Document text
Approximately 3,000 words
74 B
TITLE&
SOUTH CAROLTWA WRITERS' PROJECT
LIFE HISTORY
AIN'T IT SO, CURRIE?
Date of First Writing
Name of Person Interviewed
Fictitious Name
Street Address
Place
Occupation
J ame of Writer
Name of Reviser
February 6, 1939
John William Prosser (white)
Don Powers
304 Wilson Street
Olympia Hill, Columbia, S.C.
Textile Worker
Matti° T. Jones
State Office
"Yes, ma'am, this is Don Powers. Clad you come. Corriess round
here soneWhers. Let's go in the house and set by the fire. It's pretty
chilly out this mernini, though I/Ut warmed up all right with chopping this
wood. Corrie says I never let a little work interfere with a chance to
run ny tongue. Yes, ma'am, them two boys in the truck belong to us. We've
just got ten, and one dead. No and Corns has had it pretty tough, some-
times, but we're gettin" along fine now.
"We'll go right through the kitchen, if you don' mind. This bedroom
2.
is where Corris stays met all the time. Coml.., this is the lady our
preacher told us about* You help me to tell things straight, for I
oan't reeollect thing. like I use to oould& you know.
"Here's a letter what come in the mail this morning and it's
shore a fins letter& too," Mr* Powers continued, as he reached for a
letter on the mantelpiece. "Come from my nephew way out in Texas. This
one never had no check in it; but he has tent me letters that had checks
in 'em. About four months ago it's been four& ain't it, Comic? si Jim
sent me money enough to pay quay out there, and I went and stayed two
weeks with them. On account o' my health, you know. I vIns sick twelve
months or more and didn't have no recovery uCh. My old teeth was just
ruinin, no with poison& and as the only one to work. So he sent word for
no to come out to Aearilla, Texas that's where Jim lives and he would
have every last one of them pulled out and pay all the bills. I vent, and
he was as good as his word. And I'm a-gel:tin' better fast now. Can hit it
ten hours a day, and I calls that pretty Eood for an old man like me.
"14 ain't been in Columbia but ten years. Ain't it been ten, Cornier'
NO, Don, it's been a little over twelve years. You remember
nothin's Don. 14 come to Columbia in Novombers 192G."
*we was both raised in Florence County," Mr. Powers continued. "My
father and mother lived around Pamplioo and Lake City all their lives. My
father was a blacksmith. He never owned a thing in his life but a trade.
Now my mother did have seventy-nine acres of nothint but woods, but she lost
that in 1900. They give a mortgage on it and lost it, you know.
"She died January 310 1904, with pneumonia. My father married again
in six months, and my stepmother didn't got on well with we four boys. I
was the baby, and she liked me better than she did the other
They run away from home not long, after she came there. When my father
died1 five years after that. I had to take his place the best I could
and keep her up.
"None of us children eot no education hardly. T reeor went
school twe years in all. I'd go a couple of weeks, and then I'd hreve
stop to help in the shop. You see, I learnt the bleeeemite. trade, too.
But 1nanaoad to et in the third credo."
"And I never got out of the second grade myself,"
ere.
jeuxere added,
as her husband. replenished the fire. "I went to Postone to school five or
six years and knowyd everythine in them second grade bookr the time I
was thirteen. But we never had no money to buy them new third grade books
with, and I never did get to eo none in the third -rade."
"First time I ever seen her was at Kinr barr.,"
1-owors rejoined.
"She was ten years old, and I VMS sorter playin.ewite her. I toll her then
I wanted her to come live with me soon as she f little older. But her
daddy sent me word he'd meet me at the crossroad some dee' if I didn't stop
my foolishness; so I got scared to go back over there."
"It was a good thing you got scared. toi, Doi, toaase rk: daddy always
done what he said he was gonna do. It was thres eears beore we net
He come over hone one Sundae- evenin', but I kept hid in the rool2 fracLi La.
I didn't have no pretty clothes to put on, and I was 'ehae
OUt.
That was in the fall. Christmas day come, and somebod;tT had traded Pa a hen
f:rr a 7unny. And wo coa,„:
hen for dirrie:. sLor ai ne purled tne
pally and I ot the luc4 piece. I p4L it over the fn;nt door, and
that nicht in come Don right in tha'c, door. Then he kept co:Lni every 6uhday
4.
till narch, when we got married."
"I was twenty..two and she was fifteen," Ur. Powers said. "I got 'or
young so I could raise ler to my notion. And it wasn't so very hard to
get 'or, neither. I just told 'or, '1 Lot a mule and a bugn-n, and I
a good place to carry you to. Won't be so much work for you to do, neither.
7Ay nother and my auntie are both paralyzed, but ne. can use one hand and one
foot all ri6ht."
