| Summary: | Folder contains 19 pages of Alabama short stories compiled by Vera L Henry for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the late 1930s.•
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-2- Pale "ounty
vera Fenry
~ho cJrried a or ous boquet of pink roses. l.ast of all the
blustin beautiful bridc OaMe le3nin~ on 'he ar of her f~ther,
a~or "harlea pollinitz. loe I'room accompanied b·' 'is best
m n, 'r. \Ufrustus "'enners of ., rMin ham, ell'er ed frolt the
vestr' rooe and awaited the bride at he altar.
loe ri e ~re a superb and ex ~isite -rench o~ of
..tite satin, ith sott lace corsa e garniture, hich en-hanced
her pi uant brunette beaut to a 1l'srvelous de ree,
and made loer a quaint, sweet picture and an ideal bride.
~he hsndsome boquet which completed this perfect costume was
of bride ro es, ~he prett br cesmaids attired in dainty
hite muslin md fairly bloominp. "ith ink nd ..I-ite carnations
and smilax, ere as pay and as li~ht and as hri ht.
"\S the la y of the lark in his f1 tful flipht.·'
'~en the ceremony by Reverend Dr. R. P. Gobbs was concluded
the bridal paeeant proceeded fo"~ the ai~le to the soul
stirring strain of 'endeelsson' s "'edding rr."rch, the bride and
room bein proceeced by Heir tiny 9ttendant "iss ~nnie 1"'9rrish
and sUn renry Pollni t7, "·loo stre..ec flo ers on Iceir , and
!':an' '"ere the wishes that in tlce 'ears to come flo ers 9S s,",eet
ltiht sprinp u in their ath y, ind conaral the rouO' pl!lces
in life'S ~ourney.
~ prettier weddin ~reensboro hiS not seen, no one in
hich more real intereet as manifested. Prom the clourc the
bridal party ~ith relativea and friends reoaired to the orne of
the bride's parents ..here eood old time aristocratic I-oaoital,.
ity and a sumptious re ast a !lited ·'em. or the en a1 host
snd hostess ·'a.'or ,nd 'rs Pollni t7 are 1<no'"n trrou~hout this
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lIopolla Gro•• ) •
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emo. 11....' 117. AdJIba1 BobI. f_ 'IV 41fh..., 1u4I. .DC ,ilia ia
a pl.. of 'h. '1"88 ""dar which 'h....... aa .xeha"Ca of prlloa.ra -.4.
vhlll AdJIlral Bob.OII ... -.el. f .... afhr ballll: cap_ vh.1l he I1IIlk fie
Xlrrtau. Allo ~ ia a ~r vhich va. OIlC. a1lo&rd 'W Il.rrl.....
h 11 vaU!11DC W ~I frl.... of fie Bo1l_ f..ilT 'ha' b.1a'l4
oUlcial ...caplU ... f_ 00DCrlll CIlII. '0 l1e~·.d P.anOll Bob.OII la 1933
for ~. dari"C fea' p.rtor-ad 111 .1""., 1898, d'UiJll; fie lIpan1lh ....rlcaa
War. which haa b.... PrOl101lllcl4 OIl. of ,he .o.t brllll""t d••d. of hero1l.
111 the law. !hia law rlltrlchd award of th. COIlf:r••doaal .14al to al1lt14
_•• vaa later aaeJlc1e4 to include c,.,.....loned o:tflcen. aDd Oongr••••••
011nr of Ala"'." latroducl4 a bl11 to corrlct the 1.... aad of1'1callT,
hoaor ~. h.ro 117, pl'l....ti"C w llia the .ldal,
!hea. v.n ~. WOrdl of"Uloell Bell', ·Ihuck., )'OU ala' \ hllla' ..
"o\hiD', M", I DOvld .. how I1ch .. pin. tar he a blt; ..... Dl.dIl"
I III 4&\ llo:r, a adllaI all .orh of lUU. boah Oil dat pClll4 oat dal'I,
JIa UdIl't taIl:. "0 fool11htl••• "Ii \her. Abo)' plv1"I wid hi. trll4 \0
rn1aa\. OIlI .... dllll illpi OIl. d.q. and d. vq, Kara. I1ch \bja.hl4 da\ bO)'
va a a1pt.·
'~ela B...• \hI old f..llT t of ~. Bob... f ..llT, add thi.
vh... hi va. wld that the vhola world talld"C abh\ vha\ a h.ro
·~el.
B.' ... Jut .. I:lad .. all)'OIl••la. for h. had b_ with the Bob...
faa1lT, all hi. Uh, and h. hlt .. \ho,.p 'l1ch' .. hi calll4 I1chaolld,
- b.1O"C.d to llia.
