Document text
30On CAiOLINA WRITS' PRC.170T
Life /notary
TXTL:*WWII ER".
Data of first writing January 9, 1939.
Name of Parson Intarviewad Bessie Reed (Negro)
Place and Address Carlisle, South Cirolina
Ocoupation Practical Nurse and Cook.
Nitre of Writer Caldwell Sims, Union, S.C.
Nam* of Reviser
Hassle has downy feather beds, white sheets, embroid-
arad shams for her pillows and ambroided spreads or tha two
bads ir her room. War walls are pastad with newspaper pictures
out from *The wismi Tribune* Retogravu* sootior, of screen
Celebrities. Bessie wears drossas of blue denim and large white
aprons with a bow knotted in the back of har plump waist.
Usually a white kerchlaf ,ovars har antire hated and ears. A
singla earring dangles from ore ear.
"I ain't never seeld no toman Idat was' no miller,
but me, and I ain't raver hamord of ro 'Omer runring a water
will. who sed' anything ",out willimenst in Knrlile(larlisle)
rennin' dem'? When de'"Wotior strikes 'em, whit' folks do gitt
del moms' curious ideas in de,' halide. Coate' I is hee'rd way
back yonday de' Latta only doom know war, flat' all dal mills
wait' down or de' rivars. As far' mo. I ain't never footed a.
.2.
round no rivers in so life, kolas' I ain't got no %Ire fur'
no water. Voho over hee'rd of wisrons paddlinl 'round minims
water millS, I she ain't.
When I was' born it was' down on Vt. Liphms Ly Stokes'
place. Ivlyiody Sall dat"Tuokor Town" now. yr. Aughtry Stokes
stays in do' big hoase. Re drape in 'round Xerltle evly
week or se. I sees him myself. V* and Pa had a house on die'
side of "Tucker Town". V* and Pa anus' saidyWarsel Ilaphas.40
But day' won't no slaves. Slaves had done passed. I is 'round
fifty now, soethirl mot or less. ;es' her, resent is nigger.
gittin, plertioler 'bout dey, ages. Den' dot's white „folks
datelereettint dam on to dot'.
eo
Flit wag' to' of us chiamrs' to play 'roan' de'
yard.'Yenber dot' I lAtd three little brothers, I cannot near
Irember all dot' we done, it done been so long and I has been
drug about so mash, 'till my menery done got Shrowed away,
or sun'tir'. Us lived good tho'; I see a hard tine now. Don't
see how ohillans' does these days, day' even has hard livie
now, I ain't get no chillunsA When re and ny throe little
brothers waz' chillube lb, had a fat Nisy tire. All good
white folks took care of the'y hands way back %halt'. wt.
'Liiihuip she to ore of Pa and V* and as too. I ain't so
old, but it rakes me feel old and feeble to dratp my mind
wv back datt fury.
Pa said dot' Pa had it tight 'rid rugged whe” ha farmed
for Pr..11,1phass bat joim *toyed at the big home,* a heap and
when she was not up der', she 'us' in our cabin wid' us. Pa
died when I was royal sall end I never had no educatini, but
if he had lived I would'n'er got none nokow, Miss' riggers
did'n cave no learnint den'. Pa alias' 'lowed dot' all gals
4.341.
had to Teen- WRS h0IN to follw house work, del niggers
stragjes r,w to git their chilluns' in school. As ter, as,
Ah' ain't never vvrried 'bout Mat', and I gits along. jos'
as well as des,' Kerins riggers (1st' went to sohool no rotten
Ah shot car beat len all a-ccokirl and adnurein, del
if,sy de' whit- folks likes. White folks canals* a reeler
nigger, and dat, makes re feel ralal proud of myself.
I lives clean like vs did and I keeps my house
lea' as clear as I does any white,loman's. Dat keeps My
practice up. I washes and starches ry olothes evly yea.
