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Podcast

Memories Podcast

Katheryne Dollar, director of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program in association with the Natchitoches Area Action Association arranged interviews with senior citizens around the parish. The interviews were conducted between 1971 and 1974 by David Dollar. Recordings were originally aired on KNOC Radio.

Episodes

31. Frank Jones

Transcript

Interviewer (00:00): Good morning. This morning, Mr. Frank Jones and myself are going to be talking about Natchitoches. Now, you were born in Natchitoches. Frank (00:12): Born in Natchitoches. Raised here. Interviewer (00:14): When did you see your first car? Frank (00:18): Oh, well, I say around about 15 or 20 years. Interviewer (00:25): You were about 15 years old? Frank (00:29): Yes, sir. Interviewer (00:29): Okay. Did it cause some kind of big disturbance when people saw a car? Frank (00:35): No, sir. Interviewer (00:36): They had heard about them, huh? Frank (00:37): We'd heard about them. Interviewer (00:37): I see. Was old Model T? Frank (00:42): Old Model T. Interviewer (00:47): Growing up in Natchitoches as a boy, what was it like? Frank (00:52): Well, there was nothing much. I'd have a good time. Plenty to eat, plenty good places to sleep. Go when I get ready, come back when I get ready. Have fun. Interviewer (01:07): Well, Mr. Jones, tell me about the riverboats coming to Natchitoches, when they used to come. Frank (01:13): Well, it's been so long, I can't tell you the right answer on that, when they used to come there, because I can't remember good. But I know they come there. Interviewer (01:27): Well, what did they bring to Natchitoches? Frank (01:30): Well, they'd call and tell them what to bring, and they'd bring it. Interviewer (01:35): Uh-huh (affirmative). Flour and beans? Frank (01:37): That's right. Meat. Interviewer (01:41): All kinds of good things. Frank (01:42): Rice. Peas. Yeah. They bring everything they told them to bring. Interviewer (01:51): Well, did the people get excited when the riverboat came? Frank (01:56): They were excited. They were glad, to me. "Oh, we got something coming. I don't know what it is, but it's coming." Interviewer (02:04): Well, did you ever used to ride on the riverboat? Frank (02:06): Oh, I didn't. I sure didn't. But I would see it a lot. I seen it good. But getting on it, I never get on it because I was scared of the water. Interviewer (02:16): Oh. You never did learn to swim. Frank (02:19): Well, no, sir. I tell you the truth, I never did try to swim. Interviewer (02:27): Mm-hmm (affirmative). What were big days? Celebrations? Can you remember anything about that? Like the 4th of July? Frank (02:36): Well, 4th of July, we enjoy that good. 19th of June, always like that. Interviewer (02:43): 19th of June, now, what is that? Frank (02:45): Well, that's your birthday. It come on a birthday. See, I was born in June. The 19th of June. Interviewer (02:56): So that's your special day? Frank (02:57): Yes, sir. Interviewer (02:58): What did you used to do on your birthday? Frank (03:01): Well, I didn't drink nothing much, but we eat and laugh and talk. Sometimes tell them, I say, "Well, y'all ain't eating much. I'll finish eating y'all." They laughed. [crosstalk 00:03:15]. They laughed, going on, say, "Well, I'll order you something else." I said, "No, I'm just playing. I got [inaudible 00:03:23]." Interviewer (03:22): Now, did you go out to eat, or did they cook at home for you? Frank (03:26): They cook at home for me. Then I'd go out someplace and eat. Interviewer (03:32): Sounds like a big day. Frank (03:33): That's right. Interviewer (03:35): When did you quit having birthday parties? Your family put birthday parties on for you? Frank (03:40): It's been a long time ago. Interviewer (03:42): Long time. (03:43): Yes, sir. Frank (03:47): Can you remember one special birthday that you had, where something happened that didn't happen again? (03:54): I sure can't remember