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SDUTH CAROLINA WRITERS' PROJECT
LIFE HISTORY
TITLE: GROWING UP WITH THE AUTOMOBILE.
Date of First Writing
Mame of Person Interviewed
Fictitious, Name
Street Address
/lase
Feb. 10, 1939
Marion Jonn1ngs (white)
Albert Henderson
18 Cumberland
Charleston, S. C.
Oecupation Mechanic
Name of Writer Res* D. Werkman
Mame of Reviser State Offioe
Project 1666
Rose D. Workman
Charleston, S. C.
Feb. 10, 1939
GROWING UP WiTz THE AUTOMOBILE
*Why, yes, Ma'am, I'd be glad to toll you my stery," said Albert
Bondsmen, crawling from under the oar on which he was working in the dark,_
damp hole in the wall, which is all that is left of his "hop," sinoe the
tornado of September 29, 1936.
He wiped the grease from his hands an a piece
of old underclothing, tossed the rag into a corner, and placing an empty oil
tin for me to sit upon, began:
"First of all, I suppose you want to know 'Mere was born. Great
men's birthplaces are always important, aren't they?" he grinned. *Well, I
was born in Hamburg County, fifty years age. I was due to have money, for my
father's people used to own a lot of property in that part of the world, but
ny dad had the itching foot, and when he was a young man, he went out to Texas
in search of adventure.
*Dad wasn't a bit practical. HO left his preporty to be looked out
for by some stop.relatives„ and then forgot all about it. Well, they looked
out for it all right/ When Dad MAO home a few years later, ready to settle
down, he found he didn't have any plass* to settle. Oh, he did have one little
cottage, and a few acres of farm land left, but all the rest had gone for taxes.
"Dad never seemed to mind being poor,* Hirt said, "but I expect it
was mighty hard on Mother. I guess she was homesick for Texas many a time.
"I remember she used to tell me about being descended from some poet
Project 1665
Rose D. Merkman
Charleston, S. C.
Feb. 10, 1939
GROWING UP WITH THE AUTOMOBILE
Page 2
she called 'Moore'. She wrote poems herself sometimes, and how I loved
to look at the big scrapbook where she pasted all her verses/ I was always
wild to have that book for myself,* he went on wistfully, *but when I asked
Sister about it a few years back, she said she had thrown it out one spring
when she was house-cleaning. Sister hasn't one bit of sentiment in her whole
make-up," he remarked, as he began to remove the old paint from the oar which
he was overhauling.
"Gosh, talking like this takes as back a long way/ I remember how I
used to sit at Mother's knee when I was a little fellow, and watch her sew.
She sure was a wonder for embroidery/ her pieces done in **lolled silk used
to take the prises wherever she shelved them,* he added promd5y; "and as she
sewed, she told us children stories of her own childhood in Texas.
"I expect Nether's flowers meant more to her than anything else in
the world except her children. I MA her favorite, and we were mighty close
together all her life. I used to help her with her posies, and I'd be as
pleased as Punch when the neighbors bragged on them. Honest to Goodness,
some of her flowers were the size of dinner plates/ Soon as I got big enough
I watered them for her, and kept them fertilised from tho big barrel of liquid
manure that always stood at the barn door. And when I got so I could handle
tools I built her a pit so they wouldn't freesia come cold weather.
Project 166F
Mese D. lerkman
Charleston, S. C.
Feb. 10, 1939
GROWING UP WITh THE AUTOMOBILE
Page 3
"Mother was descended from another big bug, too,* Bert went on,
"an artist fellow she called Whistler. Ono* when I was a kid an invitation
cams for her to visit a Mr. and Mts. Whistler who were staying at a famous
inn at Camden. Of course Mother didn't go. Where would she have got the
clothes to have !rocked up in?" he queried.
"But that will show you the kind of folks my mother came from,* he
said. "Now Dad was different. Although his people were big landowners ono.,
they weren't a bit bookish. They were farmers, and liked to hunt and fish, and
do all sorts of out..door things.
"Dad was an artesian well driller. His work took him all over the
low oountry boring wells, so that the small towns could have waterworks. Some'
times a well...to—do farmer would want one, too, so's he could irrigate his land,
or have running water in the house.
"It was a pretty discouratl,ing life, as I recall it. Sometimes Dad
would strike rook, and not have even an inch to show for a long day of hard work.
Be used to charge on a sliding scale of a dollar a feet, base rate, and on the
few *evasions when he was successful in boring a well at a fairly decent profit,
he'd have a big fish fry and invite all the neighborhood to help him celebrate.
"Dad was the kind of a an who believed in setting a good table, but
he wasn't much for dress. If Mother hadn't been so smart with her needle, I
guess we children would have looked like a mighty orumby little bunch sometimes.
Projeet 1456
Rose D. Workman
Charleston, S. C.
Fib. 10, 1939
GROWING UP WITU THE AUTOMOBILE
Pegs 4
But Mother could take an old suit of my uncle's he had boon an officer in
the Confederate Army, and everybody around that section called him 'General'
and out it down, and make it over so you would think it sag brand new. Uncle
was a rioh old guy, and believed in buying the best when he wont shopping, so
when he t rued his suits over to us, there was still plenty of wear in them."
"Hello, there, i.rt," a boisterous vole. interrupted, as Mrb Janos,
propriotor of the stable next door, entered, mopping his orineen foe* with a
soiled red handkerchief. "Gosh, the flies are bad," he followed. 'Worse here
than in the stablol Guess they like it cause it's so cool and dark. This
tho hottest spring I ever romembor einoe I been living in Old Town. Kin I
use the phone a minute, Bert?"