Itvly ft** Vednesday I puts' ry pillows and feather beds out
to air. 'Bout three or fo' tires evly year I takes the tisk-
sobers. offIn my feather beds and ry mattresses and I washes
them. Tlaint rnr'y bed bug in ,ry house, airltAwinel to be
nore der' either. I sets oven dart in ?1st' shair by dolt'
winder' and makes my quilts, puts frills or my curtains and
!broiders (erbroiders) my bed spreads. I likes Olean beds,
widl prety quilts and covern or them. lv'y Sad'doy ORRS
Ins scouri" ry floor oards and white washire ry hearth widl
white rud from to P ring.
Look up der' on them rafters and see ttem star pat
terns ar ther scallop outs. '4hr them pIts' yallerl I
kai fresh pars to make new its Lid'. On Sad'day eveninat
I heate my comb and uses my '?oro'to comb out my hair
straight, fen' det1 rif7t and .handay, 10,er I 'tends Jeter
Chapel. I greases ali through te winter widi mutton tallow
to keep my face and th- skin or my hands smooth. It Athol
is hard to do rid' so much washirl an' sorubblnl. If you
doesInt ke-p cleen and have pretty hands nobody Won't buy
4.
no meal from you.I lives dat' ray from day to day ard I has
done it all sly life I don't let ro dirty,shiftless an trif.
tin' ro*oourt riggers core ir '7 house a.settin"roule on
agp beds and °hairs. I anus bees' sove'tin myself! (Sha throws
bask her head and har ayes flash.) milts tristoeratio higgsrs
here in Kerlile, jes' like its' Iristooratio White folks here
too.
When Pa died, vit sent ra out to rare white folks'
shillunsl. Pa had worked_ferl 14. Miphas, rose/ all his life
or half. vie neve- had ro money no tire. Book Ian', rorey,
never fi-gured in a rigger's life as mush as it dol,n w, kaiael
in de/ furs' placa he rev,r had one; and in the saeord Aso*
his white folks handled all of dem' ratters dot' had to do
mid' money fmr1 him. For' dot' very rasson I cannot tell you
how ruoh Pa got far' his work. Who is dem' whit* folks wants
to know all dat' anyhow? What.' day' core floor? is monly gwine
to drive av'ybody crazy? De' Bible shot say, long as you has
rairent and food you is rio i da' sight of dm' Laud'. nlit
so too, no never has laid no price on nothinl; but folks is
tone ruir't evlything by doir' jas'
No sir, back den' in thm country thm things we needed
was tvided fart us by olr white folks; and de' Lewd' blessed
is all mid' plenty, kaise a way was /vidad widlout money. Now
prise is laid on ev'ything; on del very furs' thing, Tms
Larval All my viotuals (lore from dm' big house den; clothes
some from dart also; a,,d I took scraps and patched and
and made quilts rid' dem'. Back den' country rirrmrs did
well to gi% to town or Christmas and dal Fourth Day. As far'
me I do not sere nothing 'bout pine to town yet. 1Wyi fell
Vt. gLiphus,let P$ go to town in dei nagging and feteh baek-
what us nested. raybe he would give Pa a little reney don',
but not nuoh. I never got ro big sight of money fez' nursing
like tees' young riggers gits now. I was lest give things
like clothes srd good eatire' end all dot' along void' a good
bed and a house and wood to !urn.
V% rade we lASIVA home stein and tidy eve day- If I
got in at right all srearehedup, she oho' digligiv,
a round; ari she never would let we giis ',martens., Visit*.
I oho' can't 'rerber who the fare' white lady I nursed for.
All ry life till I naersd, I nursed vhite folks' dohillunag.
