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TTI'LE:
SOUTH CAROLINA WRITERS' PROJECT
Likt HISTORY
THE KELLYS ON WILLIAMS STREET
Date of First Writing January 4, 1939
Name of rerson Interviewed The Reverend Charles
M. Kelly (white)
Fictitious Name None
Street Address 305 Williams Street
Place Columbia, S. C.
Occupation Preacher
Name of Writer Mattis T. Jones
Name of Reviser State Office
Reverend Charles Aelly, pastor of the Nazarene Church (Holiness),
was out in his back yard feeding the chickens.
"We like to keep chickens," he said, "like to have one to eat when-
ever we want it. These bantams are mostly pets for the children, but they
aren't such a bad investment after all. Three of their eggs equal two of
the hens' eggs in weight, and they lay practically every day of the year.
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Those guineas in the coop over there are waiting for the fence l'm planning
to build 'round the yard. I'm going to turn 'em out and raise guineas,
too. We eat a lot of eggs at our house."
The tall, red-haired minister put the chicken feed away and walked to
the house, a four -room annex to the Nazarene Church. Both buildings are
of wood, the unpainted boards of the ch-Arch ara vartioal; those of the house,
horizontal.
"Come right in," Mrs. 1elly said, "we're glad to have you. No in-
trusion at all. The latchkey always hangs on the outside at our house. Well,
I believe it's the first parsonage I've ever seen joined on to the church
like this, but we like it. Makes us have lots of company, especially on
5undays. It's so convenient for folks to slip through this door from the
church. It's all a temporary arrangement, of course. We built our house in
a week. Did it last summer when the mill operatives had a vacation. we
hired one carpenter, as foreman, and the rest of the work was donated. Just
cost us $300, but we expect to make lots of improvements along."
The door opened and two little boys in pink and blue pajamas came run-
ning into the room.
"Mummee, look at tattoo! Daddy, tattoo, tattoo! they shouted, show-
ing marks of red and blue ink on their wrists.
"Always into something. Charles, please see if they turned over the
ink bottles,"the mother said, as she changed their sleeping clothes to over-
alls. We let the boys sleep as late as they want to, and they've just got-
ten up. We're all sort of resting from the Christmas holidays. Haven t
even gotten the house straight this morning.
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"Yes, they are both well and strong. But they should be; they drink
about a gallon of milk a day. We have a cow now. But, even before we got
her, we sometimes bought as much as seven quarts of milk a day. We believe
in giving the children plenty of wholesome food fresh fruits and vegetables,
cereals and eggs. We try to keep fresh fruit in the house all the time;
they like it. And both are crazy about spinach. Popeye is responsible for
that, I think. Somebody has to read the funnies to then as soon as the
Record gets in the house. The oldest boy, Charles Wesley, is in the second
grade now, and he can read a little to them. At least, they all enjoy look-
ing at the pictures together."
"They get their blue eyes from my grandparents, I guess," said Mr.
Kelly. "They all had blue eyes. On both sides of the house my grandparents
were tenant farmers, from Lexington and Richland Counties. When my Grand-
father Kelly died, my grandmother married John Fiaschal, the father of John
Paschal who is practicing law here now. There was a big family of children
thirteen in all. My grandmother had four; Mt. Paschal had five; and together
they had four. Making ends meet was a problem with them, as you might
imagine, with that many hungry mouths to feed. So they decided it would be
easier to make a living at the mill, and they moved here to Olympia Hill.
"That was possibly not such a bad step to take, since they didn't get
much cash money from the farm in those days. None of the thirteen children
had much chance at an education. My father was put to work in the mill when
he was just a boy; first as a spinner, then as a weaver, and finally as a
loom fixer. He worked for 4;7.5 a week for about fifteen years. He married
my mother, who also worked in the mill. They were both young. Children
came to the home all along; out they managed somehow to save a little.
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Finally, my father decided to put his small savings in the grocery store
business. He and Ben Davis were partners and ran two stores. Made money,
too. Some weeks their sales ran between $1,200 and $1,500.