Then, without waiting for consent, he called his number; had a long
family chat, and hung up the remoivitr.
"No use me paying for a phono when Bert has ono hangin' on the wall,"
he said nenehalantly, and sauntered, whistling, out of the shop.
But he had waked Dottie, the runt, Dalmatian bitch, who sprang up,
bristling from her plea* on an old mat near the oar where Bert was working.
When pea°, had been restored again* Bert took up his story.
*Not much use tolling you about when I was a kid," he said. "I didn't
do anything different from what hundreds of other country boys were doing all
over the world milking °owe, chopping wood, going to school, and helping
Mother with the chickens.
Project 1655
Romp D. Workman
Charleston, 4. C.
Feb. 10, 1939
GROWING UP WITH THE AUTOMOBILE
Pags 5
"I was luckier. than most of the gang, though, for when I finished
graded school mv uncle the same old gassier who used to giro bother his clothes
to make over for us, sent as to a military school for two years. I oould haver
finished the whole four year course if I had wanted to. But I didn't want to be
a school teacher, and I didn't want to be a farmer. I -aLted to be doing things
with my hands. So I went to mark in a blacksmith shop.
con remember now how rich I felt when my boss handod me ten dollars
for my first week's work," he said, "and I *specially recall the first time I tried
to shoo a horse all by myself. Mont me to tell you about it?" he grinned. "Well,
it vas this way. I went down to work one morning, and there was one of tho old
farmers waiting for no.
'Hi, there, you Borti' he called, soon as he laid his eyes on as. 'What
did you do to my hawse? Hit's so lame it *Oat ha'dly walk this main'.'
"Well, I went over, picked up its foot, and looked at it. It had a right
to be lams, all right. I had nailed the shoo on backwards.
"It took me a long time to live that story down," he said, with a rueu1
*Well, I stayed on in the blacksmith shop for a year or two, learning the
trade. Automobiles were just aiming in than, and the owners of the only two in
our villa. sent them to us for repairs, so I had mv first training as an automobile
mechanic right in that little old blaoksmith's shop.
"But I didn't eare about being a blacksmith all my life. While I liked to
Projeot 1655
Rose D. Workman
Charleston, S. Cs
Bib. 10, 1939
GROWING UP UTE THE AUTOMaLILE
Page 6
tinker on oars first rate, there weren't enough of them coming in to make it
exalting, so I soon quit my blacksmith job, and went to work as a sewing machine
salesman. I liked that finei
"It vas lots el' tun driving a higheatepping horse over the country,
and a salesman gets to meet a lot of pretty girls as he peddles machines free
door to door. The girls liked to go driving, and believe me, I liked to take
'ea, And I liked putting up nightd at the little overgrown boarding houses that
called themselves hotels.
"I liked being a telephone repairman, too. I met lots of girls when
I was with that outfit most married one of them," he grinned, pushing back
creasy black hair with a grewse-grimed hand. "But even though that job paid me
swell seventy-five dollars vac good money thirty years ago I never had any
time to call my own. Sometimes in the middle of the night I'd get a long distanee
falai that a wire was down somewhere. Out I'd have to go again; (patch a train
if I was lucky; or hire a horse and buggy, and drive out to string a now wire by
moonlight.
"Looking back it seems like I was determined to try out everything before
I decided on my life work, for after my telephone job I worked as a hot house
gardener; a cabinet maker; and even drove for a transfer company for a while,
before I decided to be an automobile meohanie.
"It's funny what little things change a man's whole life. expect
I'd still be knocking *Around working first at one thing, then at another, if the
transfer company I was driving for hadn't bought a ramshackle old oar. I remember
Project 1656
Yoe* D. Workman
Charleston, S. C.
Feb. 10, ;939
GROWING UP WITH Ti} AUTOMOBILE
Page 7
exactly how tat car looked," he said. "It was just about falling to pieces,
it had had such hard usage. It was minus a windshiold$ minus a top$ and it
had a chain at the sidt$ but it sure looked good to me.
"Mighty few people in those days knvw how to drive a car, much loss
repair one, and I was mighty glad that I had learned to fix them in that little
old blacksmith's shop, who the manager of the transfer oempany sent for me, and
offered me twenty dollars a week 'with board' to drive the oar and keep it in
running order.
"Well, you oan bet your bottom dollar I didn't turn that offer down!
Pretty soon I was having the time of iv life driving drummors around in the
sputtering old machine, that smolt like well, I'd hate to tell you what that
engine did smell like! And did the gals like to go motoring!
"Then one day the old bus broke down entirely, and the Boss told me to
take it over to Savannah, and have it completely own -hauled. You see, we didn't
have the proper equipment for doing as much work as the old bus heeded this time,
so over we wont, and I sure enjoyed seeing the model garage, and working with all
the fine tools. The manager was mighty n'oe to me, and let me work on the other
oars too. I learned a lot that way, and by watching the other mechanics. Then
one day the foreman said:
'Henderson, if you ever want to get out of the transfer business, come
book here and work for as. I'd like to Awe you in tho shop.'
"Well, I was sitting on top of the world then! But I oouldn't lot my old
Project 1655
ROSO D. Workman
Charleston, S. C.