Then 'ore ry turn at nar'red life, that *hanged things, but
I lesrr't then to nurse siek folks. 3inee I ain't nargred
no more I nursed white folks lit' is slake Sumithist lea'
give we a hard to nursing; I don't know what it is; tut -I
shog got deg hard. runaini and 000kin' ferg white folks
has been my way of main' Ilvie all ny life. When I was
a gel and nursed white folks' little chillunag, I had it esey
kale, ev'y tire the ehilluns' get, I get toe. Dtg lady of
the hou7e give we new elethes; when rine got 'frayed. At
night when I never went home, why I jest stayed in deg
"big hottest I never krowed nothing 'bout no ragged tires,
till I played feet ard took a bleak rar to live mid'. If I
had had a mite of s*no* I would a jos' stayed on *id' del
white folks s-nirsin' Dior 0terl; wearin' dey old clothes and
a -satin' dey' rations. Dy vus8 far ,better than ary black
ggr ,v*r fetched to we fror a -y store.
.4.
DAV furs' man I mortised was' black as fiat' oblisney
tag*, over dart. Wayward 1040 wuz' his name. 144 wuz' a full
grown man lots older than I val. U0,4 got martred one Fourth of
July at a big break -down, re had been step:An' out widt us
far' sore tire, bat 1,4 nev-r had been to no frolic together,
till date night. I never left 1,me mid' no airs to git'
red, 'raise I wuz' nursin' de' pru'tties' little white gal a
year and a half old and hml VS win' givirl re three square
seals of victuals a day and nice clothes to wear. But me and
reyward went to (tat' breakdown. in Vr. Oxner's barn; and
oft -r sets yet ard it runs through my mind like die', It shoo
a breakdown far' disl fool nigger.
Dr' right ran on, ard Reywerd kee$ on abrirgint re
sore red leronade date I drunk 'till ry 11ad started gwins'
'round. 'Den FerPrd tvyk me out into the ouvl night air and
rid' re a-ourd a good while in a baggy, tat, ha had done bor-
rowed. We stopped at Vr. iuchtry's hole', and ffeyward may,
*Bessie, I done fetched you here so as lor. Aughtry could mar-
ry .s. I needs a *Omen liki you, asie,and I sho' is gwine
to rake life fine far' you, so you won't have to wear yourself
out a -margin' %hite ohillunsl no moo." I nave r 11,d no rind
fax.' nothin' and afo' knowed it, Vr. Aughtry had done said,
"Now you is man ard vafe." From tat' very minute on my whole
life wuz' esinged. I had'nt nursed two weks at'te- 'ft
Wayward done Foro and told de' white folks dot' he needed re
to work jr his water melon patob, so (ley' soused' me from del
houeen, for tie' rea, of Mat' week.
Margin; 1 got sum'tint like a uarter or fifty cents
now and dens I sould sav, it up if I wanted too. De' entire
varlet knowed, extept me, dial when you meres a block nig-
ger all you gits for' waltirl or and work'!" fer' him,
in hi* crepe, is Jest mot work, till lay-by time. If you don't
keep your very eyes p-eled, %-'11 for' git to let you In den'.
I !ad to cook ter' let' black man, cornbread arid salad,
It' 'ad to go on twice a day ev'y day. Time to gather crops
oore 'round, and he went up t t%e "big house" and 'lowed he
needed me in the field all de' time. I never knowed n,tItal
'boat this till Vistas 'lowed one morninl, 1114,11, Bessie,
Oho' does hate dat' you le msered and can't work for' we
no mol". I told her Inas' gwine or workinl, but she 'lowed,
"Reyward is done axed' fer! you and, Bessie, you know dat'
you is hie wife now, and it is your duty to make your husband
a good wife and help him with his crop." Prom den' on, fee
years, I was' pm, a wages hand, dat' never got no pay, but
mot hard work. Peyward stayed wid' me for 'bout thirty years.
'lowed, I never aid have ro mird fer' rothin' but settin'
*roan' yid' white folks.
l';4!) had dore moved wid' ?gr. Will deter t%en. Plus Paggie
axed' 're to help her yid' her ohillanst a-6 lad done tole'
her I would. Feyward rover liked it, tut 1. laid my foot down
on it, dat' I was not gwinil to be no noel' hard dat' year.