Vera L. Henry
Hale Count.y
February 18, 1897.
The Jreeneboro Telephone Exchange h e recent.ly had a
new 11et. of subscr1bers pr1nt.ed. The eheet. cont.a1ns s1xt.yt.
wo npes. The xchange 1s grow1n 1n popular1t.y on account.
of t.he splend1d serT1ce rendered and t.he conTen1ence of t.he
, phone••
At. t.he preeent. t.1me Sept.ember ~, 1938 we haTe t.wo hundr.d
and t.went.y 11.t.ed and a few new ones haTe not. been 11st.ed
yet. and t.bere 1e a plan t.o haTe t.he d1al eyet.em w1t.h1n anot.her
year.
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Leay1ng Greeneboro g01n west. on t.he Akron road t.urn t.o
t.h. r1ght. at. t.he t1ret. road, leaY1ng t.he h1ghway, toll ow t.h1e
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w1nd1ng wh1t.e eandy road, go paet. t.he a.on's hoae and 1n
t.he next. houee on t.he r1ght., 11Tee Laweon Chapman and h1.
taa11y, h1s taa11y cons1et.s ot h1. aot.her, are. Chap8an. h1e
w1t. 1na and t.wo daught.ers t.he oldeet. g1rl 1. s1xt..en and
t.h. ot.her 1e tourt.e.n year. ot ag••
They d1d liTe 1n t.own but. want.ed a, lan+here t.hey could - haTe ch1ckens, cows, a garden, et.c. So bought. t.h1. emall
tarm. It. t.ook a long t.1me. t.o pay tor 1t., .eem1ngly but. only
about. .1x year. really. ~aw.on 1. an ex-sold1er ot t.he World'.
'ar and d1d get. a com en.at.10n ot t.w.1Te dollar. a aont.h tor
awh11e and t.h1s t.welT. dollars wa. what. t.hey made t.he1r mont.hly
ent.e on t.heir hoa. wit.h att.er aaking t.he tir.t. down
payment.. . ,
~aweon • coapensat.ion haa .t.opped Jt.t. tiTe nt.h.
· ~. Hale Count.y
betore he wa. t.o tini.h paying tor his place. leaying hi.
owing .ixt.y dollara and he heard that. ths man he bought. t.he
plac. tro. re.arked t.hat. he would gst. the place back now. but.
t.old Law.on t.o t.ake all t.he t.i•• he want..d t.o tini.h paying
t.he la.t. .ixt.y dollars. But. Lawson w.nt t.o t.he banK and
borrowed t.he aoney and payed t.he man. got. his deed and t.hen
payed t.he bank back a lit.t.le at. a t.ime. hen t.hey bought.
t.he place there wae only t.wo roo•• t.o t.he hou.e. bat. now
t.hey ha.e t.orn t.he ••alleet. roo. away and built. a new dining
roo., kit.chsn. e.all bedroom and a large bed roo., also a new
tront. porch ext.endlng all acroe. t.he tront. ot t.he house.
They haye had t.he hcuee ecreened and ha.e paint.ed t.he tront.
and want. t.o tinish it. a. soon as t.hey can.
The tamily eee•• so pertect.ly happy t.oget.her and Mrs.
Chapman saye nine i. Ju.t. a. gocd t.o her as It .he i. an own
daught.er in.t.ead ot a daught.er-in-law and that. t.here ie not.hing
t.hat. Be.sie Ray and Mary Rut.h. her grandchildren retu.e t.o
do tor her and I don't. t.hink t.here has e.er been a grandmot.
her any bett.er t.o her grandchildren t.han she i. t.o t.hem.
Lawson is er only child and shs has alWay. li.ed wlt.h him.
This is Be.sls Ray'. thlrd ysar in High School and Mary
Rut.h's tirst.. The t ily i. so glad Mary ut.h has ent.ersd
high school .0 t.hey oan go t.oget.her tor t.he la.t. t.wo ysar.
s. Chapman or lIina ure ha. gone part. ot t.he way t.o school
as t.hey wsrs atraid tor kar t.o go alone.