GROWING UP AITH THE AUTOYOBILE
Page 8
boss down by leaving him without a driver, so I told the foreman I'd have to
give the Old Man a month's notice. home I went, and I never worked so hard in
all mv life as I did then, hunting up another driver for Mr. Gaines. But I
found one IK, before the month was up, and wont back to Savannah. I guess I
never will be as happy again as I was the day I started to work in that auto—
mobile garage.
"but luck USA against mo. Cara were still far from plentiful, and
parts earns high. Soon the bills had piled up so bad that they had t* close up
shop.
"but I wanted to stay in that kind of work. I made up my mind to
stiek. I stuck, picking up what odd jobs I could find, but sometimes ey rib*
felt like they were sticking into as, I was so hungry.
"At last one day, just when I felt that I couldn't stand it any longer,
my luck turned. 1r. Golden, the president of the bank which had foreclosed on the
garage and a number of used oars, sent for me to oJme out to his home.
"Jesul
I never had seen anything like that placel Bushes of flowers
as high as your headl Cement walks winding in and out of shrubbery. I was
soared green, but I went on until I came to the house.
"Mr. Golden asked me in, and we sat down in a swell parlor. He was just
as nioe and friendly as if he didn't have a cent. Gave me a cigar and we sat
there smoking. After we had talked a while he told me what he wanted. I was to
stay on in Savannah, and take those oars and go over them one by one, and put thee
Project 1655
Rose :4 Workman
GharIesten, S. C.
Yeb. 10, 1939
GROWING UP WITH THE AUTOMOBILE
Page 9
all in good working condition, so that he could resell them and cet back some
of the bank's money.
"Se everything was all right. I could keep on doing what I wanted
to and still show the folks book home I wasn't a piker.
"You set, when I first started work with the transfer company as mechanics
and driver, some people had made the remark that I never stuck to anything long.
That auteaJbiles were jAct a fad, and I'd be back on the farm before much longer.
"bell, I showed them. I'm still showing them," he added grimly.
"After a few months all the oars were rebuilt and disposed of, and I
was lucky to get my old job with the trhnsfer company back again.
"Se," he went on, carefully spraying paint on a oar as he talked, "you
Mi-ght say that I've practically Omen up with the automobile.
"After a while I bought a ear of my own one of the first five sold in
my county. I rented it as a side line to drummers, for fifteen dollars a day.
I spent money freely when a young sprout, frolicking up and down the
state. .),ne week -end I oame to old Town, and liked it so well I decided to stay.
I had saved a little money and opened up a garage for myself.
Those were prosperous days twenty years ago. Soon I had four men working
for me in the daytime, and three on night shift. They kept busy all the time, and
made plenty of money for me, besides earning good money for themselves.
Project 1555
Ross D. Workman
Charleston, S. C.
Feb. 10, 1959
Gilman UP MITE THE AUTOMOBILE
Pao 10
*When people pay from fifteen hundred ti five thousand dollar* for
an automobile as they did in those days, they expect it to last a long time.
And they expect repair bills to come high. They repaired and repainted their
oars, just as they repaired and repainted their homes.
"Many a time I've given a men a bill for as mush as eight hundred
dollars for overhauling his machine, and had him hand me a check for the entire
amount. liowadays if yOu charge a man fifteen or twenty dollars, he *Leta as it
you were a highwayman, and you don't get paid in full either. Usual4 he cones
in on the fifteenth and pays you five dollars on account, and acts like he is
doing you a favor to pay you anything at all.
"Of course, everybody isn't like that. But I'm telling you this, so
you can moo how different times are now from what they were twenty years age.
"Yesterday people bought automobiles. Today they buy oars. There's
a lot of differenoe between the two if you come to think of it.
"I've made big money in ly day. Once I bad the ageney fer certain
truck. Every tine one of that company's trucks vas sold in my territory I got
a fat °omission. I lived high thent
"Right now I'm having a pretty thin time of it. business is bad, and
seems to got worse for no instead of better. I think one cause of this is that
when you can buy a cod oar for six or seven hundred dollars, man would rather
turn his in at the end of a year, and get a new one, than bother about having re..
pairs made. And of course, repair work is my living.
Project 1856
Rose D. lerkman
Charleston* S. C.
Feb. 10, 1939
GROWING UP WITN THE AUTOMO6IUA
Rigs 11
'For instance, I had &Aro of keeping a whole float of truoks in
order for a big wholesale candy company. That alone paid my running expenses.
Now the eampany has sold all their trunks and bought new ones. You can see mhat
that ono deal has meant to my business.
'Another firm that I worked with in the some way has lately hired a
meohanio full time to keep their trucks in order. That meane another big loss
*Right now I don't even have a helper. I had a first rata meohanis
until a few months ago. He come in one day look'ng for a job. Re said that
he had never been in thi city before, and that he didn't knew& thing about a ear.
All he knew was he wanted to be a meohanie. I took him in and paid him six dollars
a week. That vas four years ago. I taught him everything I knew, and in the
eviaings I made him go to the vocational school and learn all the up-to-date
methods I'd nevar had time to get around to learning.
'Then in Saptembitr the to roads hit the tows', and blew the roof right
off my shop. inose then I've scarcely been able to do what little work I could
get* on ***oust of not having may plum to work in. In good ws.tbdr I can work
in the street in front of the shop; but in bad weather all I have is this little
nubby hole here.
