y
wid your mouth all de time lookin like you ain' hear tell of no pocket
rag. Move way from dere, June. Don' blow your nose settin side Miss
Davis.

Date, February 10, 1938

III

It is three days later. Lizzie is sitting on her little porch enjoying
the warm sunshine of a bright February day. The children have gone just
across the street to play on the sidewalk and while Lizzie keeps a
watchful eye on them, she is trying once more to call back to her mind
some of the old time songs that she used to sing in her early days. Her
visitor sits on a bench nearby ready to make notes of these old songs as
she sings them. Lizzie's attention is not only distracted by the
children at intervals but also by different ones of her friends
constantly passing along the street in front of the small home.

Lizzie--Lord, Miss Davis, look like everything a hustlin dis mornin.
Yes'um, dis here Monday mornin en everybody is a bustlin gwine to see
bout dey business. Seems like everything just gwine on, just gwine on. I
tell you de truth, Miss Davis, I studied so hard bout dem songs de other
night, I beg de Massa to show me de light en he hop me to recollect dis
one for you. See, when you gets to de age I is, you is foolish--

(Joseph runs across the street to tell Lizzie something).

Joseph--Aun' Izzie, Possum teachin June to hit Jerry.

Lizzie--Uh-huh, I gwine sho beat him, too. (Lizzie turns to her visitor)
Possum, he teachin June to knock dat little one wid de speckle coat on.

Visitor--Is he another child that you are taking care of?

Lizzie--No'um, he grandma raise him en de poor little creature, he don'
have nobody to play wid. Look like nobody don' care when he come or whe'
he go. I say, I tries to collect mine up en take care of dem cause it
dis way, if you don' take time en learn chillun, dey old en dey ain'
old; dey fool en dey ain' fool. Yes'um, I tryin to drill dem, Miss
Davis, but it does take time en a little whip, too. Has to punish dem
right smart sometimes. I tellin you, dem chillun sho a 'sponsibility.
Dem what put all dem gray hair up dere on my topknot. I tell dis one en
dat one to set to a certain place till I say to get up en den I'll get
my studyin on somethin else en de child, he'll be out yonder--

(Heddie Davis, age 72, a neighbor of Lizzies, comes over to join in the
conversation).

Lizzie--Here come de hoss (horse). Come in, Miss Heddie. Miss Davis
wants us to sing one of dem old back tunes dis morn