I tole, him dat, all I was' gwirm to do was help nen 'waggle
nurse erd drsse dem' ohilland. I tole' dat' black nigger I
wus' no fiel' hand, but a born nurse. nes waggle had done
said neyward could mat in her kitohen. But dat' nigger
'lowed dat' he won't gwire to -at in Wk.. '0411 Jeher's kitet-
en. I tole' him %e was' crazy, kaism he'd git a heap bettet
there, than he could fetch to our'', fee me to eflak. Pe held
8.
to it I had to fix Mr a mess of victuals at our house evly
m,rnin, and evenino. I never done it tho'
A younp gel of rike Dawkirslabout three shades lirhter
in complexion than I is, started fetebin, Ferhard milk And
oornbretid, afo I could git through wit!' vies agelest chit
buns' and git bore, at night. Some nights wben I was gwined
up tr front walk, I would see her slippinl outtn the bask
way. When I imuld git' in tbe bouse, Reyward would be settint
tbarl wipin' his 'out'. I axed' him over end over wbat be
dc,in'. Fe lowed' ev'y time, flies' lickinl out ry tongue, kaise
I so hungry and tired a-waitiret fel.' you to ccme fete ,7
sup er, and you won't never cook re none, you lazy rigger.
yowl* Da% made me so mad, when he knowed as well as I did,
tat' it wag' me bwo had done got it fixed so dat' he could
eat from dm' white folks' table, de' good rations dati I
alias' feted bin. I mix' livirl bard 'Olen, anyhow, and dent
nev-r had had no ran to 'base Ore right wber I got in
the bousetsbe was leavint•I eked Heyward who dolt' wuz' gwine
out dm' do'? Fe looked up at re real sly and reobl over 4114
pulled re down to bir and low', 'Toney sbol meter been
dreamin kits' I wag' Jos settin, here a.weitint on 51t611
to fete my victuals, and I wants you to (wok me some corn..
bread." Fe had done rubbed his roe' across ry sheek and
I fblt sumItin, on ry roe' and I wiped my roof' ry
bard. Olen I did I s,e'd crurbe on ry bard. Alt' rade me
so !"ad, I jumped offin Fe5mard's lap. I rethedi over and
picked up my ;skillet and lifted it over hie bead and core
down. Fe ducked his bead so quick daz' skillet jell'
grazed his *boulder. Pe bellowed and run outen de' do'.
I hollered back and tole' him if he ever stuok his black
kinky head back in it again, I would kill Isir. So dat's the
way he jes' walked off, dat' night atter' thirty years. Feta
up ir Jonesville new wid' a f'ily and day' all ls tie].'
handle.. I pea' worked or far' "ids 'Aggie* dm' reig o'
year. Livin' wuz' easy at'ter reyward lmf'; but when night
eeme I seemed to have a cravin' for surttint nother, dot'
I never had felt befot.
Jack Sartor 'ad a grist mill and he lived on Jeter/O
place. Jack walked wid' a stick and he Ipkained ml' nit all
the tire livid' de' rheuratizt. I felt sorry Jack, he lIvii
by bialselfl and did'n no body pay him no Ttertion:So one
evonini I tuck' some cake horn wid' me and I made sumo coffee.
Den' I went to Jack's do' and called him and axed' hi'' to stop
over my way. Fe corm atiter dark and set and et fard I never
felt lonesome. 11.,3 kept a -cumin', kaise he liked the things
I fetched him from 'Aggie's kitchen. Fe bragged on re*
and dirt' made re feel good.
Vies Veggie's chillunsl had done got to big to nurse.
For cook Iplaineel all de' time wid' a misery in her side. She
got so she axed' me real ofter to carry thinge or in d'
kitchen fen her. W. dill 'et his breekfast at six o'clock*
neimird what core or what wert. re 'et and I waited .on hir.