"When my meehanie realised how bad business was getting, he answered
an add in the paper, and got a pleas with a large automobile concern, with bigter
wages and shorter hours. I was paying him twenty a week when he loft me. They
Project 1655
Roes D. Workman
Charleston, S. C.
Fob. 10, 1939
GROWINC; UP WIT% Tub AUTJWOEILE
Bags 12
give him twenty—five, with time and a half for overtime. I don't blame him
for going. He's young, and he has his way to make. But it's been hard for
me to get along without him, because instead if being fro, to get out and hunt
up business, I'vo had to stick around the shop all the time, to lump fres losing
what little terht oone in.
"Another may I fig xi, the tornado hurt me, is that so many ooncerns
had such bi, repairs to make on their buildings that they aro only doing 'Mat
is absolutely necessary to keep their cars in running couditieft. Where
before the storm they mould send a truck in and toll me to do everything that
was needed, now they tell me to de just what 11446 to be one to keep it going.
°Then, another thingi When people oone by, they se. this littlo hole
that is all the place I have to work in until the repairs are finishodi they
look at the bulging walls and the missing roof, and take their oars somewhere
"At first I thought I would have to move, but arts:. I thought it over.
I nada the owner a proposition, and he took me up on it. I suggested that I
do the actual repair work wool!, and he furnish the materials I'm to get
free rent for twentvofour months for qv work. Ihilo business is sleek I
figured I might as well be doing that as Within& and a saving of thirty dollars
a month for twenty..four months is not to be sneered at.
wI had to do a lot of persuading though, bosoms* the owner was in the
notion just to tear the whole plow* down. But I wanted to stay here. Pimple
know where I ma, and besides, it's hard to novo a business like wino am there's
Froject 1665
Rose 0. Workman
Charleston, S. b.
Feb. 10, 1939
GROWING UP ThL AUTOmOBILE
Page 13
so much hcavy stuff iron and junk.
"I believe, though, that business is really getting better after
all, at least for other people. For not only my mechanic has a job, but
even the darkey who helps me when I get in a jam, couldn't come last week,
but sent word he had a permanent place with a lumbor company. Se it seems
that jobs are Letting more plontjful, and that's a good thing.
"MY wife wants me to close up shop and get a job myself. I'm a
good mechanist. I've got customers I've had for years who wouldn't lot anyboity
else touch their oars. I knew I could get a job if I wanted one.
'But I've seen too many good men give up their own little business**
when times got hard. They'd take a job, and map:* it would peter out in six
months' time. T en there they wore on relief, or maybe with nothing at all.
"No, I've weathered the depression this far, and I'm going to stick
it out as long as I oan. I like my bone.
"You know the story, don't you? My mother used to read it to me
Alt of a book called 'Aesop's Fables.' It goes like thiss
Once a dog got himself a bone, and off he trotted with it as happy
as could be. But on the way home he had to go over a brides, and looking dema
into the water the dog saw another dog with a big, juicy bone in its mouth,
trotting over a bridge. BO thoughts
'I'll go take that bons away from that dog. It's a bigger bone
than tho one I've got.'
Projest 1655
Rose D. Workman
Charleston, S. C.
Feb. 10, 1939
allgwrao UP WITH THE AUTOMOBILR
Page 14
he dropped the bone he had. It fell into the water with a splash.
Then the greedy dog had no bone at all.
*No, thanks. No job for me. I like my bons, and I'm going to hold on
to it as long as I can. If Bette wants mere than I can give her, she'll either
have to divot.** me and marry a rich man, or get a job for herself, he grinned.
"Of mare*, you understand I'm Orly joking about Bette taking a job,* he
hastened to explain, returning free a brief telephone conversation, in which he
promised to call for a oar at six that evening, and have it ready by nine in the
morning. "She's not a bit strong, and couldn't hold a job down, even if I'd let
her take one, which I w9oldn't under any circumstances. I don't believe in
married Women working.
"Bette's a peach," he said. "Fair as I'm dark; walks like a little
queens and neat as vex. It worries her ter-ibly the way I co around in dirty
over sly, needing a shave, and my hair hanging down in my eyes, but I tell her
I met stop to doll up every time I get a call. 4nybody she has any sense
understands a mechanic ain't look lihe a ,ashion plate all the time.
"But I do try to please her all I eon," he said. "I never let her get
up in the morning to cook breakfast. She fixes the coffee in the percolator at
night, and when the old alarm goes off at seven, I roach for a match and a eigarette.
*With the same match I light a fag, and start the coffee perking. Then
I sneak around real easy, so as not to wake Bette up, and make the fire in the big
coal burner in the living room. I like the house to be nice and warm before she
Projeet 1656
Rose D. Workman
Charleston, 8. C.
Feb. 10, 1939
GROWING UP WITH THE AUTOMOBILE
Page 15
gots up. Then I drink a couple Of cups of coffee, and go to work.
"About nine or nine -thirty I knock off long enough to go to the
baker store and buy a half a dozen cinnamon rolls. Then I got a pint of milk,
go bask to the shop, and have my breakfast.
"It's awfully hard in my business to make any definite plans for anything,
even a dinner hour," he said. "Bette •oes ahead and cooks the vegetables, and makes
the biscuits, and has everything reay except the steak, when I oeme in.
"If I don't °one home by two, she eats her dinner, and heats mine up for
me later. It's hard on both of us, but it's the best I can do.