At. t.hs prs.ent. t.i e Law.on i. working in t.hs t.own ot
resneborc at. Johnson's tilling .t.at.ion get.t.ing fl't.y-ti ••
dollar. a aont.h. thi. &i••s t.hea a .ery comtort.able li.ing
but. ot courss t.hey don't. get. e.eryt.hing t.hsy want. by any
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3 Hale County
.ean. but Law.on like. hie work and i. very independent
he .ay. he doe. not want help tro any kind ot reliet work ae
long a. he can live any other way. A friend ot r •• Cha an
kept trying to get her to .ake application for an old age
penaion (.he thought but wa. really direct rellet) .0 without
Law.on knowing it .he put in her application whi~a. approved
and whan her check c.... Law.on po.itively would not l.t her
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acc.pt it. a. said hi. moth.r took care ot hi. when he wa.
little and that he wa. oertainly going to take oare ot her
as she wa. old •
• lender.
he is sixty-.ight year. old. tall and very
-r•• Chapaan get. p every morning and makes the oottee.
trie. the .eat and .ake. gravy tor breakfaet then ehe
uaually calls Nina to .ake the bi.cuits. They get up around
tour thirty o'clock eo th.y will have plenty ot ti.e to eat,
without rushing .0 as Laweon hae to be at work at .ix o'clock
every morning. He worke on Sunday too. but doe. get ott on
halt day every oth.r Sunday morning, does not go to work until
noon ti.e.
r •• Chapman doe. mo.t ot the cooking she boil. so e kind
ot vegetable every day whether is in .ea.on peas. beans. turnip•
• alit. collard•• cabbage ot which they rai.e mo.t of th.ir own.
but there are tlme. when they have to buy .omething••he .ay.
'1 l1ke to boil the pot and cook oornbread, but Nina doe. all
the extra cooking. oook. pies. des.ert. and .ake. the .alads.·
r •• Chapman had a light .troke ot praalysis .everal
y.an ago .0 they are very caretul ot her diet and ot cour••
never teel exactly ea.y about her condition. ~1a haa been
an expen.e to the. as .he had to have a doctor and medioine
and they do __ liev. in taking precaution against diseaee that
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4 Hale Coun~y
can b. aWolded Nlna euffered wl~h Indlg••~lon for ••Y.ral
y.ar. bu~ ••••• well now and has gained In w.lgh~ un~ll .he
w.lghe one hundred and .1x~y pound. and Law.on saye ".he 1.
a nlce .ml now." The c lldr.n haY. alwaye b••n heal~hy
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~hey are bo~h ~all .lender blond. wl~h na~urally curly halr
whlch Law.on refue.d ~o le~ ~he. cu~ un~ll a few yeare ago.
They bo~b wear 1~ In a lon bob now.
Nlna and r •• Chapman bo~b loye flower.~d you wIll
alw a fInd a few box flowere and e~unlae. coemoe and o~her
flowere of aome kind In ~he yard and I mue~ not forge~ re.
Chapaan'. pepper ehe alwaye hae plen~y of ho~ pepper and
beeldea haYIng plen~y for ~helr own uee ebe glyee 1~ ~o h.r
n.lghbora wbeneYer I wan~ any I know where to fInd 1~. They
aleo loye ca~e and doge. They baye one blg yellow dog naaed
"Bran" and al.o a llt~le ~errler. and ~bey only baY. eeyen
ca~e ~he younge.~ on•• are .ore ~han half grown now and ~re.
Chapman e8y••he doe. DO~ know wha~ ~hey wIll do If ~hey
oon~lnu. ~o increa•• a. Mary RU~h Deyer wan~. ~o glYe any
away and Law.on aay. ~h.y .hall no~ ge~ rId of ~hem wi~hou~
ber knOWlD 1~. for b. rem.mber. bow 1~ hur~ him when bl.
'dad' would .ake .om. of hl. pet. dl.appear. Th.y haY••1x
cow. and calY•• and about flfty .~ty Rbod. leland chlcken••
Laweon i. a .e.ber of the ••rican LeglOD and diellke.
~o .1ee a eingle .e.~lng. He and ble mo~her bo~h Yote but
Laweon dId no~ hay. ~o pay poll ~ax becauee he 1. a rld
ar Ve~.ran eo Nlna'. wa. n.gleo~ed add It hae been .0
long now ~hey ney.r •••• ~o baY. ~h••on.y to catch up but .h.
1. Yery intereeted now and would lIke Yery .uob ~o Yote.
Law.on and Nina want to glye thelr chIldren at lea.t, a
high .chool e¢Ucatlon bu~ haY. Dot decided beyond that yet a.
• • Tera L. 1IelU7
Bale CountT
'ai.,. Iagraa I. the wif. of "au. Oth Iagraa and the ""ther of three
10...IT littl. «irl. lITell it .h. 41d want the lut Oil' to b. a boy••0 bad.
