Interviewer: Now when you said you said that you had just a little uh 678: We was talking about sassafras Interviewer: Yeah sassafras root and so you have you have tasted that tea 678: I don't drink lots of it because Used to your mama would Save those roots until spring and she Put the sassafras tea to you to thin your blood down get you ready for summer Interviewer: Oh really #1 To thin your blood # 678: #2 Yeah # They really believed it and and I've never heard a doctor deny it But but what was good it was a good blood thinner Interviewer: {X} 678: Had lots of iron in it Interviewer: Huh 678: They learned that from the Indians Interviewer: Uh-huh they learned that from the Indians um what about a kind of bush or a vine that'll make your skin break out when you rub up against 678: You mean the poison oak or poison ivy Interviewer: Poison oak or poison how about types of berries that you might have around here 678: Wild or tame Or both Interviewer: Or both mm-hmm 678: Well we have the blackberry which is Universal you know Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: And we have the Uh Dewberry that grows on the railroad out in some places it's a {NW} Bush that grows down on the route {NS} Real fine berries And then we have the strawberries and the tame blackberries and the Himalaya berries Interviewer: Hmm 678: And the raspberries And uh The boysenberries Maybe more I don't know Interviewer: Now if you were talking about the berries that grew in the woods that you couldn't weren't supposed to eat because they'd kill you you'd say they were 678: Say they're poisoned Interviewer: Poisoned um you ever heard of a bush up in the mountains called mountain mountain laurel 678: Yeah I've heard of it {NW} But I'm not familiar with it Interviewer: How about a tree that's got big green leaves and big white flowers shiny green leaves 678: Mistletoe Interviewer: No um the whole tree that's got you may not have them around here it's got 678: Oh uh Interviewer: It's got big white flowers the flowers smell good and shiny leaves 678: We don't have it Interviewer: Okay um 678: I don't believe we have those Interviewer: Now when the old people 678: Course I don't know know everything now remember Interviewer: {NW} Well if you don't know it then it's not here I'm beginning to think that it's uh if the old people especially were talking about like a married woman didn't want to make up her own mind about something she'd say well I better go ask my 678: Husband Interviewer: Did you ever hear old people using any other term besides a husband 678: The old man Interviewer: Oh that uh-huh 678: An old man Interviewer: How about for what the man would say #1 {X} # 678: #2 The old woman # Interviewer: You've heard old woman now a woman who's lost her husband whose husband has died would be called a 678: A widow You know I hear of late where they've uh They find they you know what uh What is a widow and what is a widower and And uh {NW} What is A divorcee and this that and the other and it sorely got me mixed up on them but {NS} We all when their husband died we always called them a widow Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: But uh and we and we also called them a widow if they was separated from #1 Their hus- # Interviewer: #2 Oh you did # 678: Divorced you know divorced Interviewer: #1 Uh-huh # 678: #2 We'd # Call them a widow but Interviewer: You called them a widow 678: They don't call them that now Interviewer: Huh 678: They call them what divorcee don't they Interviewer: Uh-huh uh-huh 678: See Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: But we called them a widow #1 Because # Interviewer: #2 Oh you did # 678: They didn't have a husband Interviewer: I see 678: I say we I'm talking about uh Interviewer: The people in 678: Before my time and when I was a child Interviewer: Mm-hmm um when you were talking to your daddy what did you call him 678: I called him papa Interviewer: And when you were talking to your mother 678: Mama Interviewer: And uh how about to to your grandparents 678: I called them grandpa and grandma {NW} We uh that was {NS} Almost a hundred percent accepted Around here Now some Well up until I was married and had my own children My wife and I decided we'd go a little modern have our children call us mother and daddy Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: And uh It sort of embarrassed me you know to be to be called that Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: Because {X} Everyone that I knew Except what we call the ups in the city you know this that and the other They call them father I I knew one family that called one fellow called his Dad and mother father and And mother {NW} And uh Wally calls me father a whole lot Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: And uh Wayne calls me Bert a whole lot Interviewer: {NW} 678: {NW} But uh Back when I was growing up I'd say ninety-eight percent of the people it was papa and mama Or mommy and poppy Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: But I never did like the mommy and poppy and We called our parents mama and papa Interviewer: What was the 678: I still like the I still like mama Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: Still like to hear the kids say mama Interviewer: Mama what were some like common women's names that 678: Uh {NW} More more plain names and I and I I really love that like Ann Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: Laura Sarah Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: Uh Mary like that name Interviewer: How about Martha 678: And Martha {NW} And Margie my first wife's name was Margie And Martha I have uh Uh two aunts that was Martha May and my and may get that down to Maddie or Mad Interviewer: #1 Oh uh-huh # 678: #2 And # My younger sister's named Martha Ann and She's called uh Ann But uh Lots of times when they before she started before they started calling her Ann why it was Maddie Ann instead of Martha Ann So they dropped Maddie when she went to college and it was Ann Interviewer: How about 678: But I still like those short names Interviewer: How about Nelly was that 678: Nelly is a good name yeah Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: It's a common name Interviewer: And now in the way of men 678: Samantha Interviewer: Okay oh 678: That was getting quite lengthy Interviewer: That was uh-huh yeah that would be kind of long 678: But when you come along I I Interviewer: How about in the way of men's names 678: Well they was common too George and John and Jim and Tom With the old same Dick Tom and Harry Interviewer: Uh-huh William 678: {NW} William was uh Interviewer: Well now did they use nicknames 678: Oh yeah Yeah any time you was Named uh Richard why you was called Dick And uh and you know all down the line Interviewer: Mm-hmm how about for for William what would they have as a 678: Uh Bill Interviewer: Did they ever say Billy 678: Billy In fact my dad's name was William Noah Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: And he was called Willy he grew up and if you notice the marriage license they they had that Willy Interviewer: Willy 678: Instead of William Noah it was Willy because that's what he grew up Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: But his uh {NW} Grand daddy Called him Billy Interviewer: Called him Billy 678: When he was speaking to him but when he was speaking off him it was William Interviewer: William 678: My dad's uh people were uh Were Irish they they were mixed Irish with some of them with the dark and some the Interviewer: Oh 678: Red head with uh Brown eyes and They were all tall straight dignified people and My mother's people were uh Uh Scotch and and dutch Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: And uh But But they all grayed early both families I never I My dad was forty-two when I was born and I can't remember him having any black hair or my mother either And she was only thirty-five when I was born Interviewer: Oh really 678: But of course I would remember her as a forty-two or three year old woman see that's when I was starting to remember her And she had some black Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: And my dad if he did I can't remember Interviewer: Mm-hmm mm-hmm 678: And my daughter my who was my baby She's uh forty-one years old Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: And she's gray-headed almost as I am Interviewer: Really 678: But she's never growed up you wouldn't think she's over sixteen year old Interviewer: {NW} 678: {X} You've ever seen Interviewer: {NW} She takes that after you 678: I guess so she says she does Interviewer: She says she does um how about Matthew was that very common 678: Matt yeah no not too common There was Matthew they always got it down to Matt Interviewer: They always got it down to 678: {NW} Interviewer: Matt mm-hmm 678: And Launey Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: Launeys Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: Few Amoses around Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: But we didn't have the long names and Some of the names they hang on girls I understand it if it's on an Italian or a Syrian or a A Bolshevik or whatever you have or Norwegian or something They