Fe wiz' a great tease. Somehow he found out'buut J%ck drappint
in at my house. Fe up and axed' me 'bout dat'. sweat broke
out on me. Fe see'd it and so he jest let in to teasinl me.
Fellow* llessie you is a-baitin' (tat' nigger to marry him".
I 'lowed, NP. Will I ain't river gwine tu !.,arry a black
nigger no no' long as I lives." "r. Will laugh and 'low*
"Well Bessie, I don't see what you gwinel to do ter' rook is
as b4ek as the ase of spades! Uell Jack kept cumin' to
my Ilouse40$004000,01 We got down, so I run his erist mill
ferl him and tusk' him in yid' re so as 1 could wait on hila
good. I nursed him 14 years. All de' niggers got to callint
ma wHosSie Jack*. D,111 be got a gasoline engine to run de'
mill and Pr. Will and nos Whggie moved up in Kerlile.
rt. Will got to stud'ir a lot and settirl or his front
porch all de' time. Ore everin, he are in from del fielf
vid, his shot gun and sot' down on de' front steps to reel.
Fe drapped datl gun betwix' his knees and rested his head on
de'end of the barrel and gulled de' trigger and dot' gun
blowed his brains out.
re and Jaok roved up to 'I.:Anne and fetched the mill
and gasoline engine. I wanted to be rear nes raggie too,
so 1 could help her. burnt kerosene in de' engine when we
Gould ,Laise it wiz' ohmar. Jack died, but I neve- tack' his
name, no ro' dart his furslone. 'Tr r since den' I jes' goes
by "Bessie Jae" Reed.
Then I luit workie fez" riss nite-,gie when she went off
to rorth Carolina. And I moved in rise Ids's /'_'134.1 and lived
by my self again. Tv'y Sadtday and rbnday i run Jack's mill.
Arthur Inglish come to be my toll wan. When the 'pression
core along white fc,lks started to sayin' dat' dey' could et'
meal and Nminy cheaper in Union and all of len had cars to
git' up thar' quick in. riggers got towbar' they didin make
no oorn. Tires 1,uz' already tight and now they got rugged.
I never had nothin' to grind and no toll to sell and I could
rot Ay Viso Ida no rent. She live tip dart in (let' big hotel.
-114'
She knowed I rev -r had no money, to she slow, !Bessie
If you will wash te hotel eh -eta fee me I'll let you live
on in my house?" So I got to doinl up her sheets ev'y other
day. Aunt Sarah wedlook, waz' wise Idale maid and she-feteh.
ad them sheAts to Ale. Aunt Sarah and wiss Ida was' both old.
Aunt Sarah say (1st' she and it Ida had the same birth date,
Aunt .:;arah would wall her Ayes and shake her gold earrings
when she talk About Visa Ida. Vies Idagive aunt Sarah dam'
big gold earrings. Aunt Sarah would glt1 mad 'aid' Wise Ida
and daY1 would fuss, but Aunt Sarah 'lever 'lowed robody else
to say nathirl to nes Ida. She would art*. by mu house and
say, "Bessie I ain't rev.r gear, baok up to &it' hotel,
kaisA rise Pa gittint to dernardinl, and it ain't nobody can
plAsse her, ro'rol.! Der' I look straight at Aant Sarah and
say, "Ica say, vise Ida gittins rear?" "Well she gitting old
enough to be near and so 3 yol, shA ought, git rid of yom
anyhow". Fart Sarah oouldn' star' no 41-ard she would jump
offIn her chair and 'low, "Bessie Jack, who is yo, nothinl
but a black nigger, ierart at Qat', an you knows' nothinl
'boat "se and nee Ida's business, and if you were your mold'
lacint her, I shot is t.Twine tell her and she will have de'
chief ight down or you, you good fel" rothinl nigger",
Wid I de' words Aunt Sarah would go toddlin' off on
bar stick, nolthin1 under her bref' at it I watch her and
eveytime she went in de' sidA do' of de' hotel to wiss Ida's
room. I set aril study and think how easy kart Sarah lived.
