I felt like I wuz a grown 'oman den. It wuz in dis
same yard dat Ma larned me to wash. At fust Ma rented dis place. There
wuz another house here den. Us saved our washin' money and bought de
place, and dis is de last of three houses on dis spot. Evvy cent spent
on dis place wuz made by takin' in washin' and de most of it wuz made
washin' for Mister Eddie Lumpkin's family.
"Heaps of udder Negroes wuz smart like Ma, and dey got along all right.
Dese days de young folkses don't try so hard. Things comes lots easier
for 'em, and dey got lots better chances dan us had, but dey don't pay
no 'tention to nuffin' but spendin' all dey got, evvy day. Boys is
wuss'en gals. Long time ago I done give all I got to my daughter. She
takes keer of me. Effen de roof leaks, she has it looked atter. She wuks
and meks our livin'. I didn't want nobody to show up here atter I die
and take nuffin' away f'um her.
"I ain' never had no hard times. I allus been treated good and had a
good livin'. Course de rheumatiz done got me right bad, but I is still
able to git about and tend to de house while my gal is off at wuk. I
wanted to wash today, but I couldn't find no soap.
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