Rer hueband hu a Job u a foreaan vith a road conetruotioll co~. therefor.
th.y liT. at Oil. plac. for 01117 a .hort tim.. Their parent. liT. in
IlocUc in Zlaor. County and 0U. and rairy are bUTtil&' them.ehe. a home
on a fortpacre farm near Il.ctic.
'ai.,. vill b. twenty-.....n yeu. old in the ""nth of "&IlUOI7 1939.
She ....ried vhen .he vu nineteen and in December b.for••h. vu to Uad_te
frca hi&h .ehool the next .prin«.
Th. principal talked to her beWn« her to va1 t at lout until ahe
fW.hed that ion of .chool. but .he urri.d &Il7Y~. and IU,Tbe .he hu
vhhed at U Ihe had va1 t.d but no one ha. e...r known it yet. ....d eh.
'or the f1r.t tvo year. att.r .he aarri.d they r.nt.d room. from her
parente, liT1n& in the hou.. vith them. then they ao...d to th.ir own home,
whicll they are bUTin«. and in a .hort tiM Oti••tart.d vork1n« v1 th a
buildin« contractor and now for .....ral y.ar. he. b.en a carpenter for thi.
road con.truoUon eoap&ll7 of vhich he vu mad. fo....·.n a fev aonth. 11&0.
Il. 10 now aaldn& AhirtT-tiT' dollar. a ve.1e which «1.... them a &Ood linn«
but they haTe had doctor bill. and other .xtra .%PAnce vith the arriTal of
the nev baby «irl who 10 onlT one aonth old.
'airy hu a color.d girl to help her ooole and, do the houo. vorle .h•
• ~. .he dou not need help alv~. but vi th tha new baby .he Ileed. one for
awhile. rai.,. ph up and coole. breelctut. b.cauee OU. «0•• to vorle .0 earIT 0
and then Battl., the colored I1rl the childrell bhelctut and pt "une off to
'CMO!. The rut of the mornin« 10 .pent aodIT in bathin«, dreuin«. feedin«
the baby. for all little babi•• r.quire quit. a bit of att.ntion. then Pattie,
VM 10 tvo and one half y.ar. 014 need. part of her aother'. Ume too, al-
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th~ ahe waito on her.df loto, we can hear her • .., often "IIUnr. open door
tor .It " or -t want cool water- Ihe ne~.r •.,. Ihe want. vater it'. alwATI
cool water, and thelle are ..~ other thing. to do for ber. !hen lairy place.
tbe ..eale and boa three full ..al. enry de;r for .he •..,. with OU. working
and the children need tbe.. too, ahe ie careful to ben a balanced diet which
of cour.e include. plenty of ngetable., fruit and ..ilk for the children.
'airy i. full of life and tun. young and pretty. weigb. one bUlldred
and forty pound.. fiut .h. take. her motherhood .eriou.ly. reali.e. tbe
1JIportance of giTing ber cbildrm tbe right kind of .tart in life.
1&1ry and Ot1o are bu;ring a car tbey ban it almo.t paid for they are
al.o aald.ng IIOnthlT pe;rmento on a frig1fere. !hey are now liTing ill lIale
County in Green.boro, Alab...e mOTed here September the fir.t, 1938 and on
acCOUllt of the bally he. not been to church or Sunde;r .chool here yet but be.
al"..,. gone to church .he 10 :BapU.t and while .he liTed at ltecUc al"..,.
pl..,ed the piano for ..nice. in her ho..e church. She wanto her children in
church and Suade;r School and JUlIe goe. enry Sunde;r now, and .he intend. to
go aa loon aa Ihe can.
lairy WILl an lCIofinger (') baton .he aarried, both of her parente are
living. they live on a farm near Electic. ~e haa two brother.. one older
than .he who 10 III&rried and boa two boy. the other i. younger and 10 not
married. She ha. one .i.t.r, married and her huaband boa a Job with the
.&118 road conatruction COIlp~ tbet Oti. work. with.
Ot1o quit .chool Juat before graduaUng from high .chool al.o but both he
and lairy a...o.t everyone el.e. want their children to beve a little more
education than they and thay want th... to have .pecial training for whatever
work they take up for life, whiU aa they are .0 young han not decided on
yet, but lairy laugh. and • ..,. .000etime••he thinka Pattie will be a carpenter
like her daddy aa .he want. a b·...r and nail. .0 often.
lairy baa a II&Chine and doe. 1I0.t of her ....ing for .he and the children
.he • ..,. wi th her ~... three girlo .he will han to .... and heve a good
ironing board for girlo will al....,. han .omething to pr... , and .he wante
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