03709_0069: "Holly House"

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"Bull" Elliott, no date given, no place given, white tenant farmer, Loundesboro, 10 October 1938

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Alabama

AL-66

THE TENANT FAMILY Mr. & Mrs. "Bull" Elliott and family. Address: Lowndesboro, Ala. Main Street. The ante-bellum couple Mr. & Mrs. Holly (deceased)

"HOLLY HOUSE."

{handwritten} By Marie Reese Lowndesboro

The Holly House is one of the earliest evidences of civilization in the rim of Lowndesboro, Alabama. Its simple yet austere architecture and the dimming effect of the passing years make it look as old as Plymouth Rock. The house is a cottage, two large rooms forming the main part, a "lean to" (which comprises shed rooms) to the rear and a hall running through the house with a "doubtful" porch forming the frontage to comprise the entire unit.

Nature has beautified the background of the small cottage but of late years, residents have neglected it. It is approached by a trodden footpath which passes between many crepe myrtle bushes. One or two old trees that waved as saplings over the heads of the Indians, are near the approach.

The time-worn cottage recalls many interesting memories. In pre-war history it was the "nest" built for a bonny bride of 1860. Today history opens at another page. It houses a tenant farmer family, who in interesting, deserving and pleasant, but are a different class of people to those who reside in the proud old town, and like to recall that their forbears originated the old schools and churches whose mouldering structures still stand and the cultural atmosphere that nothing can

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banish. The tenant farmers are a "misfit" in Lowndes County and are limited in number. This household has a personnel of eight, including father, mother and six girls. The oldest is sixteen—the age to be woman-ish and think she "knows all the answers." Then there are the "lap baby," an infant and three other little girls between. The husband is the local garage man and is also a tenant farmer. In addition his income is increased by a world war pension received monthly. He is hard working, respected and is known as a good provider. By trade he is a mechanic but since moving to the community a few years ago ,he has and made contacts with a large local planter who has long since had a foothold in local agricultural so they operate farms together. The tenant farmer being familiar with machinery, is the tractor man. By this partnership he is enabled to get his land free and his crop carried on at a small cost and also to work in the garage.

The wife is a small woman in the early forties and on account of the many home duties and the excellent care she takes of the six little girls, she is for it indeed a near miracle how she turns out the amount of work she does. Small and light in stature she does all her work—cooking, sewing, washing, cleaning, with no assistance. In addition she 'tends a good garden, and takes care of a cow and chickens. Her little girls are pretty, always neat and clean, wearing attractive little dresses, and being always as well dressed and shod as the children of a well-to-do planter. Their appearance is

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proof of a capable mother. She gives herself to work of caring for her husband her home and her children, and practices self denial. Pleasure except in the performance of duty or recreation are to her an unknown quanity. Day in and day out she is busy from early morn till during eve.

Her Sunday program does not vary from that of a weekday with exception of the extra work in consequence of an elaborate Sunday dinner sometimes with guests. She has no time to attend church and is too busy for the blues and small social activities that offer the town's only recreation. Her opinion is that a woman with responsibilities and tasks as heavy as her own has no time for recreation.

To some extent she is discontented. On the rare occasions when she visits she first bathes, and dresses the two babies, then the same preparation is gone through for herself. She goes then spend a part of an afternoon with three old ladies who cannot get out much and are glad to have some one coming in from the outside world. She must carry a child in either arm and during the visit they fret. The conversation is pursued between cries and complaints of the babies is discontinued long enough to pacify them and rummage the house to find something to suit their fancy, home made cat; a metal door stop, a pipe with which to blow soapbubbles; a wooden darning egg.

As sunset nears she thinks of the late household; her husband's evening meal, the chickens to be put away so she rises to go home with promises to come again, then rushes

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home more worn out than refreshed, the pleasure of the evening based on exchange of ideas about the last sermon, how to exterminate insects from the garden, and a new pattern for a quilt. Everything seemingly went wrong during her absence, filling the lamp was forgotten and similar oversights, occasion supper to be very late. The head of the home has had an exceedingly hard day and is hungry.

The small children who were not permitted to accompany her are quarrelsome and difficult and a domestic storm follows. Thereby she pays for her outing and mentally resolves never to go anywhere again.

She does not take her position in life cheerfully. She resents the fact that she is on the outside although ladylike in manner ,neat and deserving. There are only a very few families of this farm tenant type and these are so scattered and must work so hard they have no time for social intercourse.

Resentful of the conditions surrounding her shrinks from meeting her neighbors and never goes any where except to see the three old ladies, whose habit is to lend a helping hand and extend a welcome to those whose pathway in life is rougher than theirs.

Oldest of the six little girls is MAXINE who attends high school and is an unusually attractive sixteen-year old girl. She is a near-modern girl and gives a good time precedence over all else, boasting of eight "sweeties."

She accepts none of the heavy work responsibilities as her part, although larger and heavier than her mother and

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beauty shop for a hair cut or, in the case of the two oldest, a wave; when needed. The social line with children in school is not so decidedly drawn so they have about a nice time as the children who represent another station in life. The home consists of four rooms with no conveniences what- ever, no bathroom and heated with the large and ancient fireplace in which wood is burnt. It is dilapidated in every way, and the dreaded leaks from the more than a century old roof must be endured. A passerby would not doubt the traditional age of the cottage from its appearance, but is sure to be attracted to it for the reason that it does bespeak the type of home and the life of a long gone day.

When the rent date arrives there is a dramatic performance on the village green. Neighbors expect to witness a pugilistic scene. The landlord is unwelcome. The tenant claims its openess has caused sickness in his family, that the promised repairs have failed to materalize. Also he will not vacate.

Houses are difficult to find but tenants are scarce so the outraged landlord hesitates to resort to extreme measures, and walks away hoping for better luck next time with collections.

In entering the house one is impressed with the age of the home as it is emphasized everywhere, nor has an attempt been made by its occupants to brighten it. Everything is spotless and in order, but no time is devoted to making it attractive.

Its furnishings are the mere necessities. The family

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