"The one thing my parents wanted was a home of their own. So, as soon
as they saved $3,000, they decided to invest it in a home on Heyward Street.
'Tether was simply crazy about hunting. One fall he and Ben Davis were
shooting doves on the State Farm. The dog sensed danger. The men rushed to
the spot. A rattlesnake coiled and was ready to strike. In the excitement
of killing it, my father was accidentally shot by Mr. Davis. Before a doctor
could reach him, he died. Mother was left a widow with eight little children.
It was an awful struggle for her to hold things together. But she managed
to get along for several years. Then she married Sam Hawkins, who was work—
ing in the quarry. Finally, she lost everything she had but her home.
"I was born while they were living at the mill, but they moved to their
home when I was five years old. School didn't interest me much, so when I
was fifteen, and in the ninth grade, I went to work in my mother's store.
She paid me t10 a week and my board. In two years, when I was seventeen, I
married Mamie Barber. She was fifteen. But she °nil lived three months.
She had a ruptured appendix and died with peritonitis.
"There was a Home Store right across the street from ours, and the
cashier was a pretty little brunette, capable as she could be. So after I
had lived alone nearly two years, I persuaded her to try living with me.
One Monday morning we slipped over to the Methodist parsonage, and R. C.
Griffeth, the pastor, tied the knot for us."
"You mean, Carl, we thought we slipped away. we hadn't gotten on the
porch good till here they came thir overalls and print dresses right
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out of the mill. Must have been thirty or forty of 'em. And they carried us
high, too. I reckon we should have had something out of the ordinary; we
didn't have a wedding and didn't take a trip."
"Well, we both got off from work for a few days, anyway. To tell the
truth, I didn't have enough money for a trip. I was making only fifteen
dollars a week, and I couldn't make myself believe two of us could live as
cheaply as one.
'After our little vacation, we went to board with Mother and paid her
eleven dollars a week. We boarded a few months and then we started house-
keeping. we bought our furniture on the installment plan. Then doctors'
bills and hospital bills took all we had saved, and more.
"By that time I began to feel my lack of education; so I decided to try
a year at Textile Industrial Institute. You know about the T.I.I., I guess.
How you make your expenses as you go, working two weeks and studying two.
4e didn't stay there long, however, because there were no convenient apartments
for married couples with children. So we came home with no money and no job.
But I soon had a job in a Home Store and a raise of salary. I got 4125 this
time.
"I had been a pretty rough fellow. I did about what the other boys were
doing, and a few of the extras. But the first year Mr. Griffeth was sent to
our church, I was converted. Then I became enthusiastic about church work.
I knew less than nothing about the Bible, but I took a mrn's Bible class to
teach. Very few men were coming to Sunday School; but it wasn't long till
we had 200 men on roll. One year we had the second largest class of men in
Columbia. I tell you I had to do some studying to keep ahead 0 those rascals.
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I soon felt a call to preach. b.vangelistic work appealed to me. With a
partner, I tried independent evangelistic work at two different times. But
our tent was destoryed both times by storms, and we finally gave it up. But
we made a very good living while we were doing it, about twenty-five dollars
apiece a week.
"During these years, I preached for the Negroes occasionally, and I re-
call one experience I had. I arrived at the church about 11 o'clock, by
appointment, and by 2 or 3 o clock the crowd had assembled. The pastor
announced that they would take an offering of two or three dollars, which
they must have that day. He called for the members to walk right up and put
their offerings on the table. Then the brethren passed the plates frying
pans, covered with colored paper and attached to the ends of broom handles.
Still there wasn't enough. They lacked seventy-six cents. The preacher
announced that the choir would sing till the amount was contributed. whoever
wantedto make an offering would kindly raise his hand, and he would go to him
and reciave the gift. The choir began to sing, but the response was disappoint-
ing. Finally, the pastor announced, 'Big Six is in his pocket,' and he looked
in the direction where Big Six was sitting. He walked hopefully towards Big
Six and received his offering. 'The choir will continue to sing; we don't lack
but seventy-five cents now.'