have those names Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: But for the pure old American Uh Well just like uh my stepdaughter has a little girl she named her Sarah Michelle Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: And she spelled I couldn't even spell that Michelle the way she has it Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: So Where did she get it it sounds French Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: {X} There's no French blood in her Interviewer: No she's nobody from France 678: {NW} Interviewer: Family 678: And I'll give you a little insight on Molly's family I've told you they about about when he corrected one he corrected all of them Interviewer: Yes 678: Because he'd correct one {NS} And the others stand around and And he says that he {NS} He'd say uh now Zola do you understand what I'm talking yes sir Yes sir and said now as far {X} The others would be nodding too Interviewer: {NW} 678: But {NW} Betty {NW} His wife {NS} {B} They they're they're English almost full blood {B} Each of their girls is named Know- Their middle name is Knowles Interviewer: Oh 678: {X} Moon Elizabeth Knowles Moon Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: Mary Knowles Moon Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: Uh Larissa Knowles Moon And they call them Larissa K Betty K I mean uh Elizabeth K Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: See And just some the K but every each one of them has the middle name of Knowles Interviewer: Same middle name of Knowles 678: And I like that #1 I like people # Interviewer: #2 Yeah # 678: That perpetuate their name Interviewer: Yeah that's good 678: And uh I didn't name either one of my boys after me but I didn't have sense enough I was just married when I was a kid you know and and uh But one of the boys ought to carry the The father's name I don't care if it is Henry {B} Like my That's my name Interviewer: Mm-hmm yeah 678: {B} #1 But I don't like it # Interviewer: #2 You told me about that # But everybody calls you Bert 678: Uh-huh But I wish that I would name one of my boys Bert I had three boys one of them died at uh right after birth Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: His name was James Edward Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: Wally is Wallace Wade he was named after the famous Alabama footballer Interviewer: Famous he was a football coach 678: #1 At uh # Interviewer: #2 {X} # 678: Alabama and at uh Duke University Interviewer: Uh-huh {X} 678: And uh {NW} We just sort of caught onto Wayne's name we we called him David Wayne and On the one of his uncles said uh Let's name him David as a bible name you know I said okay and one of them said how about Goliath and I said no #1 No # Interviewer: #2 {NW} # 678: No go so we Interviewer: {NW} 678: My wife liked the name Wayne so we called him David Wayne Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: But we took David from the bible {NS} Interviewer: Um {NS} 678: And Loretta is named G- Gwendolyn Loretta Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: Uh the Gwendolyn was from a girl that Uh my wife was friends to over in Tennessee and Gwen uh Loretta was after Loretta Young She was my favorite movie star #1 At the time # Interviewer: #2 Oh she # Oh yeah 678: In the old silent picture days Interviewer: She was so pretty wasn't she 678: Yeah I did when I was Young boy you know I'd go see the movies Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: {NW} I'd think well man if I was in Hollywood I'd sure make love to that woman Interviewer: {NW} To Loretta Young 678: And uh Interviewer: {NW} 678: That's that's I named my daughter after Loretta Young Interviewer: That's really something um do you remember when like for something that they'd have for babies that was kind of like a crib on wheels you put it in the 678: #1 You mean the # Interviewer: #2 Take it # 678: #1 Baby carriage or baby buggy # Interviewer: #2 Outside baby carriage # Or baby buggy 678: {NW} Mm-hmm Interviewer: Um now when they put it in the carriage they'd say they were gonna go out 678: {X} A stroll Interviewer: #1 To stroll the baby is that how they'd say it # 678: #2 Mm-hmm # Yeah or Push the baby Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: I've heard them say let's go out and stroll the baby around a while Interviewer: Now if a woman was going to have a baby was going to have a child you'd say she's 678: Pregnant Interviewer: Now but now that's 678: I don't know what they used to say Interviewer: Yeah what they used to 678: #1 You want me to tell you # Interviewer: #2 Say # Yeah what'd they used to say 678: {NW} Well {NW} If you don't mind I'll tell you the good and the bad Interviewer: #1 Okay # 678: #2 And uh # Interviewer: {NW} 678: Uh They I've heard them Slipping around listening around the corner you know I've heard them say uh She's big You ever heard that Interviewer: Uh-uh uh-uh 678: #1 Big big with child # Interviewer: #2 Never heard that # Big with child 678: And I've heard them say that uh She's with a child Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: And uh I've heard the men uh the men that I never did uh Appreciate say that woman's knocked up Interviewer: Oh you would they used to #1 Say that # 678: #2 Yeah # Out on the streets you know Interviewer: Oh 678: Look there that woman's knocked up Interviewer: Oh 678: I never did like that I've I've always been a {X} But Interviewer: Yeah 678: I've always uh I've I've I've always respected women uh and uh Course I'd make love to them all I could and all like that you know but uh When they said no To me that was no if I could out talk them alright Interviewer: {NW} 678: But I would never try to attempt to use uh Force or anything like that I threatened one one time Interviewer: {NW} 678: {NW} She had it she asked for it and I didn't but I threatened her see and But I always I never did like to hear men Tell Things that went on in their home Interviewer: Hmm 678: Between them and their wife never Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: No man ever heard me say anything About What went on between me and my wife except Something good like she Cooked me some cake or something like that I've heard men Uh Talk awful disrespectful and And I'll tell you {NW} Maybe I'll tell this one maybe I shouldn't have said on this {D: Oh no I} Forgot about Interviewer: Oh that's okay 678: Uh Interviewer: That's something that people did 678: Well {NW} Interviewer: It was 678: I had a man and his wife working for me down in Singer And uh He called everyone honey Interviewer: Oh 678: He was from Miss- They was from Mississippi Interviewer: Mississippi 678: #1 And # Interviewer: #2 {NW} # 678: She was one of these bucks oh her breasts were tremendous And she was an inspector for me on the A line that carried uh Part of the sewing machine cabinet parts along And old Dexter he was back up the line working you know and And she was inspecting them marking them and sending them back to be reworked and I {D: strolled by} And he said hey honey said that Uh who's the inspector down there this morning And I looked back around and it It was his wife on the line About that time she stepped out in the aisle Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: And I said uh you know who she is and he said oh {X} He said it's old big tit herself ain't it Interviewer: Oh 678: {NW} Interviewer: Her husband said that 678: {NW} He said a bunch among a bunch of men #1 See # Interviewer: #2 Oh # 678: {NW} Interviewer: Oh that's terrible 678: And maybe you should have cut #1 That off maybe # Interviewer: #2 {X} # 678: Hey do like Mister Nixon scratch that out Interviewer: #1 Scratch that out # 678: #2 Yeah # Interviewer: Yeah I'll go back and scratch that out scratch that oh goodness I'll bet that if she known that that would have embarrassed her 678: She didn't care #1 She didn't care # Interviewer: #2 She knew what he was # 678: She knew him she knew what he was Interviewer: #1 Oh she did # 678: #2 I well she just # Took him face value yeah Interviewer: Oh 678: She done all the thinking and all the check writing Interviewer: Oh she 678: Handled all the money {NS} And uh Interviewer: {NW} 678: He was just there Interviewer: He was just there um how about if they didn't have a doctor to deliver a baby what would they 678: They they'd have a midwife {NW} Uh I had a A midwife with my baby girl Interviewer: #1 Oh really # 678: #2 We # Yeah and uh Just Just one of those happen stances all my children were born at home and Interviewer: Oh they were 678: {NW} Yeah And {NS} The doctor He was a real close friend of ours {NS} Course he kept up with the dates of all the children he was supposed to deliver {NS} But he fell and hurt his hip And unbeknown to me Why Uh I didn't I didn't know it and he he was in such a pain and laid up until he forgot Interviewer: Mm 678: So here comes time for this child to be born in July hot as all get out Interviewer: Mm 678: {NS} So when it started happening I went after doctor {B} And found out he just couldn't couldn't get up Interviewer: Oh 678: Well then I called and we only had one telephone in Town at that time so I called meddling for a doctor {B} Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: Well before doctor {B} Before he could get that message and up there and get doctor {B} Back down here in a model T car Interviewer: {NW} 678: Why We had a neighbor woman lived about a half a quarter up there so I went uh I went up after her And she was a huge thing and couldn't walk fast and of course I was young #1 I could have run # Interviewer: #2 {NW} # 678: A mile I just #1 Worried # Interviewer: #2 {NW} # 678: To death Interviewer: {NW} 678: Thought once I pick her up and and I tote her down there you know Interviewer: {NW} 678: Finally she made it down there and uh She took care of it and The time the doctor got there the boy was born and cleaned up and his navel cord taken care of and he said you don't need me he just examined my wife and I said well what's your bill he said just half fare {D: Just he said} Such a good job and everything said Come by and pay me ten dollars that's what they charged twenty dollars Interviewer: Twenty dollars 678: That was in nineteen thirty-two during the depression It took me a year to pay him a dollar a time every time I'd go to Jonesboro if I had a dollar I'd stop and meet him Interviewer: Oh 678: Until I paid that ten dollars Interviewer: That is really something 678: {NW} Interviewer: Well now if a child or like let's say a boy had the same kind of facial features as his father you'd say that boy 678: Resembled his father Interviewer: Would they ever 678: Well they all see well he looks like him Interviewer: Looks like him how about favors him did they ever say that 678: Say favors Interviewer: Favors 678: But most of the time they'd say looks like him and I Got studied about that later and I said well sure we both look out of the same eyes I mean they look alike Interviewer: Eyes yeah 678: The so many of the old sayings didn't really make sense Interviewer: Did yeah uh-huh 678: Might say I look like you Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: Well we do #1 We both look through glasses we look we look we look # Interviewer: #2 Yeah we look through glasses # {NW} 678: But uh Resemble or Favors Interviewer: Yeah 678: {NS} And I would say resemble would be more accurate Interviewer: How about if he had actions or behaved like him would they ever what would they usually say then 678: Well you mean about chip off the old block Interviewer: Yeah or something like that did they ever say takes after 678: {NW} Takes after him Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: I can tell you another good one about that that uh A little The little boy went to School They had a new baby in their family Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: And he told his teacher about it and The teacher wanted to course wanted to make conversation make him feel good he said Now son who does the baby Uh take after Who does it uh Favor Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: Thought a minute said well Said it's got features like mama but said it's got fixtures like daddy {NW} Interviewer: Oh my gosh 678: {NW} And to show you how kids now you can't uh you can't Talk in front of them because they'll repeat you Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: When when I had been married twelve years Loretta had just Was in her second year of school Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: She only came home for lunch at that time Didn't have the lunch rules so they'd come home for lunch So around the I was eating a noon day meal why I said well honey Twelve years ago today your mama got me by the ear and led me to the altar She didn't let her shirt touch her back until she got to school until she told her Teacher said guess what Miss Gill Interviewer: Oh 678: {X} Twelve years today ago today he said mama by the Ear and led him to the altar Interviewer: Oh 678: Oh Miss Gill couldn't wait until she saw us to Laugh about it #1 She knew you know what # Interviewer: #2 Oh # Knew what yeah what 678: But Told it as soon as she got #1 To school # Interviewer: #2 As soon as she got couldn't even wait # 678: {NW} Interviewer: Well if you were talking about a like a woman who says she had a hard life her husband died and like if she had six children all by herself she had to in reference to the children what would you say she had to do to the children 678: She had to be the The boss or the daddy and the mother both well uh I've heard them say I've had to be Mother and daddy both Interviewer: And um 678: While we're on this {NS} Um Some of these they scratch out things out sure enough Interviewer: Okay okay if you want me to sure I will if you want me to 678: After you get through with that part of it anyhow Interviewer: #1 Okay # 678: #2 Because # Someone might come through here some day {X} Said I want to see mayor Moon Interviewer: #1 {NW} # 678: #2 Hey # Boy you know what you said over Interviewer: #1 {NW} # 678: #2 On the tape # Interviewer: No I didn't think anybody would ever do that that's funny um 678: {NW} Interviewer: Would they usually say uh that somebody's raised six children #1 Or rears # 678: #2 Yeah # Interviewer: Six 678: Raised Interviewer: Raised 678: And I've heard a lot of you know jokes about that How did they raise them on the elevator or Interviewer: {NW} 678: By the hair of their head Interviewer: {NW} 678: See Interviewer: Yeah 678: #1 And uh # Interviewer: #2 Yeah # 678: And uh well that's uh that's what it means Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: Lift them up Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: So and I I still catch myself I was born and raised in Bay See Interviewer: #1 Mm-hmm oh born and raised right right # 678: #2 Uh-huh # And uh Uh I try to think well I was reared in Bay Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: So I try to but Being a country boy I still get back and lot of times I say I Born I say you from Bay yeah born and raised there {NW} Interviewer: Oh 678: It'll wear you out you know we use that Interviewer: Yeah 678: They spell it I don't I don't know if it's in dictionary or not but they spell it Y E O W and Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: And right in your Fiction you know and so forth but I really don't {NS} Accept the word or not But all these Especially southern people yeah Interviewer: I say it all the time 678: And uh And they in Mississippi They don't see yes sir they say yas Y-A-S Interviewer: Oh 678: Yas sir {NS} And they that's And you know they don't want to be mixed with the colored people in any form or fashion But they have automatic to To taken up the nigger's Brogue. #1 Yas sir # Interviewer: #2 Oh # 678: He says yas sir see Interviewer: And so they say that 678: Yeah yas sir Interviewer: Huh um if if a child had been naughty you'd say to her you'd better be careful or you're gonna get a 678: Whipped Spanked Interviewer: Or spanked now if a if an unmarried woman had a child you'd call that child 678: You mean uh uh If she wasn't married Interviewer: If she wasn't married she had a child they'd call that child 678: Well he's uh {NW} I've heard him called woods colt Interviewer: Wood colt yeah 678: I've heard them called bastards Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: And uh I've heard them I've heard them called deer licks Interviewer: #1 Oh deer licks # 678: #2 Mm-hmm # Which uh really doesn't Doesn't mean that but I've heard them called that and There's some other word I can't think right now what they would call it but You know what the You know what the colored boys in Mississippi say when You ask them how many you hire them into a plant and say how many children you got Oh I got five And and I always try to joke with them I said uh Kelly is that all you have Oh he says I got a few over the fence Interviewer: Over the fence 678: That means with another woman see Interviewer: Oh 678: Yeah I've got a few over the fence Interviewer: #1 Oh # 678: #2 {NW} # But I can't claim some Interviewer: {NW} That's funny I never heard 678: Well you're gonna be full of that stuff aren't you Interviewer: #1 Oh I'm gonna know everything I'm gonna know everything # 678: #2 {NW} # Interviewer: Oh now your brother's son would be called your 678: My nephew Interviewer: And a child that's lost it's father and mother is called a 678: He's an orphan Interviewer: And a person that the court would appoint to look after an orphan 678: Guardian Interviewer: Um now if somebody there was somebody else named Moon but you might say now he's also got the same name as me but he's no 678: Relation Or kin Interviewer: Mm-hmm uh somebody 678: Way back in years ago it'd be no kin Interviewer: No kin yeah somebody that comes to town that nobody knows now you'd call that person a 678: Stranger {X} A foreigner Interviewer: A foreigner right yeah now foreigner would not necessarily have to be from another country would it 678: Not uh he probably would now Interviewer: Would now 678: #1 But uh back then # Interviewer: #2 But not then # 678: If you wasn't of uh If you wasn't of our community community we looked on you as a foreigner Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: In other words when we played baseball when I was a kid we'd go play in the middle Or somewhere else it was it was war {NW} Interviewer: Oh it was #1 War it was