"It's the same way at night. We can't even have regular supper hour,
for lots of people bring in their cars when they knock off work, and want them back
to keep a date the same evening. Or maybe they'll ask for them to be delivered
the first thing in the morning. That means night work, but never turn down a
job. Sometimes I've stayed or at the shop until three or four in the morning, and
been back at work at seven as usual.
"I've rigged uç a shower at the lack of the Shop," Bert said, "and after I close
up for the night, I take a shower, put on clean ,.1lathes, and ,:,1) for a stroll on Main
Street. L.ometimes I drop into the pool room for a game or two, and sometimes I just
stay on at the Shop, tinkering on some old oar I've taken in as payment on a bill,
or picked up at a bargain somewheres.
I make quite a bit of change on these deals,
because as I either buy the parts at wholesale prices, or use portions of disoarded
=sahib's, I can always sell the rebuilt ear at a good profit.
Project 1656
Rosa D. lbrkman
Charleston, S. C.
Feb. 10, 1939
GROWING UP WITH THE A=010811,8
Page 16
"Then, round ten o'clock," he continued, "I usually push on home.
14 have a lato supper, turn on the radio, and enjoy ourselves. This is our
favorito hour of the day.
"I've got a dandy ohair Bette gave me for a Christmas present tee or
three years ago, and a little smoking stand she gave me last year, and big
shell ash tray. Bettels a swell housekeepor, and she doesn't like for so to
drop ashes all aver the floor. She's just lately bought a real expensive blue
'art square' she calls it, for the living roomy and although I teass her and
toll hdr ashes an, good for carpets, she mast has a fit if I spill any *a it,
he laughed.
"bette's aloays after no for smoking too much," he said, tearing open
a package of eigarattes, "and I expect she's right about it at that, for I
usually smoke at least two packs a day. If I'm worried or upeot about anything,
sometimes I smoke three. 1'a trying my darndost to out down in it, but I
haven't made much headway so far.
"But what do you think of the New Deal?" he asked, abruptly changing
the subject as he flicked away a match. "All I knew about polities is what I
pick up from the boys at the pool roomy or from what oustemers tell me while I'm
working on their oars.
"The way I understand it the President really had a fine idea when he
planned the New Deal. But people swim to think that the wrong folks are getting
the money. It's got into the hands of the politicians now, and there're a let
Project 1655
Rose D. Workmen
Charleston, S. C.
Feb. 10, 1939
GROWING UP WITh THE AUTOMOBILE
Page 17
of things going en that the President never intended.
"Of course, I don't know a thing about It7ftrst and, immense as I
said a while ago, I've been lucky enough to beep eft the relief rolls. But
I do knew that the white people in the South had better stick together, and so
Bette and both vote the Democratio ticket no natter whether we like the
candidate or not.
"I don't do much reading myself," hart took up his story after another
brief telephone conversation, "but Bette tells me anything she thinks will interest
me in the newspaper, and sometimes she reads no story out of 'Liberty' or the
'Pictorial Review'.
"I sure wish we hod some children," he said, ohan.ing the subject
abruptly again after a few moments of silenee. "Our baby died when he was just
a little fellow, I wanted to adopt a couple of kids when I sumo weren't likely
to have any more, but Bette wouldn't hoar of it. Her idea is that if God had
meant for us to have any, he'd have given us some of our own.
mostly, I don't knew whet we'd do without our little dog Mexie," he
continued more cheerfully. "ii, sleeps in a reeking chair in the sitting roma
and is just like a child to us. 4, wife laughs at me because' I call him MV
'little dog,' when really he is a great big fellow. Ono of our friends has
nieknamed him the 'Hound of the Baskervilles.' Seems like that is a story about
h big black dog, 424 Mikis sure is black. So I guess the name suits him all
Project 1665
Rose D. Berkman
C:arlastem, S. C.
Fob. 10, 1939
GROWING UP WITH THE AUTONOBILE
Page 18
right. I don't really know what kind of a dog he is 'exactly. Little mixture
of everything, I expect. I don't lay claims to any blue blood for NW** but
he's a nighty fine dog just the saws, and worships the ground Bette walks on.
He's got good taste, you see," he grinned.
"Bette's never really totten over the shock of the operation she had
when the baby was born," Bert said. 'She's had a horror øf doctors and hospitals
ever sine*. Last summor she pretty nearly drove me crazy. She got sick. Was
all run downs wouldn't eat, and didn't have a bit of pep. But she wouldn't sea
a doctor. At last she got so bad of she really got frightened about hersatf„
and so she said I could take her to a doctor. Even then she wouldn't let one
come to the house. Tha doctor said she was anaemia, and very nervous, and by
that time she was se run down it took months to build her up again.
"It keeps ne worried all the time," said Bert, with a troubled frown.
"I can't understand, either, why she's so dolioste," he went on in a
pusslad manna's. "Him rather lived to be eighty-one, and up to two weeks before
his death he had never been siok a day in his life. Limd an a harsa's back.
Hor mother is seventy years old, and still hale and hearty.
*Botta was raised on a farm in Fairfax County. All her people are
Baptists. Her grandfather was a Baptist preacher.
"Now I'm a Methodist," said Bert, "But as I don't go to ohureh more
than ones or twice a year, it doesn't mattor that vie belong to different churches.
Projeet 1656
Rose D. Workman
Charlesteu, S. C.
Feb. 10, 1939
GROWING UP WITH THE AUTOMOBILE
Page 19
'Bette has religion enough for both of us. She goes to church
every Sunday, and disapprove* of almost every kind of amusement. She thinks
it is wrong to play cards, or take a drink, or dance or smoke.
