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(624 Orange Street Eufaula, AL. Alabama Archives, Montgomery)
A knock rattled abruptly on the door. Aunt Savannah mused a moment, half rose and then asked in a roar, "Who dat?" Then a man's voice answered, "Who dat?" Then with further indignation Aunt Savannah said, "Who dat say 'who dat' when I say 'who dat'?" And looking at me she said, "I don't lak no body to mock me; dat's de way you gits conjured". She opened the door and a negro man asked her if she wanted to buy a load of oak wood. She said, "No", and closed the door in his face, and said to me, "Missey, please mam, scuse me, but dat nigger looked at me with 'spicion. I think hit were de "polish man" (policy man) or I nebber would have opened dat door. I drapped my dish rag dis morning and dat's a sho sign some body is coming empty handed.
"Now, you axe me bout de "polish man". Dat's one thing I b'lieve is fur sho. I is got two polishes. I pays by de week.
I pays Mr. Loach (Mr. Belote) thirty cents upon a Tuesday. Ef I don't have hit on a Tuesday I goes forth to de office up town and pays him. He keeps hit open on a Saturday. She said, "What is de name ob de polish", Honey I can't read, I don't know de name, but hits health and acci-dent; dar hit on de wall. "Industrial Life and Health Insurance Company, Atlanta, Ga. Address, A. Belote, Eufaula, AL P.O. Box #25. "Have your book and premiums ready each week in order to help the collector in giving prompt service to all policy holders", was the gaudy inscription on an acient calendar tacked over the mantle.
"Honey, you knows I got two polishes. De next I pays Mr. Baker. I pays him twenty-five cents every week. Dar his polishy", please mam, read hit out loud to me, honey". And the legend on this was "Life and Casulty Insurance Company of Tennessee, Nashville Tenn", with an accompaning "Notice to Policy Holders," giving this:
The authorized agent of the Company when first calling upon a policy holder, will always be introduced by the District superintendant. All payments must be entered in the premium receipt book by the authorized agent at the time of payment or they will not be credited by the Company. Premiums are due each Monday (Tuesday) in advance. Be safe and pay all premiums in advance. If address is changed the policy holder should immediately notify the district officer, or the Home Office, giving the following information: Policy number, old address, new address, and name of agent collecting last premium. Any agent who asked you to discontinue your policy in order to take another in its place is usually seeking his own profit at your expense. Have him put his proposition in writing, then submit same to either our District Manager or Home Office for advice, which is always at your service. It is not necessary to employ anyone to collect any claim under the policy with this company. Notify our District Office which will gladly assist you or else write to the Home office."
I read every line to her at her request. She said, "Dat's de God's truth, honey, every word ob hit. Last Summer I was pow'ful sick. De Doctor says I had too much blood, high blood impression. I fell out going home one day. Had to stay home two weeks; couldn't work. But my polishes paid me five dollars a week. I show believes in them. Dey's grand. I don't put much 'pendence in de "Rollins Man" (Rawleigh Patent Medicine). Dat's de one dat sells things. Old man "D", he sells "Rollins" stuff. He sells lotions, lak make your kinky hair straight and ef you is black, ligh-en your color. Son't you know nobody kin do dat but de Lawd? I byed some rubbing salve, though; stuff to rub limbs with, mustarow (Musterole). Dat's de rubbing medicine".
The door opened and Lou came in (her granddaughter that lives with her) with her three month's old baby in her arms, laughing and cooing and rolling in fat. I said, "What a fine baby, what does Lou feed her on?" "She nurses her in de night (she ain't here in de day). And us has to feed her. We gives her one bottle of carry-nation milk and pot-likker and coffee and most airthing else. She is greedy, she hogish. But she sho is a good chile. Don't know nothing bout crying.
"Honey, I kin do airthing 'at other nigger kin do. Dats why dey calls me a "commidition oman" (combination). I kin cook, nurse, wash, sew, farm and I means I kin. And I's birthed eight head of chillun, but I sot in misery fore dis last chile came, cause I got scared ob de cy-clons. Honey you 'member dat. Hit were de terriblist thing dat ever I did see. And I thought dat chile were gwina be marked. But he come here alright, praise de Lawd. But he died in 'fancy (infancy). Three others went de same way. I got three living chillun. Scrap and my granddaughter, Lou, live here. De others lives up North. Dey sends me money now and den. I ain't been no count since my boy John died. He had de con-sumption. He had de flues when he was in de War. Now, he didn't fought. He had to go, dey 'scripted him. He stayed there two year, but dey paid him. A man, name Mr. Sammy (Uncle Sam) sent me money. Hit sho hope me. I sho did grieve atter him when he was a-gwining. But I praised de Lawd when he was a-coming."
She went to the door, spit her tobacco out, said, "I chaws, I dips, and I smokes airthing I kin git in de 'bacca line. Hits so expenseless.
Then calling her boy she said, "Scrap, bring dat skittle (skuttle) here and de charcoal in hit and put some on de fire and shot dat door. I ain't nebber seen a nigger yet dat would shot a door and dey is so cold-harded (cold natured) too."