She and ries Ida both a, old,dat' ell day' do while Aunt
Sarah fix wise Ida's hair, was' fuss. But Aunt Sarah wo' a
gold ring also. ver hair was' white, but her skin wiz' bloat
as my furs' husband's. Dat* jos* wake, der, gold jewels shine
Out or her. All dm' riggers wuz' seared f Aunt Sarah, kale*
she So big and strong. Anybody dat' sassed her, whe %paid hit
1 en wid' her big heavy walkir' stick. W!'en rt. Smith died,
!Piss Ida eive Aunt 3a,ah datt stick.
1937 own, *lone nrd "iss Ida had lore dowr wie a
stroke. De'' banks up in Union had done all busted. Tavlybody 'low-
ed dat' Vies lda rever hed to eol money. Folks drapped•off'
from oomin' to de' hotel, lempir on dem' two night trains
when deY' had to stay der' or out doara_ one. Aunt Sarah told
me dat' Mos Ida gwlre to close the hotel dirirg room and lot.
Ike and Cornelia go. Andrew had already done gone; kaise n0
body never got offIr der' treins widA no valises fee him to
tote no mole I got to wharl I never washed sheets -but twice
a week. T.0Y will settirl up rothint but rustinl. Ore
day the junk man come along and I sold the whole thing to htm
for' three dollars cash. Dist' evening Aunt Sarah core by viidv.
some sheets. She set down heavy in her chalr at the sere time
holdin' tight t.o her stick, ard xOler eit,, got her brefl she
'low, ler'd Jesus, P8V0' Yercy or ve." I ax' her what all her;
kaise see'd misery in her face, he say, "Bessie, iO'Ar you
gits der' sheets washed, fetch dm' or ep to the hotel and
give der' to VISO Ida. rl back got seoh, a -i3ery in it dat'
I San't climb date hill mid' a passel ol hotel sheets". I
wondered who e-ine to emit or vIss Ida vegitt, &irt Serah'
baok give out sho nal. I knowed dat' all de' -.&erlile folks
waits livin, hard; but the ores dat' had dote busted dew' two
banks dar' ard the mail rider; dey' peered' to be livint
swelter'. Dese' Kerlile folks has had things swell in times
paal, mot so thar orybody else ir lie' County. Us lived to
ourselves and let others be.
Al). Oat' dons lei' des' parts now 'opt we still lives
to ourselves. Will dese' two banks her busilnl and dom, banks
in Union; it jos' laf' our white folks flat; when day' is
flat why vs nigger* 0 in de very same fix. SumIting else
takes roney away 'sides folks don't ride on trains no r60
ard banks bustint is all deset aysd roads ranrin, 'round
Karina. Cars don't rake no stop gwine north on die' side of
Spartarbarg; and day' roils right into ColaMbia gwinel south.
Dot' leaves our hotel behind ..1.ft it sho' don't leave a thing
far' imaile folks to git no rorey from. IfOurse us still'
eats; us alias' has done dat'; kale* we raises plenii Or des'
flat fiale. Us don't raise no **nay Miry no rol; kalse you
can't plant ere' *attar to court at des.' low prises Twat
While I lives a little harder now; yet it ain't rugged like
it was whOr I had a black ran.
One day aunt Sarah tuo'k down wid de' Wallas'
cry In her stomach. She woke her daughter rat upsone rornirl
'bout three o'cloakohollerinl. They n'asad on her all day'
knowed tu do, but Aunt Sarah fell in a trance. ,Piet sent far'
me to go over to the hotel fiat' =man' and fix nes Ida her
breakfast. She never 'et, jea' set and shake her head and
sip a little coffee. She raised her bead and say, °Illasle,
go see 'boat Sarah for' se". I oore back at fa' o'olock and,
told Vise Ida (tat' aunt Sarah had'n never OONA oat'n dot'
trance ad Mkt' she wail' seem' angels. .ss Ida say, "Wall
Sarah is dying". Aunt Sarah died at to' o'clock flex' rorning
aful day broke. De y buried her at Jeter's Chapel the third
day.1011 nil all de' white folk* ert. set, leid,hanft a-
way in una of Vies Ida's wool Grasses. and taalk her earrini4
.14.
and her gold ring off, Deyl fetobed the eqrrings over to V1OS
Ida. When Viss Ida see'd den' $11414 broke down and cried so hard
dat' me and Net broke over too. VIss Ida told !et to keep der'.