like # 678: #2 Yeah we # Interviewer: War 678: No matter where we went they were foreigners as far as we was #1 Concerned # Interviewer: #2 Yeah # 678: But really uh you know a foreigner is a an alien of some some other #1 Country and uh # Interviewer: #2 Some other country # 678: #1 That's right # Interviewer: #2 But not then that wasn't yeah # 678: Not then Interviewer: Well now what did they usually call who conducted school 678: Teacher Interviewer: Teacher 678: Schoolmarm Interviewer: Schoolmarm you've heard that too 678: It's what they called them when I was a kid schoolmarm Not mom, marm Interviewer: Marm 678: {D: Mm-hmm Marm} {NS} Interviewer: Um would they 678: Or old lady so and so Interviewer: #1 Or old lady # 678: #2 To her back # Interviewer: {NW} #1 Was was the name # 678: #2 {NW} # Interviewer: Cooper very common around here 678: Yeah Interviewer: Usually 678: Yeah we with us it was Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: Several Several families of Coopers up in uh What we called Pleasant Valley district #1 There's a # Interviewer: #2 Uh-huh # 678: There was two or three families of Coopers that were related and then out uh a couple three miles there was another Bunch of Coopers then over in what we called uh {D: Loving Ridge} Over here Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: There was another bunch we had uh we had right now we got seven families of Holts Of no relation Interviewer: That don't 678: Gets mail out of this post office Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: So that's a lot of Holts Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: And there's a lot That's related to this Holt Lot related to this one but they're not Inter-related Interviewer: But not inter right 678: It's absolutely seven different families Interviewer: Hmm 678: And that gets a little #1 Confu- # Interviewer: #2 That gets # 678: #1 Confusing sometimes # Interviewer: #2 {NW} # 678: #1 {NW} # Interviewer: #2 I bet it does # Oh now did you ever hear a person talking about somebody who wasn't very good at something like say a preacher ever heard him called a jack leg 678: I've heard uh carpenters called a jack leg #1 Carpenters and jack leg # Interviewer: #2 Oh you've heard of carpenters # 678: Mechanics but I've heard uh preachers called sky pilots Interviewer: Sky pilots 678: Mm-hmm Interviewer: Really oh 678: Pilots you to the sky {X} Interviewer: Oh 678: But jack leg is a common name for anyone that uh That doesn't excel at their At whatever they're doing Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: Say is that man a carpenter or he's a jack leg Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: {NW} Interviewer: That's funny 678: Now the words you want you've got to drop to {X} Interviewer: Don't I now the the uh commander of the ar- of an army would be called a 678: Well I guess this uh would be the general the Ch- The uh Chief of Staff or the general {NW} Interviewer: Oh and the Kentucky fried chicken man he's the 678: Colonel Sanders Uh now you you should have seen me when I had my moustache and Interviewer: Oh did you 678: And sure enough long hair here about Year and a half ago #1 They called me Colonel Sanders until I shaved # Interviewer: #2 Did you really they did # 678: It off Interviewer: #1 You had a moustache # 678: #2 {NW} # Just a moustache Interviewer: Yeah 678: I growed uh I growed that thing way way out you know Interviewer: Oh 678: And uh While I was starting in letting my hair grow I {X} Used to wear a crew cut Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: So I just let it start growing and growing and growing and it got longer here than it did up here {NS} Than these three did Interviewer: {NW} 678: #1 So # Interviewer: #2 {NW} # {NW} 678: Uh {NW} Interviewer: Oh 678: I had me a pretty good moustache I done it just for the heck of it Interviewer: Uh-huh um what about the man that's in charge of a ship what do you call him 678: Captain Interviewer: Have you ever heard captain used in any other way other than #1 The army # 678: #2 {X} # Interviewer: Or the air or 678: #1 They call him # Interviewer: #2 Or # 678: The old man Refer to him as the old man Interviewer: Oh you have 678: Or the G Interviewer: Have you ever heard people talking about like oh say something like a raid or road gang or something called the head of it a captain 678: Road gang Interviewer: Or I don't know 678: #1 Yeah # Interviewer: #2 Or work # 678: #1 {NW} # Interviewer: #2 Gang # Or something 678: Yeah they're uh {NS} S- Uh {X} section used to have a section foreman Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: And then they'd have a man that uh sort of captained the #1 Whole thing # Interviewer: #2 Oh they did # 678: {X} Interviewer: Light bulb, yeah. 678: Captain Interviewer: Um how uh now a child in school would be called a 678: Student I suppose Pupil Student I imagine Interviewer: Whatever now how about um somebody that let's say is a a man hired uh somebody to look after his letters and his correspondence they'd call her a 678: Secretary {NW} I guess Is that right Interviewer: Sure a man on the stage would be an actor so a woman would be 678: Actress {NS} Interviewer: Um now if you were talking about you know like these people that you were talking about kind of ne'er do well type people have you ever heard anybody refer to them as trash 678: #1 Mm-hmm # Interviewer: #2 Or # 678: #1 Or # Interviewer: #2 People # 678: Scum Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: Trash Interviewer: Trash you've heard of it how about 678: Some of them I referred to in this Dale Carnegie thing they was trash and scum Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: Or they wouldn't have been in that condition Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: That what that was the truth Interviewer: That that was the 678: That I wrote yeah {NW} Interviewer: How about people who lived way off in the in the hills you'd call them 678: Hillbillies Interviewer: Hillbillies you ever heard the word hoosier 678: Hoosiers Interviewer: Uh-huh in talking about 678: {NW} You know where they're from Interviewer: No 678: Indiana Interviewer: Oh from Indiana you've heard it talking about people from #1 Indiana # 678: #2 Yeah # Interviewer: Um 678: And the in Ohio the buckeyes you know Interviewer: Oh Ohio uh now if somebody was waiting for you to get ready to go some place and they said uh Bert will you be ready soon you'll say yeah I'll be with you in 678: Minute {NS} That's what I usually say Interviewer: Just a minute 678: Might be ten but I say wait a minute Interviewer: You'll be with you in just a minute {X} Um if you were sure you're on the right road to a place but just not sure of the distance you'd ask somebody well how 678: How far Interviewer: Um if you were agreeing with somebody now if somebody said I'm not gonna do that you might say well me if you weren't gonna do it either you'd say well 678: Me me me me neither Interviewer: Me neither probably that's hard to remember what you say when you're not really saying it now this next part's just a for pronunciation I'll just point and tell me you tell me how you say it now this would be my this part of my head would be my 678: Forehead Interviewer: And then uh now on a man's face he has to shave his 678: Beard Interviewer: Uh now 678: {NW} Interviewer: Distinguish this one from this one this would be my 678: Say what now Interviewer: To distinguish this one from this one this would be my 678: You mean left ear Interviewer: Right and this would be my 678: Right ear Interviewer: And 678: Some of them used to call them years you know Interviewer: Oh years {NW} {NS} So the part that you talk through would be your 678: Mouth And this whole area around here would be your Neck I Interviewer: And 678: And uh Interviewer: The part that you swallow through would be your the the thing that you swallow through would be your 678: What do you call it Interviewer: Well you 678: #1 Throat # Interviewer: #2 Throat # 678: #1 You mean # Interviewer: #2 Yeah # Throat 678: Aw I thought you had a fancy name #1 {D: For that one} # Interviewer: #2 No no # Throat was what have you ever heard anybody talk about a goozle 678: Yeah Interviewer: What would that be 678: Same thing This is it Interviewer: Oh 678: That's your goozle Interviewer: Mm-hmm it'd be the same thing as your #1 Throat # 678: #2 Mm-hmm # {NW} Interviewer: Um 678: {NW} Some of them has Adam's apples you know Interviewer: Oh 678: You know what Adam's #1 Adam's apple # Interviewer: #2 Adam's apple # That's the 678: This is it {NW} This see Interviewer: But yours doesn't #1 Stick out # 678: #2 Uh-uh # But I've seen 'em just like that #1 You see # Interviewer: #2 Yeah # Once it was 678: Looked like a turkey's Interviewer: Like a 678: Neck you know {NW} Interviewer: That area right up above your teeth would be 678: Your gums Interviewer: And this part of your hand would be 678: Palm Interviewer: And uh you'd say he got well like this you'd say he had two 678: Fists Interviewer: Uh and if you hit somebody would you say hit him with his 678: Right Interviewer: Right 678: Right fist Interviewer: Um the places on your body that move would be your 678: Joints Interviewer: And the upper part