"But back to my story: I felt I had to do something to help support my
family; so about that time, I borrowed 4850 and bought a grocery store of my
awn. I worked in the store and pastored this church for four years. But a
pastor should give his whole time to his church work, I think, and I'm doing
that now. This church grew out of a whaley Street revival. In these five
years, we've grown from twenty -ono memJers to eighty-five. And that means
eighty—five; for, if a member fails to attend church in six months, we drop
his name. The building was at first an open shed with a sawdust floor.
Gradually, we added to it until we made a right respectable house of worship,
we think. We've got 1,000 invested in it now. The land isn't ours. We just
leased it for ten years, and I don't know what will happen. I do know we're
planning to build us a new brick church and parsonage somewhere real soon.
This parsonage is fairly comfortable. It has water on the back porch, and
the fixtures are bought for sewerage and a bath. But the plummer just hasn't
.had time to put them in. When we have these conveniences, we'll have a lot
more time to give to our work."
"Bruce, gime that ball:" exclaimed Jimmie.
"1 ain't gointer do it. It's my ball."
"ain't no such a thing. It's mine. Daddy, meke Bruce gime that ball."
By this time the boys were engaging in a fiatieuff, and the father had
to settle the quarrel. As he took Druce on his lap and dried his tears, he
said, 'Very often I lead Bruce's evening prayer with him, and we close with
this petition, 'And don't let me jump on Jimmie any more.' He repeats it
seriously and then adds, as he looks up, 'But I will jump on him whenever he
bothers me.'
"Charles Wesley doesn't have much fighting spirit in him," Mrs. Kelly
added. "He likes to get out with his slingshot. When he came in yesterday,
I asked him how many birds he had killed. His answer was, 'None. How you
'spect re to kill them birds? They run faster than the rock every time."
"That fighting spirit in Bruce must have been picked up from his German
ancestors, somewhere," was Mr. Kelly's comment. "Savors of Hitlerisn,
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doesn't it? I declare this war situation is getting tense. Looks like
Uncle Sam will have to walk in over there again.
I'm opposed to war myself;
even opposed to spending billions of dollars in armaments, while millions
of people are hungry. But I'm truly glad I don't have the responsibility
of saying what we shall do."
"Tell, Carl, how would you solve the problem of having so many people
in the world; how would you feed and clothe 'em all?" Mrs. telly asked.
"No birth control and no wars. Looks to me like we'll have to have one or
the other. To save my life, i can't think it's right to bring little child-
ren into the world when you can't take care of them like you should. If
you can't give children a decent living or an education and proper food, I
think you'd better not have 'em. vie see pitiful demonstrations of this
sort of thing all around us every day. I don't think it's a bit of harm to
prevent their coming, but I don't believe in destroying life. what you can't
give you shouldn't take away."
'he's getting to be quite a modernist, isn't she?" Mr. Kelly suggested.
"Jell, for pity sake, Florence, be careful how you talk about birth control
in these diggings. 4hatever you do, don't let Sister Baker hear you say
those things. qe would probably be run out o' town over night. -Jell, that's
a bit of pleasantry, of course. I try not to be too serious. I have friends
who tell me I'm inclined to be a kill-joy in my religion and to take life
too seriously. There's more danger of my getting an inferiority complex,
I'm afraid. It's the one regret of my life that I stopped echo(); when I
did. One lesson my dad taught me has helped me lots, and that is to con-
centrate on what I'm doing. The kids can romp and play all they want to,
and Florence can talk a blue streak about the neighbor's chickens destroying
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her flowers; but I don't hear a word of it.
"I know I can never be a successful preacher without more training, and
I do want to climb. All our churches demand en educated ministry now. I've
takeu a correspondence course under the general board, and I'm taking a
a course now at the Columbia Bible College. This fall I'm planning to drop
everything and go to Nashville to study, even if I have to go in debt for
our expenses. ae'll rent an apartment and all go."