"And I told 'in I'd try it for a while," nrs. Powers rejoined. "so
the eighth of March, 114, me and 'ii got married at my house. Had a big
supper, too. Wasn't nobody hardly invited, but the house was full, and
the yard was full. Yes, ma'am, all stayed for supper, and all the men got
drank."
"And I got drunk, too," 4. Powers interrupted. "Her brother nive
me the whiskey. Course I had took a drink before, but I never had drinked
to a aabit. And I ain't never been drunk since. I've took some drinks,
though, lots o' times.
"That night Ass Collins and niss Turboyville fixed up a room all nice
for us. ihey told Gorrie, Inourse he's ,ot sense enough to stay out till
you've got in the bed.' And I stayed out, too. Next mornin' we stayed in
bed till ne sAn was mi.7 an and comini in at tae window. Currie wasn't
use to cookin' breakfast scept by lamplight, and she said it seemed so
strange to her to be a-cookin' breakfast and the sun a-shinin' in at the
window.
"We was Lettinl along all right. i was workinl with a blacksmith
and makin' three dollars a day. Well, sir, in August we was burnt out,
our clothes and everything. never saved a thi hardly. Caught from the
5.
fire in the stove while we was cookin' dinner. We did ret a an' Aant
Sallie out before the roof fell in. We never had notnin' left to move
but two beds, a stove, and a few chairs. So we carried tnem over to a
railroad shanty, and I done track work for tIle years, at a dollar and a
quarter a day. Then we moved to a far. And 1;:len Lhe roc* Gone,
in 1516, it washed all our crops away, and we had n_rtaih' left arain.
"We moved thirteen times in twelve -lont_s, _aia' fran one place to
another. our first baby was Uorned in 1,,17. .hat &MAO :Teur motner and
Aunt Sallie both died, and I'm telling you, we had a time.
"The World -her was goinl on then, and I was snbpoenaed. i listened
for the call every day, but it never come oerore zne
armistice was sned
up and our boys begin to come back home. The next year wasn't it the
next year, Corrie? we moved to tie irown place.
a rood price then, and we had a horse and
--,,:y and a 00171,
.was orinLin'
.1:hat ycar
planted two and three-quarters acres of tobacco, and cleared I
bought as another black -speckled caw and a hor2:::, old Paid -_)13-[J for
the caw and 200 for the horse. iiAt I :.antca t do so
moved to another farm and lost abo:it ever:thli: a ain. It was a 'rot yoar,
and tobacco crt all scalded out in the fiold. ;culdn't soli it at no price.
41,LA was gone, and me with a wife, two c lidren, and two or nv wire's
nephews to feed. Wo had to. nese
they didn't have nawheres else to
c
lrtaq3C
•e,r Aother diet and
"Then I figured we could do better at a cotton ail1, so we noved to
Darlincton, South Carolina. t a job that paid ten cents an hour, and,
the boys picked up a little work evert; now and stain. Jut ess I had
the movin' habit by that tine, and we lw',*ed from one place to another.
Weld sharecrop for a while, and then we'd rent. I'd work at a ommill,
and then blacksmith acain, till we settled down and cone tc, Gclulabia,
net year was that, Cornier'
"I've just told you Don, it TORS the last of November, And
we've moved three times since we cone here. And every tire we've had three
rooms. to live in.
"Susie, the baby's waked up. BrinG its 6et-',Ae
efin, as it's
ready." As she took the baby from the cradle, impr-,visec'. out ot a dry Lo -,de
box and some rough boards, she continued;
11,.;
have to '-araa—i.on milk
4
for her. She's little, but she's been well all al:. .ac
but six pounds when she cone. You see i wasn't well and had
the
hospital this time. aly health was poor, and 1 had sue !1 a oad tine with
GeorEe. I didn't have no itention like oujlt
to've had.
and a hair ago. So the doctor at the clinic: said I'd bet
pital. I Lot alone all nit this tine, but
've ,Lo
tits a year
baeiz u arch.
"Doctor told her she mustn't have any more 'babies before she had this
one," :ix'. Powers said. "The told her t
feet ix liarch, but I ain't sure wc'll got
her. If she wants ti co, she can. But
come
ler
r
zle hocpit.l c t -at of-
lea.7ihii. up to
IOtOel-eve in fO
birth control and nothin' like that myself. t
and i'm one who believes in what the te c eL and nethin eie..
"Self-control in the .7'Lble' 'iell, ,-be is there,but the Lord
said for Adam to Go and replenie the eart. 2hat' what he said, replen-
ish the earth. And he told Abraham he'd Auk° has seed LLke the sands uf
the sea. And, to my way of thinkih', that aoi't birth control. 'ci like
to cc back to them i;ood old da:ysdon't like these hi;:;.:'a.1utiuT
notions they're puttin' in the heads of women those dayo. Course
leavin' it up to her. She can eo have the operation are, a she wants
to, and I won't object."