that. Lord knows I can't. Interviewer (04:00): What about Christmas time? Frank (04:02): Oh, Christmas time. We had a good time for Christmas. Interviewer (04:06): How did you used to decorate a tree? Frank (04:08): Well, sometime, I'd like to get up a tree. Cut limbs down. Get them down and get out, and saw that big tree down. They'd say, "Frank," say, "You better move since that tree going to hit you." Says, "Not going to hit me, because when it start to coming down, I'm going to start running." They laughed. They laughed. Started to coming down, I seen it coming down. I said, "I'll run." Great big old tree. See, I'd run. You won't catch me. Interviewer (04:41): How did y'all decorate the Christmas tree? Frank (04:44): Well, we get [inaudible 00:04:47]. We get up there and get on them limbs. Cut some of them limbs down. Some of them are down, they fix them, make courses or get things and slice them up, make beards and things, all like that. Interviewer (05:03): Did you put candles on the tree? Frank (05:07): Yeah, I put candles on the tree. I remember that. Interviewer (05:12): Everybody get together and strung popcorn, and put popcorn on the tree? Frank (05:17): Popcorn? I don't remember that. No. Interviewer (05:19): Oh, okay. Frank (05:22): I might have had, but I can't remember. Interviewer (05:25): What about Thanksgiving? Frank (05:27): Thanksgiving day? We had a good time because, yeah, Thanksgiving day we have a big dinner. Everything. They'd drink the stuff they drink, but I know they drink that. I eat. I was a big eater. But eat don't set on me. If it did, I'd be bigger than a bed. Interviewer (05:55): You must have some secret, then. Because I know a lot of people, if they ate like you eat, would certainly be fat. Frank (06:03): That's the truth. Interviewer (06:03): But not you. Frank (06:09): Not me. Because I eat. God knows, I eat. Sometimes I keep a sandwich in my room, my house, right now. Because about 12 or 1:00, I get kind of hungry. I remember that we had a ice box that we kept ice in there. [crosstalk 00:06:30]. Interviewer (06:30): One of those old wooden ice box? Frank (06:32): Yeah. Interviewer (06:33): And where'd you buy the ice at? Frank (06:35): Well, we'd go and get the ice. You'd call them and tell them to bring you some ice. They bring it. They bring the ice to you. You want to go get ice, how much you want to go get, you go get it. Interviewer (06:55): I see. How long did a block of ice last? Frank (07:00): Oh, that'd last us... I think there was four of us, two boys and two girls. A block would last us two weeks or more. I would guess at two weeks. Interviewer (07:17): Now, how much did the block of ice cost then? Do you remember? Frank (07:22): Well, exactly I can't... what it cost. It cost... I don't know. I can make a guess on it. A block of ice, big old ice, a block of ice, it cost about... in them days, it's cheap. Round about four or five dollars, them days. Interviewer (07:52): Now, that'd last you for two weeks. Frank (07:54): Two weeks. Two weeks. Interviewer (07:58): I think electricity is better. Frank (08:00): It is better. It's better. You're right about that. Interviewer (08:07): We need to take a break right now, and we'll be back in just a minute. (08:16): If you've just joined us, we're visiting with Mr. Frank Jones. And he's told me he's never been in trouble in his life, but there was one time when he had a mix-up with the law. Now what about the time you got thrown in jail, Mr. Jones? Frank (08:32): It's been a good while ago. There's these two young police, they carried me to the... They say, "Well, I'll take you home." Instead of carrying me home, they put me in jail. I was maybe about- Interviewer (08:44): What for? Frank (08:45): Nothing. Interviewer (08:46): Just doing something. Frank (08:46): They just got onto the force. They thought that they would do something big. And the big boss come in there. He looked at them like that. He said, "Frank." I said, "Yes." Well, they standing [inaudible 