"I want to take a course in church methods myself," Mrs. helly added.
"I'm particularly interested in young people. Then I need some child
psychology mighty bad. Every day problems come up with our boys, and I
can't meet them. I am terribly handicapped in every way."
kcar came up in the yard, and a guest walked in.
"Hello, everybody! I'm sure glad to be home
again," Mrs. Baker said,
as she seated herself in a comfortable rocking chair. "I reckon everybody's
missed my gas since 1-„ve been gone. Haven't been to town in more 'n a week,
not since two days before-hristmas. Evelyn and me went over to Georgia to
spend Christmas elith my sister. ae had a mighty good time, too, and the
best things to eat. I came a littieearly today. Feel just like gossiping a
little, end then I wanted to see you cindlrann!? before I go to work. It's
an awful grind, this working in the mill every. day. Sometimes I'm tempted
to quit and stay at hon. 7:velyn needs me. ReckOn if it wasn't for that
check coming in every month, I'd have quit long ago. Mrs. Kelly, do you know
if Granny's,feet are any better? Poor old Granny. She Ries }lore a time."
"Gee': it's cold outside. And here I an with this voile dress on and
this one slip. If it was a steaming hot day in August, I d have on v,heavy
print dress, two slips, a big canvas apron, and a sweater.
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"'You al] hear about Herbert ritchum? Yestm, the old man. They
say he's got double pneumonic in both lun-s, end he's too sick to be carried
to the hospital.
Just got sick yesterday, too.
"?eople don t wear enough clothes to keep 'em well these days. Did you
ever see an: thing to beet these short dresses the little girls wear these
times? Honestly, they come up to their little bumruses. The skirt's no
more than a frill below their sweater. And Evelyn's is shorter than any-
body elses. Yo wonder they have to put powder and rouge on their faces be-
fore they're twelve years old. You can leave an old automol_ile a settle'
out in the rain and weather and don't pay no attention to it and first thing
you know it'll be all faded out and have to be painted over.
"I'm in the worst humor today. I reckon you all wieh I had stayed in
Georgia. jender what does make me so cross?
"Lord a mercy! Did you see that hat. Miss Moore had on at prayer meetin.
last night? That feather was two feet long- and sticking straight up behind.
The funniest looking thing I ever seen. I laughed right in her face when I
spoke to her. I bet if I d take that stuffed squirrel of Granny's hanging
up on her wall and put it round my hat with the tail hanging down behind,
every woman on this hill would put a squirrel on her hat, too. Ain't foils
funny 'bout things like that?"
4ithout waiting for a reply to her question, she continued to talk,
chewing her gum and rocking back and forth in her chair.
"What you think about riss 3mith dying and they wouldn't have no doctor?
I don't believe in no craziness like some folks do. I believe in holiness,
but I believe in the right kind of holiness myself. The Bible says, 'Follow
peace with al] men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.'
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All this sanctification, divine healing, speaking in tongues, and such non-
sense. .'hew, it's bosh to me. Lost people wag their tongues too much anyway.
"Did you all hear Roosevelt's speech? I didn't, and I won't hear the
next one neither. I don't like Roosevelt myself. Got no patience with him.
I'm working hard as I ever did and ain't gettin:, a cent more for it. If
I'm gonna starve, I'll just kick my feet up on a dry -goods box, get me a good
book to read, and sit right there and starve. I don't want Roosevelt nor
anybody else givin' nothing to me. No sir -reef
°my light bill come in today, and it's too much. I declare I ain't
gonna pay that much for lights and live in the country, too. move to
town first. But, shucks, I'm in an awful mood today. Got to try to feel
better before I go to work or I'll lose my job. I must have eaten too much
in Georgia, eh?
"And there's that old car. I'll be glad when it's paid for. I ain't
never gonna buy another one, 'less I've got the spot cash to pay for it with
the day I get it. I'll walk first. This thing of having to plank out your
money for a good-for-nothin' old car every time a chock comes in don t suit
me a -tall.