Net give one marrirg t her daucbter, Vitt; t'otber one she
give to mo, See it ere ir ry 1 f' ear. It done cured my net.
ralgy. Vitt got ber'r or and S'he got one ferl her otber ear,
but it done tarrIt brass. ret, wear hr ri'a ring or ber
die finger so it will drive rbeumatiz away.
Vies Ida oorit to Untor and got a bunch of flowers from
dat' ato' up dart vber- you gits' flowers in e' winter. Del
sto' is on l'air Stre-t ubarl ev'ybody car se, ws,Ir day' pea.
sea along. They laid dem' or fart Sarah's coffin,. till dey
let it down in del grave. Den' (ley.' tuo'k fen off -and laid
'er or to her grave wben it wail done lkivvered widi red
dirt. Next rornin' de' frost had done turn't ler black.
Aurt Sarab's grand obillans seed' de' so deyl 'aided to
put some flowers on day' Frand ri's grave deself. Day' tmolk
rod mantle paper (crepe paitr of the rartle board) and made
a little barc0' of flowers. DE' African Aid Lalles made a
circle of pin, needles and put der' or aunt 'sarab's grave a.
long 'aid' .em' paper flowers. The pine needles lasted del
longest.
I stayed yid' nes Ida, while del preacher preached
Aurt 6arab's funeral dat' lasted longer der' anybody's fun.
oral bed ever lasted in Fish Dam Township. After ha had dons.
pheacbed jr dit' oburob fel" two ',curs and a half; tbree other
preacbers kept ler two bourr, at ber craveelde. sbo' b?ted
to rise it, but re and nos Ida couldlr keep our eyes from
gettirl wet all day long. Per' de' nexl two yeas I cooked
and nursed Woe Its.
-15u*
Dent Vies Johtria Willie Cousar 'Teter, one of 10t. anitb's
oone and 'sanded Wise Ida to 1.1t ber owe. 5rr iT,
laid' her. rise "JArrielew las' busband had done lose his
plantation born, and VIss "Jobn-ian 814' 01A never bad no plates
to go. So Piss Ida tuo'k "iss "Jobrrie" and Jeter in and
sba bas let dare eta' or ber ever sire% Dey' don't pay hr
no rent ard no board; bat jes' f-,e4s bar.
Vies Ida give me three dollars ev'y we't I nursed bar.
I stayed all day ard Itben sba wuz' siok I would stay at night.
She give me my house "-art right on and wbit I ate. I always
wol blue oottor dresses end big white aprons at viss'Ida'S.
One year I nursed or tbe WPA in nion. The lady want-
ed rie to nurse white folks ap dart dat' never bsd no quality,
so I quit and ow,* best to 4erlile. Arthur Inglisb helped me
to Glean out this mill boas, and partition it off into lege/
two rooms. 7 *paned tbe fire plaoe ard soourad it and roved
in. I have lived bere ever sire,, it belongs to me and I an
vine to keep it. I is 000kin' fer Visa 7va Jeter row. In
the spring she is pair' bask or 'h'r plantation. Its see two
miles and a half from !'ere. I gwir to lgsw here ev'y morn
in' at five o'slosk and walk down der' and git 1"te Jatar's
braakfast ter' bin and 'ties vs by s17-tbirty. 111Py ,ayr.
two dollars and ft 'half and feeds me and I ain't worryini
'bout makin' ny ay, icaise it'll be o way."