black felt hat.
"Its nice of you to ask me here to set down. My
husband come up on business and it takes him so long
to git through. Its awful waiting on a man and no
where to go. I ain't acquainted much in Bakerton.
We live on the farm. I take care of my Aunt Helen
and can't get out much. 'Course I'll tell you all
about it. My ole man won't be ready far a while. I
wes born in this county. my people is farmers ter back
as I have any recollection. I've had a hard time for
as working goes. I ,in't never knowed nothing else
but to take my hoe and go to the field. I'm forty
eight and when I was a girl we went to public schools.
I went fur as I could go, that wasn't much. I'm sorry
I :.7.ot no better education. If I had more I wouldn't
feel so green and backward when I ret out. Another
thing I have two daughters. They go to High School.
I went them to finish there. Sometimes I wonder if
they will be ashamed of me being so ignorant.
"Now that's an idea, I never thought of trying
to get books from the library and improving myself.
Yes, the children could help me of a night. I'd sure
like to speak better English. The ole man may think
its foolish at my age. The nights are long when I
have to be up with Aunt Helen and maybe I could turn
them into profit."
Eva looked pleased. A man in dirty overalls and
a blue shirt put his head in at the door and asked if
she was ready.
"No I ain't, I'm busy right now. Do you think
its sinful to want things better than what you've goti
my husband thinks anything like trying, to get someting
nice is the Devil's work.'
HUsbands may talk like that but they're the first
to recognize improvement in the wife, I stated, they'll
like it too.
"We have six and a half acres of ground. Our
house is right nice, but its only five rooms. We don't
farm much, just raise thint„s for our own use. We ain't
got no electric lights or sewerage. I. C. owns his own
pottery business. That keeps him busy end I work the
patches. We don't make much but a living. He owns a
truck and goes to Jefferson for his clay. It takes him
a day to make the trip. One load of clay costs a
dollar. Out of the load he makes three hundred and
fifty gallons of pottery ware. After the pottery is
shaped on a wheel, its dipped in Albany slip clay. That
is what makes the glaze on the pottery. We have a dry
kiln to bake it in. The kiln is heated slowly and the
pottery placed inside. It takes about twelve hours to
bake it. After removing it from the dry kiln it's reedy
for the market.
"We make jars, dishes, crocks and many other things.
Of course we sell thins at home to anybody. J. C.
takes P load out to Virginia often then the local market
here is right good. We brung some up today to sell
to the stores. I don't know exactly what te clears on
a load. I'll say about twenty five dollars on three
hundred and fifty gallons of pottery. There he comes
again but I'm in no hurry.
"Eva are you over going home?
"Soon a I can. I'm telling about your pottery
business, come in alvi help me."
J. C. came in, took off his cap and sat down.
"You know as much about it as I do. I make a
living at it and I like to do it. I enjoy the trips
I make to Virginia and other places to sell it. We're
Just poor folks. I couldn't afford to go places for
pleasure. I'm hoping to make enough soon to buy me a
car.
"I wish you could," said Eva, "so we could go to
church. We live nine miles from the church where I
belong and I never get to go. The children goes to
Sunday School and Church close home. I don't get out
much and a car would be such a pleasure. We could take
Aunt Helen to ride and the children to the show.
"That's true," said X. C., "but right now we got
to go home so I can get to work. The dry kiln is empty.
Would you like to come out and see how its made? We'd
be glad to show you how its done."
"Do come," said Bogie. "I'm going to try out
your idea of self improvement. They may a dog never
gets too old to learn new tricks."
In e few minutes Essie was back. "I want to ask
you something. Do you think I could learn about clothes
and things like that as well as education? Well, good,
I'll go to the library this minute and git me some books
and magazines if X. C. never gets over it. And I'll
be back to see you the very next time he comes to town.
When I make up my mind to do a thing I always do it."