"You say you'd like to write my life story? 4ell, by George, it would
be one worth reading. Full of tragedy, comedy, and romance. But geewhiz,
I wouldn't tell nobody my life story for a tnousand dollars. I come from
Georgia, and some of them fellers I went back on over there would spot me
sure. No, m'am, couldn't tell my life story.
'Don't Hu. -11 .ilater know he can't get no crowd over here today? Young
peorle's got to work. They can't come to no meetin' Friday afternoon.
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I can't lose the time myself. he oughter know he couldn't have no young
people's meetin' except on ziaturday night. And delegates are comin' here
from viinnsborc and Eaetover and everywhere. It's a plumb shame. But lemme
go before I bless somebody else out or start something else up. Yes, gimme
an apple. I'll need it for lunch before twelve o'clock tonight.
"I'm glad to have seen you folks end sorry life been so hateful today.
Evelyn's coming from school by here for the meeting. And I believe I'll
just leeve my car here till I start to the mill. Good -by. You all come to
see me. Going to see Granny now."
"Well, that's that," said Lar. keily, with a hearty chuckle, and he took
up his story again.
"We find it a little hard to live on our salary of twenty dollars a week
and keep everything going. But I do some extra preaching along, and average
holding eight revivals in a year. I get about twenty-five dollars a week
for that, work. This helps us meet the bills. de have a new car. But the
members made a down payment of eighty dollars, and they pay five dollars a
week on it. So that's not costing me much. A car is a necessity with me.
I have to do more visiting than I really would like to do, since i need so
much time for study. But, after all, the personal contect counts a lot,
i know.
"I'm due to take a patient to the Columbia Hospital at 12 o'clock,"
he said as he looked at his watch. "Florence can finish the story. But I
have a little time yet and will tell you about an experience I had last spring.
Our church is not fanatical on the subject of Sabbath observance, but so
many grocery stores in Columbia were sending their trucks to back doors on
Sunday morning, delivering a 7eek's supply of groceries, that I decided I'd
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try to put a stop to it. I circulated a petition, and many merchants signed
it, saying that they did not want to do this, but competition had forced them
into it. Several arrests were made when men failed to comply with the order,
but the juries failed to convict. I feel the effort was worth while, even
though we didn't accomplish our purpose.
direction, and the stores were closed for
tered the fight, but some of the brethren
used their influence to help.
"I try to do constructive preaching.
Anyway, it was a start in the right
four Sundays. No other church en
attended the sessions of court and
Sensational preaching don't
appeal to me much. But I fail so often that I feel exactly like the tramp
who dropped into an Episcopal Church one day just as the rector was reading
the confession from the ritual: 'Are have done the things we should not have
done and left undone the things we should have done.' With a sigh of relief,
he said, as he took his seat, 'This is the church I belong to. I'm sure of
it now.'
rhe boys came from the adjoining room, each eating a piece of toast,
and each with a good sprinkling of soot on his clothes and hands. "I
thought they had been too quiet," the father mused.
"You've been in the stove again, haven't you? e11, you're fine boys
just the same, if you do look like pickaninnies. Come tell Daddy good -by."
iihen the boys were sent to the yard to play, Mrs. Kelly said,"I'm
three years older than Charles and the practical member of the family. I've
had to be practical all my life. Father died when I was thirteen years old,
and there were six of us children. He was a tenant farmer. After his death,
my mother bought a home in Kingstree. She slaved day and night to help pay
for it and to keep us children in school. I was sixteen years old when I
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started making my living selling Calumet Baking Powder. And I've had to
do all sorts of things since then. I had a little typing and bookkeeping
in high school, and that helps me, of course."
Near the ster, the one step wl-ich was needed to enter the house, a
large bulldog, white and black spotted, was being pulled about, with two
husky boys clinging to her neck.
"I love Pup. Pup goes wid me everywheres I go. Jimmy, you git off.
Yup's my dog. Git off, I tell you. Me jum on you, Jimmy."
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