After Scrap "shot" the door he grinned and said, "Ma, I got a piece of good news fer you. Dr. L--- axe me to axe you ef his oversee (overseer) from the farm in Georgy could sleep at your house tonight; said he would pay you fifty cents. I tole him you had a extry bed in your room. He came ober to formulate business fer de Spring". Then Aunt Savannah said, "Sho, he kin, dat's grand. I is glad to git dat money". And as Scrap was leaving Aunt Savannah called to him and said, "Scrap, is hit a man or a oman?".
I asked her could she tell me something about the old days here in Eufaula. She said, "Sho, Honey chile, I members better bout olden days than I does bout now. All de white folks ride in carriages. I means quality, not po white trash. And Lawdy, how dem horses would step wid plumes in dey head. And dey had grand funerals. Dem carriages would formulate in a long line and at de head would be de hearse and old Abe settin up dar with a silk hat on him head a-driving hit. Den de church bell would toll, so sorrowful lak, not gladsome lak hit does upon de Sabbeth day. Old man Vaughn was de grave digger. Now, bless God, de automobiles goes so fast lak dey is gwining to a fire, lak dey wants to git shed ob yer quick.
"Yes, honey, I been here a long time. I kin tell you some other things you don't know 'bout. I members de Spring ob de year, de robins would come here to New-Fallah by de thousands. Hit wasn't agin de law to kill em. Every boy, white and black, would have a shot-sling or air gun and fore you could say scat, you would have fifteen or twenty. And robin pie is so tasty. I jist sees a few now. Den, de blue birds was plentiful. Course you didn't eat blue birds. But deys was so pretty. I ain't seed nary a one now. Course dar is penty of mocking birds, and red birds and pecker-woods and pee-wees and sich lak. Now when I was young, de most pleasuring I had was meeting de steam boats. When us nigger gals would heard dem three long whistles, Lawd, we would hot foot hit down to de wharf. Lawd, how dem niggers would sing; sing and work, toating off de freight. I kin hear 'em now. Dey was de good old days. Didn't have no time to "court", though. Us gals would jist be flutatious lak".
And what a busy scene was the landing of the boats; the clanging of the bells, the shouts of the officers, the letting down of the gang planks, the outcoming of the passengers and as she said, the singing of the negroes unloading the freight. She continued her reminiscing: "How, Honey, us did court when de boats had ter tie up and dey couldn't git under de bridge on account of de high water. Another thing I members was dey would bring "Apalac" barrels of oysters for one dollar a barrel, and us would buy as many as we could eat for a dime. De mens would set us up. I means, dey would pay fer hit. Treat us and den us would go to Mr. Zack Barnes bottle works and git a bottle of strawberry soda-water. Dem days niggers didn't git drunk lak dey does now, excusing upon a Saturday, and dey had a bar-room on every corner, "Stern and Bloom, "Cohan", "Seligman", "Cargille", and lots more side dat. Now dey ain't got no bar-rooms, jist de "liquer store". But dey don't wait fer Saturday. Mens and womens, black and white gits drunk."
I asked her to tell me some of her special recipes. That she was such a good cook. She said, "You gwiner rit em down?" I told her, "yes". She said, "Well, I will tole you fust bout de cup custard; hit's good. You puts 2 eggs in sugar, jist a little pinch; a little of dat and a little of dis; whip hit good and one quart of sweet milk. You git bout one half dozen little pi-rix (pyrex) glass cups, set em in water with your custard in hit. Sprinkle nutmeg on top, dont let de oben be too hot; set em inside in de water. Dats de cheapest good custard eber been fixed.
"Now, cakes is real common now. Let me tell you bout my pies. De reason folks don't make good pies is case deys scared to use de stuff. Dis is de way I makes lemon pie. I pint milk, three yokes of de yallow, and a hold cup sugar in dat yallow and a tablespoon full of corn starch. Whip hit light and I means light, and add hit to de hot milk. Put jist de end of a pinch of a teaspoon full of butter in de milk. Then de rang (meringue) is de three whites lef ober from de yallows. You whip dat light and add four tablespoon fulls of sugar. Put hit in de crust and brown lightly.
"De best tasting chicken you eber et is milk fried chicken. Cut up in pieces to fry. Then put salt and pepper in de milk, sweet milk or buttermilk, air one is tasty. Put dat chicken in de milk; kiver hit ober with de milk; put hit in de frigerator, let hit set all night long. Next day hits tenderized. Den flour hit, have your pan full ob hot grease, an fry. I is gwiner tell you de truth. I kin eat two whole fryers myself, hits so good, hits so tender you don't eben have to chaw hit".
I thanked her for her information and as I was leaving an unexpected shower came up. She looked up at the sky and said, "Dat rain comes lak death comes, hit gwiner steal upon you".