of man's body is called his 678: Torso isn't it Interviewer: Torso 678: Uh-huh {NW} Interviewer: And then you say this would be your 678: Shoulders Interviewer: And this would be your this whole thing here 678: Hand Interviewer: And you'd say you have two 678: Two hands Interviewer: Um this uh what we walk on would be uh 678: Feet Interviewer: Um now the front part of your leg the part that you know into things 678: Shin Interviewer: Now if you're squatting down like on the back part of your thighs you'd say you're squatting down on your you know hunkers or #1 Haunch # 678: #2 Yeah # Um {NW} Your haunches Interviewer: Your haunches You ever heard anybody say they hunker down 678: Yeah Interviewer: Would that be the same as #1 Squat down # 678: #2 Mm-hmm same thing. # Interviewer: And if somebody's been sick and they're okay now but they might say still looks a little bit 678: Pale or {NS} Or peaked do you say #1 Peaked # Interviewer: #2 Yeah # Peaked why do you think of everything I don't know how you think of everything 678: I've heard of I remember Interviewer: Yeah but you remember you you but you know this stuff you know and keep up with it how about a person who can lift heavy weights you'd say that person is really 678: Strong Interviewer: And how about a person who's not really fat but just kind of thick you'd say that person 678: Maybe I don't follow you {NW} Interviewer: They're they're not really fat but they're 678: #1 You mean # Interviewer: #2 Sort of # Solid I guess {NS} Uh maybe a nice way of saying #1 Fat # 678: #2 Oh uh # Uh {NS} We said the other ones didn't we say the other was strong what did we Interviewer: Strong okay yeah how about stout would you ever 678: Well yes Word stout Interviewer: Now a person that's really easy to get along with you'd say they're that person is good natured or 678: #1 Good natured # Interviewer: #2 {X} # 678: Yeah Interviewer: How about a person who's always knocking into things all the time you'd say they're really 678: I'd call them scatter brained {NW} I don't know if that's right or not Interviewer: How about a person who would never spend a cent of money 678: He's a miser Interviewer: Miser 678: Got to be Interviewer: How about uh a how about a word miser and then how about it's got tight with it you'd say {NS} 678: Tightwad Interviewer: #1 Tightwad you've heard that # 678: #2 Mm-hmm # Interviewer: Too um now if if you were talking if you were using the word common like if you said that girl is very common what would you mean 678: {NS} Well I believe it uh {NW} That you would Well this this well there's several ways like I believe but I believe what you mean is that she's not too pretty Interviewer: Oh 678: And uh She comes in the Would be classed uh {NS} Well a lot of the girls weren't Pretty and this that and the other in other words she doesn't She doesn't have anything that excels {NW} See Now that may not be the answer you wanted but uh Interviewer: Yeah that's what I was looking for 678: But another way of common would be uh they're I've heard of Uh Women of ill repute Interviewer: Oh you've #1 Heard it used that way too # 678: #2 Yeah but # But uh They're just a They're just a common #1 So and so # Interviewer: #2 Mm-hmm # Mm-hmm um now if you were talking about somebody that was 678: {NW} Interviewer: Oh say ninety years old and could still really get around real well you'd say that person was really 678: Active Interviewer: Uh 678: Lucky Interviewer: #1 Lucky yeah # 678: #2 {NW} # Interviewer: How about a little kid who just can't sit still in a chair you'd say that kid's really 678: {NW} Fidgety Interviewer: Fidgety um 678: Or mean I don't know which Interviewer: Or if one of your children was out later than usual you might say now you wouldn't say you felt easy you'd say you felt 678: Uneasy Interviewer: Um now if somebody was uh if somebody you just could not joke with without that person losing his temper you'd say that person is really 678: Touchy Interviewer: Touchy #1 Right # 678: #2 Mm-hmm # Interviewer: Yeah 678: Stop that #1 Just a minute # Interviewer: #2 Okay # 678: {X} On any kind of business I'll stay until around eleven ten thirty to eleven Interviewer: Well anyway you just you just tell me um 678: About fifteen minutes Interviewer: Alright um one thing I was curious about uh I noticed in your memoirs the one you began when you were talking about now you said when you got the illness you said that you I think you said you took sick 678: Mm-hmm Interviewer: Yeah now would that that would be a common way of #1 Saying it # 678: #2 Yeah # Interviewer: #1 At that time # 678: #2 And that's the # Reason I used it Interviewer: That's why you used it you would have said instead of saying I got sick I noticed you said 678: And uh Or or Say that I contracted uh certain certain illness Interviewer: Yeah 678: They used to say well he took sick Interviewer: Took sick yeah 678: And that's why I put that there I may have done it through ignorance but uh Uh uh you know But Actually when I when I uh Wrote that I tried to think back Uh as the way it would have been expressed at that time Interviewer: Right yeah yeah I like that #1 I thought was good # 678: #2 {NW} And # Interviewer: I liked that about that 678: Because uh Actually I don't know any highfalutin words or if I did I wouldn't know what they meant Interviewer: {NW} 678: I don't mean that literally I do but I mean I'm not qualified to {NW} To use Uh I don't have too good of Vocabulary Not nearly as well as I would like to have see Interviewer: Oh I think 678: What I have I've just dug it out #1 See # Interviewer: #2 Yeah # 678: So but uh I tried to revert back to Just exactly the way It happened or would have been said Interviewer: Um if there were several people like in a burning building somebody might just say now just keep 678: Calm Interviewer: Uh 678: Or cool it we'd say today Interviewer: {NW} 678: {NW} We'd always say cool it around the farm {NW} #1 {NW} # Interviewer: #2 That's funny # 678: But they'd say it Interviewer: But they'd say it 678: If there if there was fire burning these people who got to hurling around you'd say cool it cool it It's just what you're used to Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: Way you grew up Interviewer: Um if a person sat sat was sitting in a draft you might tell him now you better be careful or #1 You're going to # 678: #2 Take a # Cold Or catch a cold Interviewer: Okay 678: We used to say take a cold #1 Cold # Interviewer: #2 Take a cold # 678: Mm-hmm Interviewer: Now if the person did take a cold and their throat got sounded like this you'd say 678: They're hoarse Interviewer: And then uh if they were going like {NW} you'd say they had a bad 678: Cold or cough Interviewer: Um if somebody can't hear anything at all you'd say they're stone 678: Deaf {NW} I won't tell you {X} {NW} This uh Man and woman Man and wife Uh They was pesting their neighbors and any time he would start to tell anything Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: She'd butt in Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: And correct him Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: So one night he was telling a tale about {NS} A person and he said and uh {NS} And uh she was She was deaf {C: pronunciation} Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: And she said John John Not deaf {C: pronunciation} Deaf and he said now by gosh the one I'm talking about was deaf {C: pronunciation} Interviewer: {NW} 678: {NW} #1 {NW} # Interviewer: #2 {NW} # That's great that's funny the one he was talking about was deaf {C: pronunciation} she was talking about was deaf 678: #1 {NW} # Interviewer: #2 Deaf {C: pronunciation} # That's great oh 678: That should have stopped her Interviewer: Yeah Yeah 678: And then there's another funny one you don't mind funny ones being mixed in here do you Interviewer: No 678: There's another funny one about the man and his wife that uh {NW} Got into argument and finally she said Oh boy said I wish I'd have thought twice before I married you He said honey if I'd have thought once I'd have been happy {NW} Interviewer: {NW} {NS} {NW} 678: Then there's another old saying that uh {NS} That's always told that the men will go into the factory or to their office and Say well my wife and I had it out this morning Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: {NW} Listen boy did I have her down on her knees begging I I would tell that #1 To these colored people # Interviewer: #2 Yeah yeah # 678: And they'd say oh Mister Moon Mister Moon said what did you what was she {NW} Doing you had her down on her knees {NS} I said she was begging me to come out from under the bed and fight like a man #1 {NW} # Interviewer: #2 {NW} # #1 How do you think up these things # 678: #2 {NW} # Interviewer: I don't know how you think them up oh goodness oh oh let's see oh now these people used to get I don't think they get them much anymore they get these bad sores that would make a come to a head what are they called 678: Bad sore oh you I thought you said bed sores Interviewer: #1 No bad # 678: #2 You said bad one # Interviewer: #1 Sore that would be # 678: #2 Well # They called {X} Interviewer: Uh-huh oh yeah what would they call that stuff that came