"Now I always liked dancing fine. When I was a young man I knew all
the square dames., and they used to get me to oall the figures for them. The
last dense I went to was the night Bette and I got married,* he said smilingly.
*I remember it like it was yesterdiiy. We were out riding and I said,
'Let's go to a pareen and get married.' She didn't make any objectiem, se that's
what we did.
*We sent a telegram home to her folks and put up at tho hotel in the
little town where I was working. There was a big dance going en in the all
behind the post offiee. I thought it would be fun for us to go to it, and
surprise them, and Bette could meet all my friends at the same time. But she
wouldn't go. I got mad and went alone. But that's the last time the word 'dance'
has been mentioned in our family.
"I'd like to go to one again,* he sighed, regretfully.
*Getting back to the subjeet of religion,* said Bert, *I give Bette the
church money for the family, but I do mv own charity work myself, so I can see where
Mr money goes. I like to send the ragged little boys who hang around the shop
to the movies occasionally, and give them money for i.e cream cones to cool them
off in summer.
Project 1655
Rose D. Workmen
Charleston, S. C.
Feb. 10, 1939
GROWING UP Win THE AUTOMOBILR
Pogo 20
"Another thing I enjoy doing," he suid, "is keeping a room in the
garage for folks who get stranded without a plaits to sloop. Lots of times
I stake them to a cup of coffee and one of my cinnamon rolls for breakfast.
"You knew," he continued, rather sheepishly, "I used to drink
lot in my younger days, and though I haven't touched a drop of liquor now for
over film years, drunks still come to me for a pint to sober up on. If I've
got the prise in my pocket, they always get it to.. I haven't forgotten when
a fellow mods a friend," he ended wryly.
"You've heard the old saying that opposites attract? Well. I expect
that's what drew Bette and me together, for we sure are as different as day is
from night. Like I told you, she thinks pretty near everything is wrong,
while I don't think anything is wrong as long as you do it in moderation.
"But I wish I could practioe what I preaoh," he said, "for though
I don't drink liquor any more, I sure am a coffee drunkard. Sometimes at our
eleven o'clock supper I'll drink four, maybo f1v, cups of strong black coffee.
But it doesn't seesuto hurt me any. I can turn in right away and go to sleep
time oy head hits the pillow. I wish I could show you agy swell box -spring
mattress. It sure is a beauty. 2 don't see how aeybody could step, awake with
a mattress like Usk to sleep on.
"The doctors all tell you coffes keeps you soaks. But Bette never
drinks anything but milk, and she Gantt get to sloop for hours and hours, 'von
Project 1665
Rose D. Workman
Charleston, S. C.
Feb. 10, 1939
GROWING UP WITH THE AUTOMOBILE
Page 21
though she sleeps on a mattress just like mine, in the bedroom where it's
nioe and quiet, and she can't hear the noises in the street.
°Sometimes after I've been asleep for hours she'll wake me up to
show me some verse in the Bible that she's come across that she thinks will
be helpful to me. And sometimes I'll come in and find her listening to a
sermon en the radio, with the tears streaming damn her cheeks.
"Tess Bette takes her religion hard," he concluded.
RI expeet I get more enjoyment out of my radio than anything else,"
he said, as he completed a small repair job on a sustemer's oar. "I wouldn't
miss Charley McCarthy on a bet, and I certainly do like the programs with
Donald Dusk, and Ames and Andy.
"I like musie too. Nothing highbrow, but I could listen to pieces
like 'Coming Round the Mountain,' and 'Mom on the Range, and 'Church in the
Wildwood* all evening long, and never get tired.
'It's funny hew things go,' he said. 'We've been living in Old Town
new for twenty years, and twelve of them we stayed in one place, an upper
apartment on Joining Street. Then one day Isms hems, and found Bette pretty
nearly in hysterics. A printing press had been set up downstairs, and the
noise was almost driving her mad. So out we went ro try to find something else.
We looked and we looked, and finally we found a nice little place, but it was
pretty far from the shopping district. It was now and clean, though, so we
Project 16153
Rose D. Workman
Charleston, S. C.
Feb. 101 1939
GROWING UP WITH THE AUTOMOBILE
Page 22
took it and moved in. But we might as well have stayed over the printing
press, for the people next door had three dogs that they kept tied up all the
time. Well, the noise those dogs made when they started howling on moonlight
nights, the printing press was nothing to iti So out we got again. Next
plea* the ohildren overhead made so much noise that Botta couldn't get her
early morning nap. Se we packed up and moved ones more that made three
moves in six months. But I honestly believe we've found the ideal place this
time.
"It's ever a mirror shop, and it's just as quiet and nice as 009 be.
There aren't any noisy children near and none of the neighbery keep dogs.
"The place was so run down and shabby. when we first saw it that Bette
didn't want to take it; but the rent was only fifteen dollars a menth, 'as is,'
and I knew that some fresh paper and paint would make all the difference in
the world. There was a great big living reset, a bedroom the ease size, small
bedroom at the back for Bette, and a kitohem and dining room oeibined, besides
a bathroom and a wide plass* all along the southern side of the house. I didn't
see where we would ever find another goo' as good, and so reasonabba, tee, se
I rented it as seen as I saw it.
"Of course, it took slot of time and a lot of work to fix it up so
we could move in, but I wish you Gould see it now. You wouldn't know it for
the same plass. I wish you knew Bette se you could go and sale t. But I'll
tell you all about it, anyway.