00:09:01] that door for me. I said, "Them police, they put me in jail. They told me they going to get me home." He said, "I wish I'd have been there." He said, "Come on. Let him go." So they brought me on out there. There was the big boss man. And [inaudible 00:09:08] going on, he gave me $5. He said, "You can do what you want with it, because you all right. Anybody come in here like you did, they'd waste them." He said, "Here's $5." Interviewer (09:36): Well, now. You used to farm a little bit. Frank (09:41): Farm a whole lot. Interviewer (09:44): For how long did you farm? Frank (09:47): Oh, four, five, or six years. Seven years. Something like that. I know how to farm. Interviewer (09:52): What did you raise? Frank (09:57): Cotton. Corn. Any little thing we could raise on the farm. Raised cotton and corn. Interviewer (10:07): Did you own this land? Frank (10:08): No, sir. We were renting it. Interviewer (10:09): Who did you rent it from? Frank (10:13): The big boss. I forget his name. It's been too long. I just forget his name, but I know him when I see him. He could come in here right now, I'd know him. And he'd know me. He'd start to laugh and going on, but what is his name? I can't recall his name, right now. But I'd know him if I see him. Interviewer (10:32): Well now, how much money did you pay for this land that you rented? Frank (10:32): Five or six dollars a acre. Yes, sir. Interviewer (10:40): And you did this for six, seven years. Frank (10:43): Six, seven years. Interviewer (10:45): What'd you do after that? Frank (10:47): Started to drive a truck. Interviewer (10:49): Who'd you drive a truck for? Frank (10:50): For the company. The man's name was [Carl Ezra 00:10:55]. He died. He's a big man. I drove a truck for him. That's all I ever did do, was a big truck. I hauled everything. See, Natchitoches was dry, then. Interviewer (11:09): Dry. Frank (11:10): Dry with whisky. Interviewer (11:12): Oh, okay. Dry with whiskey. All right. Frank (11:30): So [inaudible 00:11:30] told me, "I bet you he'll call you, to carry you somewhere. But please remember us. Bring us some whiskey." All right. The boss carried me out. He said, "You stay here a while and just play [inaudible 00:11:50]." I said, "Oh, what for?" He said, "I'm going run and see can I get me Coke or something." Wasn't no Coke. It that whisky he got. Yeah. He said, "All right. You can get the Coke over there. Anything you want." I said, "Anything I want." He said, "I don't know what I'm going to get like that, myself." Interviewer (11:58): But most of the time you were hauling furniture. Frank (12:02): Furniture. Groceries. Just whatever they wanted, they allowed, I would haul that. They make a list out, and it's like, they would say, "You can have this into your place, and I'll give it to them." And load it up and bring it on. They'd load it for you. They'd bring it on here, and I'd bring it. I brought whisky for them. They'd say, "Here come Frank. Frank got something for us." I said, "No, I didn't have enough money." I said, "Well, 12:00 come, we eat." Interviewer (12:50): And you used to hunt. Frank (12:51): I used to hunt. Interviewer (12:53): You ever hunt deer? Frank (12:54): Anything I could see to kill. Deer or possum or rabbit. Interviewer (13:03): Now didn't you tell me that once you thought you'd shot one deer, and you shot two deer instead? Frank (13:08): That's right. Interviewer (13:10): Tell me about that. Frank (13:14): Well, I shot one, but I didn't know I'd shot the other. But I shot two. Interviewer (13:19): You shot it with one bullet or two? Frank (13:20): Two bullets. (13:21): Uh-huh (affirmative). Interviewer (13:25): I remember that good, I did it too long. (13:27): What was your reaction when you got there and found out that you'd shot two deer? Frank (13:33): Just glad, that's all. Interviewer (13:33): Just glad? Frank (13:33): Glad. Interviewer (13:36): Well, we need to go right now. Frank (13:37): Okay. Interviewer (13:39): It has been a pleasure visiting with you.

