Battle "Nigger".

Since the early '70's, Alice has "drifted around" quite a bit. She and
her husband are now too old and feeble to work. They live with one of
their sons, and are objects of charity.

PLANTATION LIFE

JASPER BATTLE, Age 80
112 Berry St.,
Athens, Ga.

Written by:
Grace McCune [HW: (White)]
Athens

Edited by:
Sarah H. Hall
Athens

Leila Harris
Augusta

and
John N. Booth
District Supervisor
Federal Writers' Project
Residencies 6 & 7

The shade of the large water oaks in Jasper's yard was a welcome sight
when the interviewer completed the long walk to the old Negro's place in
the sweltering heat of a sunny July afternoon. The old house appeared to
be in good condition and the yard was clean and tidy. Jasper's wife,
Lula, came around the side of the house in answer to the call for
Jasper. A large checked apron almost covered her blue dress and a clean
white headcloth concealed her hair. Despite her advanced age, she seemed
to be quite spry.

"Jus' come back here whar I'se a-doin' de white folks' washin'," she
said. "Jasper's done been powerful sick and I can't leave him by hisself
none. I brung him out here in de shade so I could watch him and 'tend to
him whilst I wuks. Jasper stepped on a old plank what had two rusty
nails in it, and both of 'em went up in his foot a fur ways. I done driv
dem nails plumb up to dey haids in de north side of a tree and put
jimpson weed poultices on Jasper's foot, but it's still powerful bad
off."

By this time we had arrived within sight and earshot of the old rocking
chair where Jasper sat with his foot propped high in another chair. His
chair had long ago been deprived of its rockers. The injured member
appeared to be swollen and was covered with several layers of the
jimpson weed leaves. The old man's thin form was clothed in a faded blue
shirt and old gray cotton trousers. His clothes were clean and his
white hair was in marked contrast to his shining but wrinkled black
face. He smiled when Lula explained the nature of the proposed
interview. "'Scuse me, Missy," he apologized, "for not gittin' up,
'cause I jus' can't use dis old foot much, but you jus' have a seat here
in de shade and rest yourself." Lula now excused herself, saying: "I
jus' got to hurry and git de white folks' clothes washed and dried 'fore
it rains," and she resumed her work in the shade of another huge tree
where a fire was burning brightly under her washpot and a row of