out of it 678: Pus Corruption Interviewer: Or corruption now if if you had some infection in your hand and your hand got bigger you'd say my hand 678: Uh you want it like they say in Mississippi or Arkansas Interviewer: Or like Arkansas 678: Arkansas it swelled up Interviewer: Swelled up yeah 678: These colored boys would say my hand's all swole up Interviewer: Oh all swole #1 Uh-huh # 678: #2 Mm-hmm # Swole up Interviewer: Yeah but now in Arkansas you'd say my hand's 678: #1 Oh they do in # Interviewer: #2 All # 678: Arkansas too I was kidding but They they The colored people especially use that Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: And uh and they s- they s- For a pint like a pint of water they say point {C: pronunciation} Interviewer: Oh 678: And then if they need to say point they say pint {C: pronunciation} #1 They just reverse them # Interviewer: #2 {NW} # They just reverse them 678: And they don't stub their toe they stob it {C: pronunciation} Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: Stob {C: pronunciation} their toe Interviewer: Um in a war uh if somebody got shot they'd say they got a 678: #1 Wounded # Interviewer: #2 Bullet # 678: #1 # Interviewer: #2 # 678: #1 Or # Interviewer: #2 Or # Yeah right and have you ever heard anybody talk about proud flesh do you know 678: Oh I've had it Interviewer: Oh you have is what they called it 678: Had a bone fallen On this finger see this {NS} This white scar there Interviewer: Right uh-huh 678: And the bone fell under it's worse worse than a blood ball it's a bruise what it is Interviewer: Yeah 678: {NW} And That thing Swole up Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: And then Come to a head and the doctor ripped it open here And bandaged it up And it oh it began to hurt and if I just touch it against anything just Oh just murder Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: So we took that off and you was Thinking of the frog stools the other day Uh That just a had a stool right there a little Nip of a thing and and then a great big round thing of proud flesh Interviewer: Oh 678: And that's when they first come out of these little old Things where the doctor could squirt ether on you and freeze that And I was ready to him cutting that off you know because the man would just touch it But he just froze that thing just took the scissors and Pushed he had me to hold this side because I couldn't feel it Took his other finger and pulled it back here and Cut it close enough that this Skin would come out over Got well in three or four days Interviewer: Mm isn't that 678: And I have never had anything hurt any worse Interviewer: Oh well now you remember when they used to use uh i- 678: Ice cap Interviewer: Yeah an ice cap 678: Still do Interviewer: Well how about when they would if you got a cut on your finger what would they put on there possibly 678: Oh way back yonder Interviewer: Yeah 678: Kerosene or uh Interviewer: Oh 678: Or uh Soot out of your stove pipe Interviewer: Oh they did well what about later 678: Dry dust Interviewer: Or dry dust goodness well now what about that red stuff that they used later 678: Oh you're getting modern honey #1 Mercurochrome # Interviewer: #2 Oh really # 678: And merthiolate Interviewer: Yeah what about 678: That's late that's late. I'm talking about way back in time Interviewer: How about um i- the other stuff the 678: Iodine Interviewer: Iodine did they use that too 678: Some of them called it iodine Interviewer: Iodine yeah well now was that before merthiolate 678: Yeah Interviewer: Yeah before I thought 678: The forerunner of merthiolate Interviewer: Mm-hmm The forerunner of mercurochrome and and mercurochrome was the forerunner of merthiolate 678: Yeah I've been here a while Interviewer: #1 Yeah you know {X} # 678: #2 {NW} Oh yeah # All the way there and halfway back Interviewer: #1 {NW} # 678: #2 That's what I say # Interviewer: If you didn't know the cause of a person if you didn't know the cause of a person's death you'd say I don't know what he 678: Died from Interviewer: Um 678: Well died with Interviewer: Or even you said that one 678: #1 Either one # Interviewer: #2 Either one # Either one uh when somebody dies the ceremony that you have is called a 678: {D: We do just} Well we say preaching his funeral Interviewer: Right yeah now when the people are dressed in black they say they're all in 678: Mourning You know I often wonder about that preaching #1 A funeral # Interviewer: #2 Preaching yeah # 678: I don't like that word preaching Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: Because that's getting {X} Ain't it Interviewer: Because yeah 678: I would I I'd just say that uh Uh Brother Jones held the services Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: I don't like that word I don't want him preaching at me Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: Or over me either one Interviewer: Uh do you remember uh uh a disease that people used to get in their throat that course we have a shot for it they don't have it anymore but 678: Diphtheria Interviewer: Yes yes how about a disease that makes people's skin turn yellow 678: Oh that was uh Well it can be a fever or yellow jaundice Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: Jaun- Jaundice I believe we called it They call it jaundice but it's because it's spelled J J U N D I C E I believe Is that Interviewer: How about uh no if you had to have your appendix taken out you'd say you had an attack of 678: Appendicitis Interviewer: Um now if somebody had had to vomit and they wanted to tell you where they were sick they'd say they were sick 678: At their stomach Or on their stomach Interviewer: Or on the stomach when a when a boy and girl were going out together a lot what did they usually say the the couple were they'd say he 678: Going steady Interviewer: Going steady did they use that back when #1 You were # 678: #2 Mm-mm # Interviewer: How about courting did they 678: Yeah Courting was Before I got old enough to go out I I {NW} When I when I was growing up we called it going steady Interviewer: You called it #1 Going steady # 678: #2 But uh # Interviewer: Courting was just 678: I remember I can remember hearing them say that uh {X} Didn't so and so used to court her Interviewer: Uh-huh uh-huh mm-hmm yeah and now if they were going steady they would they would say that uh he is her 678: Sweetheart #1 Or uh # Interviewer: #2 Yeah # Yeah 678: Mm-hmm call her call her sweethearts Interviewer: Sweetheart 678: #1 For she she would be his sweetheart # Interviewer: #2 She would be his sweetheart # And he would be her 678: Uh I {NW} I don't know what they they said there but later on they say boyfriend Interviewer: Boyfriend uh-huh 678: But they didn't say that back when I was #1 Courting # Interviewer: #2 They didn't # 678: No Interviewer: How about if if a boy came home with lipstick on his collar 678: Oh he was guilty {NW} Interviewer: What would they say he's been doing like back then 678: Smooching Interviewer: Smooching yeah 678: That was during my day when they said #1 When they said # Interviewer: #2 Yeah when they said # Smooching 678: But uh back back before we {X} I don't remember having any lipstick #1 I remember # Interviewer: #2 Oh you don't # 678: My When I was a little child I don't remember hearing the word lipstick #1 Or seeing it # Interviewer: #2 Right # Uh-huh 678: I remember when I first noticed it it just red real heavy red they just smear it on Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: Like a cupid doll {NW} Interviewer: Um how about if uh if a woman had a let's say she had agreed to marry a man and instead though she ran off and married somebody else what 678: Like eloped Interviewer: Yeah now what now so this first man what would they say she did to this first man 678: Jilted him Interviewer: Jilted him 678: Mm-hmm Interviewer: Yeah um did you at at a wedding now the woman that stands up with bride would be called 678: Bridesmaid Interviewer: And the man who stands up with the 678: #1 Groom # Interviewer: #2 Groom # 678: I guess Interviewer: The one who stands up with the groom is called 678: Best man Interviewer: And do you ever remember when people would get married they'd give a kind of a serenade 678: Oh yeah they call them we call them chivaree Interviewer: Chivaree what would they do did they do it to everyone 678: {NW} We'd uh Well sometimes they done too much sometimes they would uh Surround a house Shoot Firearms Interviewer: Hmm 678: Holler and hoot and sing get to the side of the house and Clubs or whatever they could find And sometimes go in and get the man take him out and ride him on the rail Interviewer: Oh my heaven 678: Yeah Interviewer: Did they really do all that 678: And uh and hard feelings made the rest of their life #1 Some of them # Interviewer: #2 Oh # 678: But that is getting into {NS} Into more uh {NW} What did you call it barbaric bunch of uh people ordinarily And I've been in some of these we'd just go Storm over the first night that they moved into their home where they was gonna reside {NW} We'd go there and we'd all gather and all once everybody would have a shotgun to wild them you know And Cow bells and anything we could make noise with And uh If the