"it's the exnense of it that thininl Ire. 'ever:3 re-
jeimed. "'xc owe for this other one and can't ea7,e what lie 71-"X• ThC7 only
char:zed ;13.60 for ever,:tini--. And we pay two dollars a weeL an it. The
doctor hasn't sent no ill yet. eoodness knows how mtwit that rfll
"I don't see Were ,roe don't 0 -17.-solfs" Susie replied. C.)84,7 t
70,07e :ot four ifiblez.: now. Lnd
goodness knows l'ee washed clothes and mused till T'm tteelt fed
ur on it. That's all I've done since I was enotv. _ to holi one on
lap. I want to ro back to school now so bad i can taste it but there's
no chance for it. I went pret'T rol7alar till NUS J.11. the s rade..
Then I couldn't Let clothes that were Jecel:t and the looked clirthin like
the ones the other ,;irls wore. E.nd I wouldn't
100kine et.)
ti
"There ain't row 0 our children cone oet o' the sixti erade," the
father comeented. "e couldn't ler! books
e.you, mow.
There, Susan, ret that cLild oefore he .f'elisl" the father ,eelled
ly. "Chan;e his clothes a
S 'bottle
dStJ.IA.lkt,
eiLeGelate milk or somc
tiI:_ r him to eat. Lhut hismeeth somehow. tiro:o- :ica
bawl. We lost on Oour oaleies once, an(1 T&1C triei
of these last ones."
"T've tried and triej
ee a Jo Susie sa
with the chocolate milk,
cc.. 1
Let neae,
eeter care
ie ret7.1rned
I de omith's laendry he'd what Reirds in he ot;ler idoo-
week
house. Ke pays fifty cents for tnat, bet it don' far. hercie a eoed
6
school I've heard about. Yee% believe it is called Opportunity Oehool.
And I've been wanting to go to it every since i heard about it, but
oan't get enough money to do anything.
"Just costs 420 for the month. igm goin,-, to see liss Gray tomorrau
Maybe she can tell me haw I can make some money. 011 du anythin6 to ot
to go to that school I've heard so MUCh about. oldest brother has a
job learning to weave in the mill now, and he makes fi a iffeetZ. soon
as he learns, he'll maks 012.00 but he fell out with Papa and left home,
so I know he won't give me anything on it. he wanted to go to the shows
and stay out nights like other boys do, and ?ape wouldn't let him do it.,
He's staying with :rs. Luropes, helping her and driving her car for her.
She's a widow, you see, and needs somebody.
"Do I like to go to picture shows Y I reckon I do but Papa won't
let me go, if he knows it. 1A4 have to slip and go. 1 got my pici;ure took
in that contest the State Theaer put on once. And if i had been at the
show when it come on the screen, I'd have got ,iJ6Z. bu I couldngt co, and
so I missed getting the money."
"1-io, sir, i don't believe in picture snuw. And I don believe in
having no pictures on the wails either, gcept these pictures of Jesus and
Bible pictures like you see here. i believe in holiness and true religious-
ness myself. It's true i don't belon6 to no church now, me nor my wile.
But we use to belong to the fentecostal Tabernacle.
Ivo oelieve in laaerser
baptism and trusting iiod to a great extent. ut i got disappointed in
churches and quit gem all. I held mission work papers, licenses, you under-
stand, for eight years, but I quit it all six months ago. Sometimes I walked
fifteen miles out to a church to preach to people and try to get gem saved,
and I never got a cent for it, neither. 1 organized three mission churches,
but they didn't follow it up. I even quit smekinl cii-;arettes once,
and IT: wife quit dippin' snuff. but we've both gone back to it now."
"I'll just tell you the whole truth and be done with it," Owers
continued, as he reached a cigarette from the mantelpieoe and lionted it.
"I was all down and out on account o' my health, and 1 lost my nind cwa-
pletely. Couldn't hold myself together. had so muCh worry, 1 just couldn't
stan' the pressure. 6o I st*rtod amokint again to help ne steady myself.
I left home one day. Just walked out to leave it all and stay gone. ou
thowht I was cone for good, too, didn't you, corrle?"
"Naw, you had been dein' it so much 1 knowed you'd com 3n back
"Well, I shore didn't mean to come back that t.ine. I walked eight
miles out in the country and stopped at a friend's nouse to spe' the night.
I told him I'd never go back nome again. .$.t that nioht abooi- 11 o'clock
IL got so sick I thought I was gonna die shore enough. IL latu there EQW.
floured I had a bed back hone and had it paid -2or. o IL called John and
said, 'John get up. I'm gonna die, and -I want to die in my own bed that
I paid for. I want you to take me home.' And he did* but didn't d e.