I asked her if Lou, her granddaughter was a help to her and she said, "She is a sweet little gal, but she's a sinner. She dances, she's obeying de debbil cause she dances. She ain't obeying Jesus". I told her it was not wrong to dance. She said, "Honey, I done heard scripture read from kiver to kiver, and hits in dar. You is gwina burn in hell if you dances. Let me tell you bout when I "comed thru". I seen my way in God's kingdom, honey chile. I was a sinner. I was jist a missey gal toating my Ma's chillum around. My Pa had died wicked and went to torment. My Ma had done got ligeon long time fore dat. Dis is de way de Lawd veiled hit to me. I thunk I was sick, I wuzn't sick in de body, jist sick in de mind. I looked up in de heavens, de skies split. I seed de host of heaven sending and descending, glitterin lak stars, but dey was peoples when I saw all dat glory. I knowed I'de been borned agin. I knowed I was saved, blessed God. I been washed in de blood. I is Jesus' chile. Dot host dat I seed was he host dat John saw. Some folks say I got too much ligeon, dat I talks too much. But I believe in Him, seen His great works. I
is born of Him. I seed Jesus, honey chile; I met him half way de world. Everything was so white, everything was so beauty. He is ready to save air sinner dat comes to Him by faith and humble prayer. He don't care how white you is. He don't care how black you is. I so so glad I knows. I was ready to go dis year, but I is still here. I seed a mighty shade. I dreaded hit; hit was so dark. I was pantin lak a lizzard/ Hit was de Lawd. He ain't got here, honey chile, but he is coming. I is looking fer de King. I wants to go home wid Him when he comes. Praise de Lord."
Every word Aunt Savannah said came from the depths of her soul.
[Note: The following excerpts were taken from another interview conducted with the preceding person. All repeated information has been omitted.]
"Come in, honey, you come in un-be-nounce ter me; I didn't heard you, but I is pow'ful glad to see you". How she was feeling. She said, "Honey chile, I jist sorta tollable, but I is low in de spirit dis morning. I been terrible worried bout Rosie. She ain't right in her mind. She my half sister. We is proudful niggers though. Ain't got no loose ones in our family. I means, women, not mens. Course all men's loose. But what you speck dat Rosie Said to me? She been moping round de house. I say, "Rosie, what in de world is de matter wid you? Is you sick? She say, "Oh, I think I is gwina birth a baby". Then I say, "Lawd, God, Rosie, why you ain't even married". Then she said, "Dat ain't no sign I ain't got no nature". Now ain't she a hussey?" I asked her if she couldn't make the man marry Rosie. She said, "Honey, dat nigger done gone to Georgy and he got a wife too I hears. Hit sho hurted me, but Rosie say dat low down bastard put a spell on her, and she is half witted too. Nigger gals show is unruly and trifling.
"Let me tell you what Rev. Brown, our pastor said bout a gal in his flock. Her husband died last week and she took on awful lak. They thunk she was grieving terrible. So he and two of the elders went down dar to 'sole her. Dey say, "Don't cry, sister, you is stylish, young, and goodlooking, and you kin soon be gitting round atter you gits through mourning and de young mens will come to visit with you and you will soon be married agin". She looked at the pastor scornful lak and what you reckon dat gal say? She say, "Rev. what in de Hebil is I gwiner do til den?" He sho was plum 'gusted wid her. You cant put no 'pendence in 'em dese days."
The house she lives in is almost a hovel; terrible dirty walls. Two front rooms and a shed room. Aunt Savannah and her granddaughter, Lou and the baby, Maide Dell, live in one room, in the other room and shed room, another family of six, making nine that live in the cabin. There are two beds in Aunt Savannah's "apartment", a battered bureau, and a trunk, a chest, an open fire-place, two lamps, one with chimney, one without chimney, the two policies tacked over the mantle, pictures of negroes on the walls and advertisements. On one bed is a pink bed spread, the other piled high with quilts. There are some flowers in the front yard. All of the cooking for both families is done on a little stove in the shed room. Most of the family work out and "toat a pan". Aunt Savannah gets commodities (moddities) from the Government. "Hit show hope me but I wish dey would give me just a little grease". I asked Aunt Savannah if Lou had a husband, she said, "No, honey chile, I didn't tole you bout dat, cause I was shame-faced. Done tole you bout Rosie ingraced (disgraced) you knows niggers ain't lak white folks, she ain't nebber tole who dat chile's paw is, but when she birthed dat chile, he paid de mid-wife fer hit, Aunt Dora Queen kotched dat baby and named hit too.
"Now Lou is a sweet chile, ain't roudy, dont toat no party razor lak some ob dese nigger gals does, but she ain't got no ligeon; she prays fer hit, but hit ain't camed yet. I hopes when she does "come through" and git ligeon she will git her a husband so dis sweet little Maide Dell wont be no bastard chile no more."
Aunt Savannah is very old, she says, "I speck I bout fifty, I been here, was birthed fore freedom", but was too young to remember much about it. She is about eighty years old, her youngest child is almost forty-five. She is very crippled, has rheumatism badly in one leg, walks with a stick and can hardly walk at all. Her hair is gray, but she wears a head-rag and smokes a pipe most of the time. She is black and has a sweet soft voice.