Projoet 1856
Rosa D. lhorkman
Charloston, S. C.
GROWING UP WIT:- THE AUTOMOBILE
itLgo 23
"All the walls are cream colored now, and I painted the doors and
the rest of the woodwork ivory. Then I stained and mum, the floors and Sotto
has made bright now curtsies for the windows. It sure looks gay and pretty.
"If we can stay there for as long as a year and a half it will
molly be cheep rent for us," he said, but if we have to move before then
we wont come out. The paint cost a let, to say nothing of all the work and
time I put in, fixing up the Oasis.
"That part of tom is *proving so fast though Pa afraid somebody
will buy the building and remodol it. Lots of newcomers are buying in that
section.
"I put in an instantaneous hooter in the bathroom, too, for there
was no hot water. I bought a good one at a bargain that was in a house they
tore down after the tornado. Then I put in a porcelain sink in the kitchen.
I'm a pretty good plumber wool!, you see, so all it cost as was the price of
the fixtures.
"I like it there, ales, because it's nice and sunshiny for Bette's
flowers, and there's a yard for Maxi*.
"Bette doesn't go out much," said Bert. "Shit likos to stay et home
and sew. She can make a dress for a few dollars that looks like it cost -a
million," he boasted. "She likes to go in the shops and look at the clothes
Project 1655
Rose D. Workman
Charleston, S. C.
Feb. 10, 1939
GROWING UP WITH THE AUTOMOBILE
Paget 24
Then she comes home and copies them for herself,
"She can't do as much fine sewing as she used tOp though. Last
year her eyes were troubling her so much I told her to go got herself some
glasses, But although they cost a pretty penny twenty-five dollars to be
exact, they couldn't have been the right fit, for she can't see out of then
at all. They stay in the drawer of the sewing table most of the time.
*When I need glasses I go to a five and ten cent store, mod try en
different ones until I find a pair that suite me. That way I can have too pair,
far glasses and nalr glasses both, and if they break it doesn't muoh matter."
Bert paused a moment to blow his nee' violently en a large, soiled
handkerchief, "Gosh," he said, "I believe Ign getting one of my bad headachesi
"There's no doubt about it this kind of work is hard en a msee's
health. I got up in the morning fooling fine. Then I crawl under a cold
automobile, and start handling a lot of heavy tools, or washing them in gasoline.
By ten or sloven o'olook Pato siek mem, oohing Ill over, and sneezing my head
off.
"But what's the use of going to a theater? All We'd do would be to
give as a bottle of adjoins, and toll me to star in bed for a oeuplo of days.
Then a soon as I came back to work and had to °rind en the damp cement floor
under a oar, I'd start snoozing and aching all over again.
Project 1655
Rose D. Workman
Charlkaten, S. C.
Feb. 10, 1939
GROWING UP WITH THE AUTOMOBILE
Page 25
"No, there's no use asking the Lord to forgive you today if you're
going to oommit the same sin tomorrow. And so there's no use going to a
&Doter unless you're going to stop the thing* that make you sisk.
"If I had my life to live ever though. I'd certainly choose some ether sort
of work; but the way things are now, it's too late for me to change. The
best that loan hope for is to keep on making a living for Bette and me.
"Bette can't get used to being poor," he wont en simply. "I hate not
being able to give her things like I used to. But the way we lived before the
depression it took about two hundred dollar* month to run the house and pay
our personal expenses.
Now some months we don't have hardly halt of that, and
it's mighty hard for two people to pw rent, and eat and cook, and dress and
keep warm, on a measly hundred dollars. You may exist, but you don't really
live.
"Eating costa us more than it should," he explained, *because I eat
at restaurants a lot. Itia a husky man, and it takes a lot to fill me up. Bette's
a good cook, and knows his to feed a man to keep him feeling fit. But she's
ailing so much of the time I hate to have her use her strength in housework.
"But if she wont hate anybody to help her, what can I do? he queried
helplessly, spreading out his big rough hands, palms upward in a gesture of appeal.
"She could got servant for two or three dollars a week to do everything she'd
Project 1665
Rose D. Workman
Charleston, S. C.
Feb. 10, 1939
GROWING UP WITH TaE AUTOMOBILE
Page 26
need done. But she says she doesn't like a darkey round the house.
"And then too," he went on in further explanation of their financial
difficulties, "Bette's never had to earn her living and so she doesn't under..
stand the value of money very well. I remember last year she took notion
she wanted a now sofa. It cost seventy-nine dollars, and I really Couldn't afford
to buy it for her.
"She didn't need it either," he oonmontod. 'She had a pretty vloker
sot that was almost now. But she had her heart set on that sofa. Every day she
would go to tho furniture store and look at it. Then at supper shoed tell ms
how beautiful it was. Finsliy I couldn't stand it any longer. I told her to go
and make the down payment on it, and hbve it sent home, 'But', I said, 'remember
if you get that sofa new, there went be any Christmas presents.'
"well, they sent the sofa home, and she was awfully bright and
stppy for
a few days. Then about a week later she told ma she had **looted her Christmas
present from no. It was a cameo broach, and she had told the antique dealer to
put it aside for her.
'Bette,' I reminded her, 'don't you know I told you when you got
that sofa that there wouldn't be amy Christmas presents?'
'112,2 she cried, as surprised as could be, II didn't knew you meant
that for as. I thought you meant there'd be no presents for ether people.'
