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Cctober IV, 19.)9
John Jail Johnson (White ilirmer)
WAntersville,
Lary F. Alson, .rittr
Ludley 4. Crawford, Reviser
Orisions; Namit lasaaalsmas
John jam Johnson 6sm Jimsrson
Char's.; Johnson Jim
1Nsilesn Rossi.
The old neglected two story house with it's weather-
beaten wells, vacant windows and sagging front porch look-
ed deserted and spooky. ,fter knocking on the steps with
a stone and hearing no response, I started away. it
minute," said Sam Jimmrson, as he came from the rear of the
hOW11111
The wind made merry with Sam's tattered gaments and
his straw helmet set at a jaunty angle above stooped shoul-
ders, gave him the appearance of a mo*hing scarecrow. his
hair dropped below his ears in natural curl* which any woman
would be glad to possess. His deep --set eyes sparkled with
excitement as he spoke.
"You don't think I'd let you leave without speaking,
did you; no intiucIS I like company; I'll talk all day if
y(d,u listen. aon't play no attention to bow I look. 3ome
are afraid of we, say I look like a crazy man --my sons wife
hid my razor. .he said I ws to old to be slicking up,
trying to loot young, so I've let ay hair and whiskers
grow and deciever how 1 feel. I mean I feel wrest.
Just to tell the truth about what I think. don't
believe my son Jim ever married Easels. ;he's ,.;one now,
thank aod and I won't grieve a bit if I don't haver see
nor no more. Jim got tired of her and went tff with an-
other woman. -he's serving time in I-ennsylvania now for
white slavery. slavery. As far as I know, hes the only Jimerson
who ever has been behind the bars. He didn't get but four-
teen months and fourteen days. Why, I can remember when men
got twenty to twenty five -years for the same crime —men ain't
got no business letting women persuade them off into trouble
like that. They know it is wrong when they start it. I like
to -see women treated good but not to that extent.
*Me, I had a wife --she deserted me forty years ago. The
last time I heard of her she was in South Carolina living
with another man. It worried me at first, then I decided to
act like I had been dog --bit and I've let women alone ever
since.
*I live here by my self most of the time. I've got
two man helping me picking cotton. It won't be many more
days before I'll have all my work caught up and then I can
walk around and do nothing but whistle.
"All the land you see around here belongs to me. I
could make a lot of stuff on it if it wasn't for that fellow
Roosevelt, sitting up in the White House, dictating to the
farmers --I wasn't allowed to plant but four acres in cotton
this time; it's going to make about six bales --maybe I'm
Just ignorant and don't know what I'm talking about, but I
do know one thing -4 didn't help put this President in office
and I sure will do all I can to get him out." Sam was get-
ting nervous. He threw his hat on the ground and with one
hand best beat fiercely atiiite air, while the other ran through
his long hair.
"Why, them welfare people laughed at me when I asked
about getting old age pension. I have got as good a farm
as there is in Mecklenburg County but that ain't got nothing
to do with the price of eggs. I thought all old people who
didn't have any hel+fwas supposed to get that pension. I
ain't got but thataMte boy who is serving time. If he was
here he wouldn't be no account to me for he's got T.B. He
stayed over here in the County Hospital a long tome and is
in the Hospital now. I don't see what the law wants with
a man laying up in the Hospital.
"I got enough to live on--Ihave been advised to give
my farm and everything away so I could draw the old age
pension. If I was to do that I would be crazy —I'd wake up
some morning and find myself in the asyllha.
"I get pretty lonesome living here by my self. I wouldn't
never turn nobody out if they wanted to stay here. I've
been saving up some money to get a lawyer for Jim--/ do
without a daily paper and everytning else I don't have to
have, he's the only person I nave to care for and I hate
to see him lay in a Penitentary hospital if a little money
can get him out. I offered him two hundred dollars when he
first got in trouble but he wouldn't have it. I only hope
he nas learned his lesson. I'll never nag at him if he lives
to come back home.
"I guess I'm better off without a wife. If she had
stayed with ms, she probably would have kept ms from
.4.
accumulating anything for my old age --as it is, I'll not
have to be buried by the County, even if I am a Republican.