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"No, I ain' cold. I settin in de sun. Miss Ida, she went by here just
now en call at me bout de door been open en lettin dat cold wind blow in
on my back wid all de fire gone out. I tell her, it ain' botherin me
none, I been settin out in de sun. Well, I don' feel much to speak bout,
child, but I knockin round somehow. Miss Ida, she bring me dis paper to
study on. She does always be bringin me de Star cause she know dat I
love to see de news of Marion. It right sad bout de Presbyterian
preacher, but everybody got to die, I say. Right sad though. We hear dat
church bell here de other evenin en we never know what it been tollin
for. I holler over dere to Maggie house en ax her how-come de church
bell tollin, but she couldn' tell me nothin bout it. Reckon some chillun
had get hold of it, she say. I tell her, dat bell never been pull by no
chillun cause I been hear death note in it. Yes, honey, de people sho
gwine horne (grieve) after Dr. Holladay."

"I say, I doin very well myself en I thankful I ain' down in de bed.
Mighty thankful I ain' down in de bed en can set up en talk wid de
people when dey comes to see me. I ain' been up dere on your street in a
long time. Can' do much walkin dese days cause I ain' got no strength to
speak bout. Ain' been up town dere in bout two months. Mr. Jervey ax
John Evans what de matter dat I ain' been comin to de store to get my
rations en John Evans tell him I been under de weather. Somehow another,
dey all likes me up dere en when dey don' see me up town on Saturday,
dey be axin bout me. Mr. Jervey, he come here de other day en bring me
some tobacco en syrup en cheese en some of dem other things what he know
dat I used to buy dere. He tell me dey all was wantin to see me back up
dere again. I say, I can' go up dere cause I give way in my limbs en
just comes right down whe' I don' have nothin to catch to. Got dis old
stick here dat I balances myself on when I goes out round bout de house
here. Cose I don' venture to steady myself no far ways on it."

"No, child, I ain' been up your way in a long time. I wash for Miss
Betty all my best days, but I ain' been up to de house in many a mornin.
Miss Betty like myself now, she old. I tell dem up dere to de house, de
last time I talk wid dem, don' mind Miss Betty cause her mind ain' no
good. I say, just gwine on en do what you got to do en let Miss Betty
rest. You see, Miss Betty always would have her way en dis ain' no time
to think bout