Projoet 1635,
Rose D. NL)01noaq
Charleston, S. C.
Feb. 10, 1939
GROWING UP BITE Tau ADTOMOETU
Itgo 27
"Now, *at can you do witE a woven like that?* he queried.
"Another time when she took a notion the vented a fur nookpl000,
I didn't have a cent in my pocket. I sold my revolver and bought the scarf
for her.
"I like for her to have nice things,* hi said, squinting oritioallyr
at the corm whioh he vas doing an exeollont repaint jeb,"/ think she's pretty
niee.looking, and I like for her to have good clothes to set her leeks off.
"Edt there's one thing I can do to make her happy. Botto likes to
to ride, and I always manor" to have a good oar, somehow, no matter how hard
times are. I always buy a heavy oar, for though it soy of:liftmen and use mere
gasoline thorn a lighter, lowor•prioed one, a heavy oar is a big help in gf
work. It /gm soft for on a hurry °all sometimes can pull a machine out of
a hobo with a powerful oar, 'while with a light one I'd have to go back to my
shop and got my wrecker.*
Bert paused log enough to light another cigarette and then mat down
upon the running beard of a battered old oar, where he smoked a moment in emObet
meditotion before he said:
*What worries me more than anything else is the fact that I haven't
saved a single penny for a rainy day. If I got siok or hurt I don't know hew
on earth we'd =raga.
Project 1655
Rose D. Berkman
Charleston, S. C.
Feb. 10* 1939
ORAINO UP WITB THE AUTOMOBILE
Par 28
"I've got a little insurance policy, though, for five thousand
dollars for Blotto, so if I kick off may time she'll be safe enough. But
I vas so afraid that if oho got her hands on it she would spend it all in
a month or two, and then be left without a penny, that I've arranged to have
it paid her in small monthly installment*, then if anything happens to as I
know she wont starve for a while anyway. I worry a lot about that girl,"
he ended with a sigh.
In a moment, however, he brightened, and announced.
"If I live long enough, though, 1'11 tell the world 'Wave going to
have a peach of a home. About a year and a half aco I had a stroke of luck.
I heard that the nors of a fine old houso in what is new the business section
of the city were planning to wreck it. So I went to this and mad' the pro-
position that I'd wreck the place free of charge if they'd give as the house
itself for mv trouble.
"And boliove as, I cot a bargain/ It was hard work, and I did a
lot of it myself only had a couple of darkoys to help as. But the tiers
were all of cypress, and the floors, doors, and ceiling all as sound as the day
the house was built.
"/n that way I got better material than I could hale bought* even if
I'd had the money to buy new stuff.
"I wish you could so* the house I'm building," he said, enthusiastically.
"I'n doing it all myself, you know, with just a laborer or two to help out opeasiong.
Projoet 1655
lemo D. Berkman
Charleston, 3. C.
Feb. 10, 1939
GROWING UP WITH TES AUTOMAIL
far 29
ally in big jobs like tho roof, and things I can't handle alone.
'Of course, I don't ham, much time to work on it, emsopting Sundays, and
Botts &won't approve of my working in 'The Lord's Day,' as ship cells it:
But I de it anyhow, boomse that's the only way we'll color have a home of our
one, end I believe that 'God helps those who help theme:1,0W
"The hen.. is of pooled pine logs. Psibuyiag a five sore trast
about ten miles out, paying for it in monthly installments of ten dollars each.
The big living room looks out over a grove of young pines, with a sprinkling
of oaks and magnolias, and lets of dogwood. I've named the plum Snow Cap'
and I'm telling you new, you'd have to go long way to see a prottior sight in
spring time than thot little low leghouso with the dogwood blooming about it.
"Eut best of all tho plea, runs right down to the water, and the two
bedrooms and breakfast nook have a swell view of the river ad marsh. I've
sot out figs and zrapes, and all sorts of fruit trees on the low land at the
back, and in the front, 4.4 tho drive, I've pat out *salsas and japonicas and
lots of blooming shrubs. You foe, I still lovo flowers, and I omm certainly
got them te growl I oxpect I ought to have boon a florist after all/ Then
I've formed the whole plass, and bordorod it with crepe socrtlos. It's going
to he a beauty spot ohe of them, days if I just live long enough to finish it,"
he ended rather sadly.
12Vojeot 1665
boo D. WOrkman
Charleston, S. C.
Feb. 10, 1939
mama UP WITH THE AUTOMOBILE
Ps.ge 30
"Now if Bette would only go out there to stay," he went on, "I
could get a lot done in the early mornings and late afternoons after I knock
off. But she says there's nothing doing.
*Dm getting en pretty good though in spite of everything," he said.
"Of course, the work on the shop has held as book a lot this winter, but the
framework es up, the roof is on, and one bedroom and bath are oemplete, just
waiting for Bette to move in.
"I've piped the plea, for running water, and I've wired it for
electric lights. But I'm proudest of all of my ohimney.
"I built it all of the big old English brick I salvaged from the
house in town. Then I planted ivy at the base. And does that ohimney draw!
Deesn't smoke, no matter what direction the wind blows iron," he boasted.
"Bette's going to have the surprise of her life when she seem the
place again," he oanoluded, as he rose to wait upon a oustemer. "She hasn't
been out for most a year now. Meyte when she sees how fine it's coming &luau
and hew pretty it looks with all the flowers in bloom, she'll be willing to move
out. I sure hope so, for I can hardly wait to sleep in a house of my own."