Memories host speaks with Frank Jones about growing up in Natchitoches, holiday celebrations, and farming

32. Haywood Wallace

Transcript

Jim Collie (00:01): Mr. Wallace, welcome to The Memories Program. We're glad to be visiting with you. We hope you're having a good morning. You were telling me that you grew up in Natchitoches Parish. Mr. Haywood Wallace (00:10): That's right. Jim Collie (00:10): When were you born? Mr. Haywood Wallace (00:15): In nineteen-four. Jim Collie (00:15): Nineteen-four. Mr. Haywood Wallace (00:16): Mm-hmm (affirmative). Jim Collie (00:17): Did you ever spend much time out of the parish? Mr. Haywood Wallace (00:20): Not over 18 or 20 days. I never have stayed out of it over 18 or 20 days. I drove trucks after I got up in truck days, and cars. Traveled over about seven or eight different states, but always be back. Jim Collie (00:37): Always back. Mr. Haywood Wallace (00:38): Always back less than 30 days. Jim Collie (00:39): So you've traveled widely, but you never spent much time. Mr. Haywood Wallace (00:42): Not that much time. Jim Collie (00:44): You were born on '04. Mr. Haywood Wallace (00:46): Mm-hmm (affirmative). Jim Collie (00:47): Where were you born? Mr. Haywood Wallace (00:49): Marthaville, Louisiana. Jim Collie (00:50): Was that an old family home there? Mr. Haywood Wallace (00:52): That was the old family home, about five miles out of town on Route 2. Jim Collie (00:58): Route 2 out there. Mr. Haywood Wallace (00:59): Mm-hmm (affirmative). Jim Collie (01:00): How large was your family when you were growing up? Mr. Haywood Wallace (01:03): Well, it was 17 children. Jim Collie (01:07): Oh, no. Mr. Haywood Wallace (01:07): That's right. 17 of us. Jim Collie (01:09): Boys and girls? Mr. Haywood Wallace (01:10): Boys and girls. Jim Collie (01:10): Were you the oldest? Mr. Haywood Wallace (01:13): No, I was the third one. Third child. Jim Collie (01:19): I bet they kept you busy. Mr. Haywood Wallace (01:20): Oh, we stayed busy all the time. All the time. Stayed busy. Jim Collie (01:26): What was it like growing up in a large family? Mr. Haywood Wallace (01:29): Well, it was awful good because time was rough back in them days, you know, and a person had to work for a living. They couldn't mess around. They had to work to get a living. Wasn't much money. Jim Collie (01:43): What kind of chores did the kids do then? Mr. Haywood Wallace (01:47): What do you mean? Jim Collie (01:49): Just on the farm. Mr. Haywood Wallace (01:50): On the farm? Jim Collie (01:51): Yeah. Mr. Haywood Wallace (01:52): They hoed and picked cotton. Cleaned up land ain't much. Girls and boys cleaned up fresh land, new ground they called it. Jim Collie (02:01): Everybody had to work. Mr. Haywood Wallace (02:01): Everybody had to work that was large enough, old enough. Jim Collie (02:04): What'd you do for fun? Did you have any games you used to play? Mr. Haywood Wallace (02:08): Well, we used to play ball and go fishing. When everybody got their crops rounded up, I'd say laid by, about July, some of them got it laid by by July the 15th, and on like that, well then the whole family, it was a pretty large family out there at them times, we'd pretty settle the wagons and buggies and horse-backers and foots would go on what they call a hole break. Jim Collie (02:43): On a what? Mr. Haywood Wallace (02:44): What they call a hole break. Fishing, you see. As they catch the fish they'd fry them and eat them out on the creek. Maybe stay ... I don't think we ever stayed all night with no whole group like that, but they'd stay all day. Do their cooking and eating and fishing out there. Jim Collie (03:06): So, those festivals at the end of the harvest season were pretty good for you. Mr. Haywood Wallace (03:10): That's right. That's right. As I went to say, we all stayed out on the creek and fished all day and cooked and eat out there. Everybody was happy, and everybody looked like get along fine, and lovely, and agreeable, and accommodating. In other words, they lived what they call a Christian life then. See? Jim Collie (03:39): Those were good times back then. Mr. Haywood Wallace (03:40): Good times. That's right. Good times. Jim Collie (03:42): Were there any other times big families got together like at Christmas or at Easter? Mr. Haywood Wallace (03:46): Oh, yeah. They got together lots on Christmas and Easter. Egg hunting and such as that. They got together. They had a real nice time, all of us. We all enjoyed it. Grew up to get mens and womens. Everybody