My Family and How We Grew

That fall we had no apples. A late freeze had killed the blossoms. We always made our own vinegar from our apples. A hand-operated machine crushed them; then they were placed in a press to squeeze out the juice. This juice was placed in barrels with a spigot at the bottom. For several days we drank this juice. As it began to ferment, it was apple cider, and we were ordered to drink it no longer. Soon it was vinegar.

There was a very large persimmon crop so the boys and the Negro hired men were sent to the woods to gather them to make our vinegar. As this juice began fermentation it was beer, no cider.

At the breakfast table one morning farther ordered us to drink it no longer. Soon the black woman who did our laundry came. Our well water was heavy in lime so was hard water not good for washing clothes.

Just down hill from the barn was a pond. We never used the word lake except for bodies of water on the map.

The wash pot--heavy black cast iron--the tubs, bench, etc. were kept at the pond under the huge trees. This pond water being run-off from rain was nice and soft.

One of my brothers--two years younger than I went down to the pond with "Aunt Lucinda. We children were not allowed to call any black by their given names if they were over thirty-five. We called them "Uncle," if male, "Aunt" if female.

After a time I thought of the beer, so I said, "Aunt" Lucinda we have a barrel of persimmon beer in the smoke house but Daddy said to not drink it anymore."

She really got busy--"Here honey, you take this bucket and go get a bucket of it, but don’t let your mammy see you." I did as she said and she began to drink and smack her big lips. She wanted us to drink also and we did. I was six my brother four. After sometime she began to act queer. She sang, laughed, and danced. Finally she sat down near the water still drinking. About the time she had to lie down, I felt a little dizzy. As I looked at that body of water one side tilted up. I knew I must get my brother and I up that bank, and home. As I walked, the ground would fly up and hit my feet. When we got up the bank my brother passed out. There was a wild plum tree about six inches through. I got to it, sat down with my arms, and legs around it. The trees were all swaying as the ground swayed so I didn’t dare move. I thought I was O.K. but everything else had gone crazy. I was perfectly alright, but that pond had gone crazy tilting from side to side.

Aunt Lucinda had rolled around until her feet were in the water. Finally the dinner bell rang. Of course we didn’t go to dinner. My mother sent one of my big brothers to see why we didn’t come. When he came running down that hill I was never so happy to see anyone. He picked up my small brother and went away running. He told me before he left, "Hold on honey I’ll be back in a minute."

Down the hill came the entire family and that was the last thing I remembered. I learned later that my mother "made it hot" for "Aunt" Lucinda.

Many, many, times since I’ve wondered how any sane person will become intoxicated twice. It would have taken a strong one to get it down me again after that horrifying experience.

I didn’t think there was anything wrong with me. I was alright, but my well-known world had become unbalanced.

Soon after this I had another unpleasant experience. My mother had never allowed me to be away from her at night. There was a very nice family who lived a mile from my school down the L & N railroad track. A daughter who was with me in school kept begging my mother to allow me to go home with her to spend the night. She finally consented. Their name was Seay. They had then children all at home. For dinner that evening strong black, boiled coffee was served the entire family in large, pottery cups. At home we served coffee for breakfast only. Oh, yes, I would take a cup also as everyone else did.