woman now mo- some of the times they would tell the woman tip her off So she could have some Goodies #1 You know for us to eat # Interviewer: #2 Mm-hmm mm-hmm # Oh I #1 See # 678: #2 And then # Two women or more nervous and scared And they didn't want to scare them half to death Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: But if they didn't tell the woman then the girls that went with us and and the married some married way up in years that's Part of the fun then you know But they'd always take something to eat And we'd go in their house and And uh Eat and sometimes take them presents see Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: Like uh Some pillowcases or Interviewer: Mm-hmm mm-hmm 678: Something like that or maybe a little sack of coffee and Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: Uh Half pack of potatoes Something to get them started off on {NW} And it's all fun that's part of our entertainment Interviewer: Yeah {X} One thing I was wondering about that in your memoirs you said uh the reason that you ended up in the same grade as your sister was because you 678: I I skipped a year of school Interviewer: Yeah #1 But the reason you said # 678: #2 {NW} # Interviewer: Was because you you didn't say you played hooky you said you 678: What did I say Interviewer: You said you laid out 678: Laid out #1 Mm-hmm # Interviewer: #2 Yeah # 678: Laid out #1 Laid out # Interviewer: #2 Laid out school # Yeah I thought that was really cute because you said 678: Well I didn't uh yeah well See I went to school here at Bay and and then when I moved out to Browns They had an inferior school Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: Uh I believe I was in the seventh grade my sister was in the sixth And Shucks uh no she was in the fifth and I was in the seventh there's two years difference in our ages And uh {NS} She she just {NW} Instead of going into fifth she went into sixth and carried it right along Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: Well I was so far ahead that uh I found out that What I knew in my {X} I In order to {NS} To get any good out of school we'd have to enter in the eighth grade Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: Well we was a little bit Small by the eighth because they went to school until they was twenty-one year olds Interviewer: #1 Oh # 678: #2 Some of them # In the eighth grade just go over and over and over Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: {NW} And our dad had this timber job going {NS} He said well if you want to just lay out a year Drive the log team and then you can start heading see this was just summer term actually Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: Then they had it that swift term But we laid out the summer term and Then fall came why I think I was Thirteen year old was in with the eighth graders Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: Who was Seventeen or eighteen year old Interviewer: Mm-hmm and they were 678: They just didn't advance them unless they could make the grade Interviewer: Uh-huh uh-huh 678: They either made them #1 Or they stay in that grade # Interviewer: #2 Or they stay in the # Same grade 678: I've been in In uh School With uh Seventeen eighteen year olds when I was ten and eleven Great big old overgrown kids couldn't learn nothing Interviewer: Really 678: They'd finally give up on them they'd tell their parents well they can't learn anymore or don't want to or don't need to see Either one of the three would disqualify them Interviewer: Would disqualify them yeah well now if a boy left home in the morning to go to school but instead he went fishing they'd say he If if he was supposed to go to school but he did something else 678: {NW} You mean if the boy did Interviewer: Yeah 678: Played hooky Interviewer: Played hooky 678: #1 Yeah # Interviewer: #2 Yeah # Yeah now what did you sit at at school 678: Well when I first started I went to school in a building not It wasn't twice as wide as this and Maybe as long as from here to the front and it was the old church of Christ Wooden building Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: And uh you can imagine about what kind of pews they had in there and in that type of church We sat on those And we had to turn around and write this way Interviewer: Oh 678: In the second grade I went in the old methodist church which has been torn down we sat on the old pews Interviewer: Oh you did 678: Then in the third grade When I was promoted over to the the real school building we had double desks Interviewer: Oh you did #1 Double # 678: #2 Two to a desk # Interviewer: Two to a oh I see oh 678: And uh Later on got The single desk #1 Except that uh # Interviewer: #2 Yeah # 678: It didn't have the lot of times now they have a chair with a writing Desk at the #1 Side # Interviewer: #2 Yeah # 678: But this was the old time Desk with the ink well Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: And uh {NS} You place them under here for your books Interviewer: Uh-huh well now you had mentioned that you had gone to the movies where did you go to see a movie 678: Well {NW} They had the At home we would go to tent shows Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: They would go through here especially in the fall Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: Tent shows And uh Then uh Occasionally someone would Get energetic or ambitious you might say and Put in a show in an an old store building Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: And you'd either make money or And continue for indefinitely Until hot weather you couldn't stand in there and feel hot {NS} Or he'd uh wouldn't make enough money or get tired of it and quit but Interviewer: Would they call that a theater 678: {NW} Well I know we called it a show Moving picture show Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: But then when I went to Got old enough to Go by myself or go out with other boys or girls We would go to Jonesboro #1 And they had uh they had the liberty # Interviewer: #2 And then you'd say you then you'd call that # 678: They had the liberty theater down on uh main street we called it the bloody bucket Interviewer: Oh you did 678: Because that's where the Cheap Johnny shows would put on and all these shoot them down short Westerns Interviewer: Oh oh 678: #1 And the old # Interviewer: #2 Oh yes # 678: Uh Sherlock Holmes and things like that Then we had the empire which is a bus station in Jonesboro now And then we had the uh Oh it was paramount the but I can't It's uh Can't think of the name of it right now it was on main street and then they built what is now the strand Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: Between uh main and uh Church is a real nice theater And I they built it about the time I got married so they they had good shows back then Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: Actually Uh theaters paid off more then than they do now Interviewer: Than they do yeah 678: Yes yes Movie stars were something to To uh Look at on the screen and wonder if they was real life Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: See it was really something Interviewer: Uh-huh 678: You picture heroes and your villains All this but now you see 'em on television until you almost despair 'em Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: I I see people {NS} On television that are supposed to be movie stars that I wouldn't give you one penny to see them In any play Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: See Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: For instance John Wayne I I like John Wayne pictures Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: But uh He lived up close to Wally and Interviewer: #1 Oh he # 678: #2 And I s- # In California {D: Hollywood} #1 {X} # Interviewer: #2 Yeah # Yeah 678: That lived in in {X} And he had uh Uh Part of his uh shot part of his pictures right there in his on his estate Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: It was fenced around and I'd go up there {NW} Walk around and dang it I'd just peep in Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: They didn't mind it But John Wayne got so common that uh He's not John Wayne the movie actor you know I still admire him and still like him But it it It wouldn't uh create the sensation of the As if I had watched him back in the old {X} #1 You see # Interviewer: #2 Oh right # 678: And figured figured Molly McGee I don't remember if you ever Remember that Interviewer: I've heard the name 678: #1 Great uh # Interviewer: #2 But I don't # 678: Radio tape Interviewer: Radio yeah {NW} 678: And uh Mickey Rooney just a short ways from Wally And He's undoubtedly one of the ugliest fellows you Could ever see Interviewer: Oh really 678: Yeah he's an old looking Mickey Interviewer: Oh 678: Oh he looks terribly old And uh but he's a good actor #1 When when he # Interviewer: #2 He's a good actor # 678: Goes in Wally said uh he was having a Party for the ball players During the off season And uh Mickey heard about it Course they lived there you know and hardly ever saw the front of anyone's house See the back and it's all fenced in because you had to go winding around Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: But Mickey knew where Wally lived he'd coming winding there one day Introduced himself Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: Said uh I hear that you're going to Have a party here tonight Wally said yeah He said how about me coming down there to entertain a while for you Wally said he put on the darndest show you've ever seen and got so drunk they had to take him home see Interviewer: Oh 678: That's been the that's been the Story of his life #1 You know drink his # Interviewer: #2 Of his oh # 678: Way out of several fortunes Interviewer: Oh 678: {NW} But while I was out there I I watched them make uh One picture of Wagon Train You see Wally was in Wagon Train several times Interviewer: Oh he was 678: And I watched him make uh Uh What's this the pretty stars used to play Watched that and uh uh uh watched them make four or five different TV {X} I had I had uh dinner with old Charlie Wooster that played in Wagon Train Interviewer: Mm-hmm oh you did 678: And then this old {NW} Guy that made those scary Interviewer: {X} 678: No Interviewer: This 678: All all his shows is picture and still you Interviewer: Lon Chaney 678: No Interviewer: Uh Alfred Hitchcock 678: Alfred Hitchcock Interviewer: Yeah 678: I watched him make a {NW} Picture there of a Oh it was It was A replica of uh streets of San Fransisco Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: In a Theater there And when they made wagon train {NW} They'd showed uh Uh It was in Re- A great coin set building Interviewer: Oh it #1 Was # 678: #2 And uh # Interviewer: #1 It was all inside # 678: #2 Wall # Yeah the wall was painted with uh Mountain pictures Interviewer: Yeah 678: And uh it it traveled In instead of uh Instead of the people traveling so much well this uh this thing #1 Traveled # Interviewer: #2 Oh the thing # Traveled 678: And that's where they got the scene effect Interviewer: Huh 678: And they had uh {NW} This Uh street And part of it would come in from one end part of it from the other and they'd have these tumbleweeds blowing down the street and that was none other than An enormous fan Back down there Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: Then I watched Art Linkletter make a Interviewer: Oh 678: Was a play out there Interviewer: Oh #1 That's really something # 678: #2 And I sat happened to sit # Beside uh Ronald Regan's wife she was uh Interviewer: Oh 678: She was uh She was a guest star on this with with Fred Astaire some kind of a play house #1 But uh # Interviewer: #2 Uh-huh # 678: She was a guest star and I kept seeing the man sitting over there and I thought well you you a familiar looking fellow but I know you're not from Arkansas Interviewer: Mm-hmm mm-hmm 678: And he kept I kept looking around finally he goes oh said I'm uh Ronald Regan Interviewer: Oh 678: He was Lieutenant Governor at that time Interviewer: Oh really 678: And I said are you a guest here he said no my wife #1 That's my wife # Interviewer: #2 Oh # 678: She's a guest #1 I just come along with her # Interviewer: #2 That's really something # 678: {NW} Interviewer: Boy you really got a lot #1 Out of Wally's career yourself I mean # 678: #2 {NW} Yeah # Sure did Interviewer: #1 Getting all that # 678: #2 And I enjoyed it # Uh they Take {B} Ever He died not long ago he was a good friend of Wally's I used to visit their home out there {NW} Interviewer: Well you've 678: Oh I rubbed shoulders with some billionaires Interviewer: You sure did #1 Same as # 678: #2 Pretty close # Interviewer: People 678: And you know went to parties with them Interviewer: Yeah 678: I would talk when you referred to uh Sea food I went to Interviewer: Yeah 678: They've got a place out there that covers a whole block And uh Maybe it'd be Sh- Shaped like a pie this building and it'll be the steak house and then the next would be the chicken house and next was the sea food house The next would be Italian food and it it goes all around the block {NW} And everything it prepared cooked in the hub of the thing Interviewer: Oh 678: And there we that's where I went to the {NS} Sea food uh Thing and All the ball players that wintered in Los Angeles with their with their wives or their sweethearts And that was before I remarried Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: And all shook up and tore up and Didn't know what I wanted to do or what I aimed to do I got in with a millionaire Woman out there that tried to marry me Interviewer: Really 678: Just Filthy filthy rich Interviewer: Wow 678: But I'd have been afraid of being caught in the dark with her so Interviewer: {NW} 678: Undoubtedly one of the boniest ugliest #1 Creatures you've ever seen # Interviewer: #2 {NW} # 678: Seen Interviewer: {NW} 678: And I didn't uh didn't want the money that bad Interviewer: You didn't want the money 678: #1 {NW} # Interviewer: #2 That bad # 678: She told me said you'll never have to worry for money anymore says I got more money than a hundred people could spend Interviewer: Mm 678: I said well I want to earn my own money My own money she said it'll be your own money Said work for me I'll give you a thousand dollars a day until you get all you want Interviewer: A thousand dollars a day 678: Said you can mow the yard do whatever you want I'll pay you a thousand dollars a day {NW} But I didn't take it Interviewer: Are you glad you didn't take it 678: Oh yeah Interviewer: {X} {NS} Um 678: Wouldn't have been happy if I had Interviewer: One thing I wanted to ask you about what were some common churches the most common churches 678: Around here Interviewer: Yeah {NS} 678: Same that we have now except that we had the Methodists and the Baptists Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: And later on came the Church of Christ Interviewer: Mm-hmm 678: And then the past few years {NS} We {NW} We had uh A branching out of Baptists We have what we called a Broadway Baptist Some other kind of Baptist I don't know what they called it then we have the Missionary Baptist which were the original Now we have the Assembly of God And we have a little Pentecostal church But way back there we only had two the ba- Baptists and Long in the {NS} When I was about Eight or nine year old {X} Church of Christ Organized {X} And now it has more members than any Interviewer: Oh it 678: Any other church in town Interviewer: Oh it does 678: We have Three real nice churches around this town But the church of Christ has more membership than {D: Almost them all} That what the Baptists and Methodists have Interviewer: Um 678: {NW} Interviewer: One thing I wanted to get so I could get uh at the recording level on the end of it uh just have to get some numbers count from one to fourteen 678: One Two Three Four Five Six Seven {NS} Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Interviewer: Okay and then starting with first go from first to tenth 678: First Second Third Fourth {NS} Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Interviewer: Okay and then the days of the week 678: Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Interviewer: And then the months of the year 678: January February March April May June July August September October November December {NS} Interviewer: Okay are you worn out 678: No I'm tough Interviewer: You're tough 678: I've enjoyed it {NW} Interviewer: Well I hope you're not worn out 678: One thing that Has bugged me why would they ask those silly questions Interviewer: {NS} Well well 678: A lot of them for me Interviewer: A lot of them seem that way to you 678: Like uh What for instance what was this #1 Head # Interviewer: #2 Head # 678: Or hand Interviewer: A hand yeah um just to com- some people don't you'd be surprised #1 People # 678: #2 Well # Interviewer: Call those fists 678: That's why you said you would rather Interview someone uh probably with not much education Interviewer: Well it's just because they're more truthful people who have education 678: They don't know any better than to tell the truth Interviewer: Tend {NS} 678: That's right Interviewer: Really 678: {NW} When you're interviewed they don't know any better than to tell the truth Interviewer: And people who have a lot of education are not as interesting for the most part simply because they are too concerned with stuff like 678: Exactness Interviewer: Exactness and what's right and what's wrong and all that and they're not nearly so interesting I don't have as much fun with them 678: #1 I catch myself # Interviewer: #2 I don't relax # 678: Too see I I've been {NS} Interviewed a whole lot Interviewer: Oh yeah 678: My newspaper bend with Wally #1 And there you've got to be awful # Interviewer: #2 Oh sure you have # 678: Awfully careful What you say That you won't be misquoted Interviewer: Oh so you've been interviewed with Wally 678: {NW} Yeah I've been I've been paid for making recordings. Interviewer: #1 Oh have you # 678: #2 Mason's store # He was advertising A certain baseball glove well I'd have verified the facts {NS} {X} {NW} Verified to check that I ordered a new glove {X} Interviewer: Oh you did 678: And I swore to him that I was telling the truth #1 {X} # Interviewer: #2 {X} # Yeah 678: I actually bought him a glove {X} Interviewer: Well 678: Had stuff like that and you see You se-