got along fine. Jim Collie (04:09): We were talking before the show began about some of those big sicknesses that hit. We were talking about the big flu epidemic during the 1st World War. What do you remember about that? Mr. Haywood Wallace (04:19): Well, I can remember when the boys was drafted in there. I believe the first that was drafted in there must've been about ... war broke out in 1917, must've been about in the latter part of 1917 or the first of 1918. Jim Collie (04:40): You were about 13 years old then. Mr. Haywood Wallace (04:41): About 13 years old when she broke out. I reckon about '18, the latter part when the flu broke out, when it hit here. It was overseas. A lot of boys died over there. I believe it was 1919 when they all came back home, but a lot of them wasn't able to get back. See, they died over there. Jim Collie (05:14): What was it like here? Was everybody sick? Mr. Haywood Wallace (05:17): Oh, yeah. There was lots of sickness here. Lots of sickness. As I told you, up there where I was raised at, I don't know nary a family that didn't have it, some in their family or all of them in their family. Jim Collie (05:30): Did all the families lose somebody during that epidemic? Mr. Haywood Wallace (05:33): Well, yeah. It was a few died in that time up there, but most of them recovered. Jim Collie (05:39): Did you come down sick? Mr. Haywood Wallace (05:41): No, I never did. It was just two large-size boys in the community I could remember that didn't come down, and that was me and one of my cousins, would be a-carrying. We rode horseback every day carrying them milk, and going to the store, getting medicine, and getting wood, and assisting them in different ways. Any way we could, I'd say it that way. Jim Collie (06:10): What did you do for the flu? Just keep inside and try to keep your strength up, or was there a medicine that seemed to work? Mr. Haywood Wallace (06:17): Well now, best I can tell the biggest thing they could do was keep inside and keep warm, used that home remedy as much as they could because doctors were scarce. They didn't have no doctors much like they have now. He got around to all of them he could and done what he could, but- Jim Collie (06:41): Do you remember who the doctor was then? Mr. Haywood Wallace (06:42): Dr. Patterson. Dr. Patterson and Dr. Glass. We had two doctors pretty close. Dr. Glass lived at Robeline. Jim Collie (06:54): So, they tried to see everybody. Mr. Haywood Wallace (06:55): They tried all they could to see everybody, but in the horse days and buggies and service, a lot of them you'd have to go get them to see Dr. Jordan now. We never did use him for our doctor, but different ones all around said Morris Bray. They used him and they had to go get him, see. He was pretty old and couldn't use his own transportation, and you had to go pick him up and bring him and carry him back. Jim Collie (07:28): Carry him to. Mr. Haywood Wallace (07:28): Mm-hmm (affirmative). And then a lot of places, the road was so bad until you'd have to take a horse and go out and meet him on the road as far as he could go and let him ride in to the home. Jim Collie (07:43): It's hard to believe those were times like that, but- Mr. Haywood Wallace (07:45): That's right. Jim Collie (07:46): ... we sure don't have that kind of thing now. Mr. Haywood Wallace (07:48): That's right. Jim Collie (07:49): With roads, cars, and stuff. Mr. Haywood Wallace (07:52): No, we have good roads now. But back in them times, we had some bad roads and rough roads. Other words, the creeks would get under and water be standing for half a mile over the highways, back in them times. Jim Collie (08:08): We're going to have to take a break right now for our sponsors, but we'll be back in just a minute after this word from People's Bank and Trust. This is The Memories Program, and this morning we're visiting with Mr. Haywood Wallace. This is Jim [Collie 00:08:25]. Mr. Wallace, we were talking about grist mills during this last commercial break. You said you remember a time before they had grist mills. What was that? Mr. Haywood Wallace (08:35): Oh, yeah. I was raised up in the house with my mother and father and my grandmother ever since I could remember. She lived with us until I was grown and married she was still in the house with us. She had what they called a gritter. She could make them. Take a piece of tin and punch nails in them. Take a nail and punch holes in it. Before the corn got hard enough to carry to the mill, she could make two or