Soon as 1 got in my awn bed, I felt better,
"I guess you noticed my truck in the back yard. fwo years a;ci
paid 'e-30 for a strip -dawn Chevrolet. Then 1 decided te put a body on it
and try to sell some wood. I can buy wood for fifty eehts a load. And
when I out it up, I get 0..50 a load. 1 ,.et .;.wo loads a week, and the 3.00
helps out. I make 1.6.50 a week in the mill at ;1.•anby, ranain' super draft
slubbers.
n'tie've had a big trip to Georetown in 7, truck," rs. owers recalled,
her blue eyes oleamiho with pleasure as she related tne "Ie covered the
10.
treck with a canvas cloth, piled all tele ishildree i., el went to visit
iv thirteen sisters and brothers who live in the eountr,ei around eoorgetown.
It's the only -lace-et-el trip we ever had. Jne of 1-fiy sisters, 1..lar2.7 Lou, had
a fist :ery for s one overlie'. rother-in-law toec on and the eoye
oet in his boat, and they eaeeht the fish out 0' the /*leer. he; broaeht
home three dishpanfals. i never seen se male; fish in all me life.
we eat 'cm every one. Fried ritht out in the weede, with all th
pretty moss haneint on the ._;rees, and the boats a-ex:lin' riGht up ,v.) the
back of the houses. I eras the prettiest eight ever did see. A had
such a good time we stayed tips weeks. Th.e jj.j was shut down, and eon
could stay all reehe.
"The children all behaved beer while we wee Lone. :vele whee we come
bace home. They aggrava-bo he nearly to death eoiletimos.
to cen. We ain't 00t nary one te spare.
nje:y 'tending
Jae wt're all 'nein arid sat-
lioee of ue ale't eelee eor erei et v bee:.jney lorr ovm
ehoueh."
ain'e never 'eeee W:eire 7C iit eeeo OtzL in the :..j12.L'i0 o eat
-jet one tie." her i'l..4:;1)Wid paid :Ler erecere bll elle eatur-
day evenin' and cent order fur my week upple. Zee clt.. aever sent
2s a tin. I yes settin' ie ehe serie6 on ere front puroh here, and a man
wae pe.ssint on tile sidzwalk.
on a.) lap. a sae- no way, 40 Zie illadc a way. The ravens fea old
mar. 'Lijah, you laiow.
he,costs too much" and reezes 'em eat up oc meek
rations every kind of fruit you can LeDntion, eeristertas, but I
ean 't 0*era mere -eru it eg.i.kes cm eat too :such."
come in. lead Veen he left„ he laid u.
11
fruit sure made ne eat more and made ne enjoy my ttios more,
too,' eusie pu in. 'I tuld I felt 'oeti;er veiten eat that fruit than
I have all year. i WiS:i we Uid i1C.VE just one apple or ono crang:]e apieve
ever; da-,
4 we tried a -oudL one tiAe after went
O'Aze4
t 1.leil vre
:just -.;r:„ to strete::. our .i,v)e,.; 2ar a it'
hue to dc Te.,thout. ct t. tU store _or a 1Z on.. sae::
yotterday, and i tAe the storekeeper uend ii a dile apor ,:me if he had
any. Twelve pounds doll
nowlicres wib'- all these uths to feed.
iJat I re.ter live here where we our money biain to live io the ouuntry•
We didn't have nuhe atall when we farned."
"Ihey fuss ai.; ue all the ino,' r. Towers sail, "u' I. saved .ebe
before Chrietmas. :ever boa6nt a th ire -orrie
ten dollars and Lusie ive, ahL1 then 4 oeuLnt .ueks an sh C.: for all the
I set em all up to new
s• Yes,
When i eene from .e:as, I leet mu sui.eae
GOLliA:.iij P-- d no '2L for
aL:
leo-idner
I shore set len up.
lothes he
or what
"oosevelt's tried Le -is eacier f.r he ain't helped
d t rco:f.un. ote:
T
V'JA;811
lie7L IL 'euelatioh' with folLs Inu'o aroun-Lne pull. ..hat kind
trash dun t suit me. )en) t lother6e, neither.
"These flowers here in the yard are nli r• 4ewere eald•
"The tdrnip sallet 'Oelork;s to torrie. .Lt's little, Irut she picked a mess
yesterday. I ,et the rose -sushes efi the stree.ts. i;hwaever see a woman
has throwed aws- cdttia's, ap and tick 'en out here in our
124
yard. They always Grow, too. Ain't it so, Corrie? This ono right hore
by the steps is the prettiest red one in the summertime. These pansy
plants was give to me. Ain't they gonna be pretty when they start bloomint
&Ionic the walk?"