three of them. Have us kids out there you see, gritting meal. Turn that thing over, bottom up, put your hole one way and turn it over, and get that corn before it was hard enough to carry to the mill and shell, and just grit that ... Jim Collie (09:24): So, you were a grist mill. Mr. Haywood Wallace (09:24): Grist mill. Jim Collie (09:26): That's right. They didn't have to carry it. Mr. Haywood Wallace (09:28): That's right. That's right. We gritted many meals of bread to make cornbread out of. Jim Collie (09:35): I think a lot of country folk made do on their own real well before mills and stores and things developed. Mr. Haywood Wallace (09:42): That's right. Then she, on up when the corn got hard, we'd go to the mill. She would make lye corn. Jim Collie (09:54): How do you do that? Mr. Haywood Wallace (09:56): Well now, she would grip her ... I don't know. Take ashes in a big barrel and sit it under the leak of the house. She burnt wood. Had plenty of ashes, and she'd put it in a barrel and let that rain drip in there. Well, somehow or another them ashes would get strong enough that they called it lye. Just concentrated lye what they buy in the store. It'd be strong. She'd take that in some way, and put it in that corn and all that husk would come off of it. Course you can by lye corn now, but it wasn't no such as lye corn as what they made. Jim Collie (10:38): Now do I call that hominy? Mr. Haywood Wallace (10:38): Hominy. That was the best to be sure in them times. Jim Collie (10:44): I bet you that was quite a treat. Mr. Haywood Wallace (10:45): That's right. Sure it was. Sure it was. Then on up when we left that, we had peas and corn and stuff to pick. We used to beat them out with a paddle. Put them in a sack and beat the peas out. But my daddy got hold of one of them big pea thrashers, and we'd thrash them out by the bushel. Jim Collie (11:15): Now what would that do? That'd just bring the pea out of the pod? Mr. Haywood Wallace (11:18): Yeah. You put them peas in there whole and all, you see, and it threw the hulls one way and the peas go another way. When they come out there, they'd be clean. See? We'd thrash them that-a-way by the 100 bushels because we raised plenty of them, you see. Jim Collie (11:36): Then take those in to sell them? Mr. Haywood Wallace (11:38): Well, they sold some of them, and then we'd eat them. You see, back in them times, didn't have no boxes to put them in like we do now, freeze them or bags or nothing. Just you shelled them dried peas, and they was good. See? Jim Collie (11:54): I bet good old fresh peas you can't get much anymore. Mr. Haywood Wallace (11:56): That's right. Jim Collie (11:57): Where would you go to sell those if you were going to sell some? Mr. Haywood Wallace (12:00): Well, they'd sell them to different stores. People would buy them for seed and for eating, too. They'd sell them in different stores. You'd have to be your own marketer for it. Jim Collie (12:17): We just got just a little time left. I want to see if you can remember your first trip into Natchitoches. Mr. Haywood Wallace (12:23): My first trip into Natchitoches? Jim Collie (12:25): I bet you were very young. Mr. Haywood Wallace (12:26): Well, let me see now if I can remember that. I believe I can. It must've been in about 1915, I believe, when my daddy brought me down on a horse, behind him on a horse. I used to travel a lot with him on a horse. Ride behind him or in front of him. When I grew up and got old enough to rein one, well, he bought me a horse and saddle. I used to go around with him to most everywhere he went. I'd say it that way, most everywhere he went, I'd be with him on my own horse. But I'll tell you, I was about 10 years old I'd say when- Jim Collie (13:10): I bet that was an exciting trip for a little boy. Mr. Haywood Wallace (13:12): It sure was. It sure was. Jim Collie (13:13): You'd always heard about it and never seen it. Mr. Haywood Wallace (13:16): That's right. That's right. It was an exciting trip. It would make you mighty tired and sore- Jim Collie (13:27): I bet it would. Mr. Haywood Wallace (13:28): ... to ride a horse that distance. A fellow didn't want too much of it too often. It have been better if he'd have took it all pretty regular. Jim Collie (13:36): Right. Mr. Haywood Wallace (13:36): He could've stood it better. Jim Collie (13:38): Mr. Wallace, we're out of time, but I sure have enjoyed visiting with you this morning. People's Bank and Trust wants to thank you for sharing your memories with us.

Jim Collie speaks with Haywood Wallace about growing up in Natchitoches Parish with a large family, including holidays, and an epidemic.

33. Heardie Rivers

Transcript

Jim Collie (00:01): In case you've just joined us, this is the Memories program. Today we're going to be visiting with Mrs. Heardie Rivers. I'm Jim Collie. Mrs. Rivers welcome to the program. We're glad you're here. Heardie Rivers (00:01): You are so welcome. Jim Collie (00:15): You were born where Ms. Rivers? Heardie Rivers (00:17): Clarence. Jim Collie (00:17): About when was that? Do you remember? Heardie Rivers (00:22): I don't remember the year. Jim Collie (00:22): Well how old are you? Heardie Rivers (00:22): 72. Jim Collie (00:24): 72 years old. Well, you were probably born in 1904. Sounds about right. Heardie Rivers (00:33): Yeah. Jim Collie (00:33): Your family lived in Clarence? Heardie Rivers (00:35): We lived in Clarence, and from Clarence to Campton. From Campton to Alexandria, too. From Alexandria, my Papa want to go back way home on the farm. And my mother didn't want to. So she come on and [inaudible 00:00:52] she had started working for Ms. Royston. So she bought the place in Grady Town. And Papa seen, finally he come. And he stayed and he went on to Campton got his old job where he had left. And he worked in Campton and come every two weeks home. Jim Collie (01:13): So you moved around a lot? Heardie Rivers (01:15): Yes sir. Jim Collie (01:15): And your mother lived in town cause she liked city life and didn't like farming and [crosstalk 00:01:20]. Heardie Rivers (01:20): She got tired of farming. Jim Collie (01:23): Farming was pretty hard work. Heardie Rivers (01:24): Yes sir. Jim Collie (01:25): It sure was. We were talking just a few minutes ago about the kind of home medicine people used to have. Heardie Rivers (01:33): And... Sassafrass tea, pine tea, and bitterweed tea. Jim Collie (01:46): What was bitterweed tea for? Heardie Rivers (01:49): Fever. Jim Collie (01:50): How did you make it? Heardie Rivers (01:51): We'd boil it. Jim Collie (01:52): Just get some bitterweed leaves? Heardie Rivers (01:54): No, the flower. Jim Collie (01:55): The flower? Heardie Rivers (01:56): Yeah, the flower. Jim Collie (01:58): And you boil that? Heardie Rivers (01:58): Boil that for tea, for fever. Jim Collie (02:02): What was pine tea for? Heardie Rivers (02:03): Purify your lungs. Jim Collie (02:07): Purifies your lungs? Heardie Rivers (02:08): Yes sir. You know when you had TB they'd take you to the pine dome. Jim Collie (02:08): Mm-hmm (affirmative). Heardie Rivers (02:08): Yes sir. Jim Collie (02:13): How would you make pine tea? Heardie Rivers (02:15): Boil it. Jim Collie (02:16): Boil the pine needles? Heardie Rivers (02:18): Tea leaf, the needles. Jim Collie (02:19): Uh huh. (02:21): What is? You were mentioning, horehound candy. What's that your mother used to make? Heardie Rivers (02:26): It's something's weed is gray. I wouldn't know it now if I would see it. I've been looking for it, but I wouldn't know it. And that's what's for cold tea. Jim Collie (02:35): Mm-hmm (affirmative). Was it a sweet candy? Heardie Rivers (02:38): Well, she put a little... Make it up with honey and stuff, you see. Jim Collie (02:42): So children liked it when they were sick? Heardie Rivers (02:42): Oh yeah. They liked it. Jim Collie (02:45): What is blue maize? Heardie Rivers (02:49): That's for babies with colic and worms. Jim Collie (02:55): How would you make that? I take it that some kind of... Heardie Rivers (03:00): Yes. It come in a little block, like a thick piece of gum. You know, little square, four corners. Something like that. And you just take a little piece over and put in a little water if you had the stomach ache and drink it. Jim Collie (03:16): That helps, huh? Heardie Rivers (03:17): That helps. Jim Collie (03:17): What's calimer? Heardie Rivers (03:20): Oh, that's medicine that clean you out, too. But you can't get it now. And I used to take it twice a year, in the spring and in fall. Jim Collie (03:31): Getting ready for the warm weather and getting ready for the cold. Heardie Rivers (03:34): You have to keep your inside cleaned out, just like the out. Jim Collie (03:38): You have to do that? Heardie Rivers (03:39): You can't... You'll kill yourself with too much in medicine. Jim Collie (03:43): So you don't try to take very much? You were telling me about the time when you went to work. Heardie Rivers (03:51): Yes sir. That was in 1942. I was sitting at the table. We was at the table eating dinner and my heart got full. You always feels trouble, but you don't know what it is. And I start to cry. And Papa asked me what was the trouble, which I told him the truth. I didn't know what this... What I seen. I say, Papa, tomorrow I'm going to seek, go out and seek for me a job. And he told me, no, you're not healthy and neither strong. And I told him these words. I say, Papa, if you and mama would die, both of y'all are died. I say, I would have to work health to know health. And so he consent for me to go. (04:51): So I went. Ms. Carrie obliged. Y'all, I hate it. I didn't visit like I should. She had old frightened cat. That's what kept me from going. The girl, forgive me that, though. She was nice to me. And she fixed me nice little lunch. I take it to school. Yeah, I wouldn't take time to fixing it. Wasn't a need to fix a lunch for school age and working. And she'd fix me a nice lunch. I'd taken it to school, and all my little school mates, when lunchtime, here would be all around. I had to divide. I'd give them a little tease. And so after my mother fell sick in the mind. (05:40): And so she stayed away a little while and she come back. And one day I've come from work, she was gone. And that was it. And my little sister was left next door. So I take my little sister and brother home. All three of us to eat in the house. Three months, not afraid. Jim Collie (06:05): Ms. Rivers. We're going to have to stop right now and hear this word from People's Bank and Trust. But we'll be right back after this word from our sponsors. (06:15): This is Jim Collie on Memories. And we're visiting with Mrs. Heardie Rivers. Ms. Rivers, when was the first time you ever left Natchitoches? Do you remember? Heardie Rivers (06:15): 1953. Jim Collie (06:29): Where did you go then? Heardie Rivers (06:30): I went to Monroe, to a church concert. Jim Collie (06:33): Uh huh. Heardie Rivers (06:37): And 1957 flew from Shreveport to Houston on the airplane. That was my first trip. Jim Collie (06:47): What was that first airplane trip like? Heardie Rivers (06:48): Oh, that first airplane trip was wonderful. I thought I was going to heaven. Jim Collie (06:54): It didn't scare you at all? Heardie Rivers (06:55): No sir. It didn't scare me. Jim Collie (06:58): You just went out on that plane. Heardie Rivers (07:00): I went out on that plane. I enjoyed it. Jim Collie (07:02): Did they serve you a meal? Heardie Rivers (07:03): Yes sir. Jim Collie (07:04): So you've been traveling ever since? Heardie Rivers (07:06): Ever since. Jim Collie (07:08): How many places have you been to now? Heardie Rivers (07:10): The last place is Cleveland and I hope someday I can get enough money to go across before I get too young. Jim Collie (07:23): You're not growing old. You're growing young. Heardie Rivers (07:23): Yeah. Jim Collie (07:24): Is that what you're trying to tell me? Heardie Rivers (07:27): I'm growing young on my second foot. Jim Collie (07:29): I see. Well, we sure appreciated visiting with you on our show today and we're glad you're here.

Jim Collie speaks with Mrs. Heardie Rivers about growing up in Natchitoches Parish and her experience with home remedies.

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