Bargain House
February 16, 1939
J. Buford Dudley (white)
124 Thomas St.
Athens, Ga.
Merchant
Grace McCune, writer
As I walked down a side street in the business section of
town, looking for something interesting to get a story about, a large sign
swinging out in front of a store drew my attention. Fastened on a rod, it was
swinging in the wind and boldly announcing to the world that "Every day is a
Bargain day here."
In the window was a display of most everything that is carried in a dry good and
ready to wear store. Yet it was very neat and attractive to be such a small
window, and in one corner of the window was a small sign, which read "old and
used clothing, bought and sold as well as the latest styles out."
It looked interesting and thinking I might be able to get a good story here, I
opened the door and went in. A tall, well dressed man, was waiting on a customer
showing him children's overalls. Seeing no one else in the store I looked around
at the different things and how they were arranged.
It is a small store and most every bit of the floor space is used for either a
table or show case. On the right as you go in the door is a long rack on which
is a display of men and boy's suits, and just beyond that is the shelves for
shoes. Also a small wraping [wrapping?] table with a small cash register on it.
On the left was ladies hats, dresses, and dry goods. At the back of the narrow
room was a long rack of second hand clothing. In the front was a glass show case
in which was displayed hose, ladies underwear and baby clothes. On two long
tables at the back of the show case was the overalls, mens trousers and some
piece goods. A small rack of childrens silk and wash dresses was also on the
left side of the store.
As the customer went out with his overalls, the man came to me and asked what he
could show me. I replied that I was just waiting for him and asked if he was the
proprietor of the store. He replied that he was. I then explained that it was my
first visit to his store and why I came in. He laughed, then said, "that old
sign is a very good drawing card as it brings in new customers most every day.
But how do you like my little store? I only opened it last August, but I have
done pretty good. I bought out a man that only sold and bought second hand
clothing and to get the store I had to buy his stock also. As it was paying
pretty good, I decided to continued with this line as well as the new for there
is really a demand for used clothing.
Two boys came in the front door and asking me to have a chair in the little room
at the back of the store, he went to wait on the boys. As I went in the very
small room, I found that a large heater with glowing sides, two chairs, and a
bench, a small table. As I waited I could see in the other room, where the boys
were trying to sell a suit of clothes and one of them said, "It is a good suit
but it is just too small."
Mr. Brown bought the suit and paid three dollars, the price they asked. Before
the boys went out they had bought shoes and a shirt each. As he came back he
said, "see there if I had not bought that suit, they would have went somewhere
else, to buy their shoes and shirts. I asked how long had he been in this kind
of business before he opened this store. He laughed and said, "Well, I have
worked in dry good and clothing stores for about 29 years so I should know how
to sell.
"But I was born on Feb. 24, 1887 on a farm, about four miles from Comer, Ga. and
near the old Hard Shell Baptist Church. I have been to that old church many
times and especially to the foot washings. Now that is something interesting if
you have never been and all together different from what you might think. For
instead of being funny it is very solemn and also sad, or at least that is the
way it impresses me."
*1 Another customer came in and [he went [??] to wait on*1] him. The man wanted
to know if he had any high top shoes for small boys. For [?] explained his boy
had a weak ankle and just had to use wear a strong high top shoe. Mr. The Brown
merchant said, Have you got "Did you bring the child with you?" The customer
said Receiving a negative reply, " No," then the clerk made this suggestion. he
suggested Why not bring your boy in and fit him right I"ve sold shoes for years
and that's about the only way that you can fit anyone correctly, and especially
if it has to be a certain fit or make of shoe and perhaps I could also [?] have
braces fitted that would help your son. The man thanked him and said,"Why I had
never thought of that!" the customer said and I sure will bring him in when I
come back to town. and Maybe [?] we"ll come in the morning for he really needs
something to support his ankle. Sometimes it will give way with him when he's
walking and he just falls down." After buying some cloth for his wife, he
thanked Mr. Brown the merchant again and went out. As he [?] I said, "You have
made a friend and a good customer out of that man I remarked to the merchant.
His reply was, "I think so and it's so easy to be nice to people. Of course, we
come in contact with all with all classes of people. Some that just will not let
you be nice regardless of how hard you try. [?] But where was I at in telling my
story? I reminded him that he had just finished telling me about the old Hard
Shell Baptist Church, and he continued! "Well when I was about three, my mother
got sick and do you know I was eleven 11 before I remember her being able to get
out of bed again. She was sick so long and that my father spent everything he
had trying to get her well.
"When I was eight 8 I went to the fields and ploughed plowed like a man, and I
ploughed [plowed?] day in and day out until I was 20. But hard as it was, we
came back, got out of debt , bought our home and we had plenty of everything
that could be raised on a farm. For My father believed in working, but [and?] he
believed in having a plenty of everything needed We of course had all kind of
things that grow in gardens, and on a farm; and we didn't have to buy feed for
our stock either, for there was plenty of that raised.
"We had chickens turkeys, geese, and guineas, and [stet?] raised all our hogs .
and We had meat from one hog killing to the next, and cows and plenty of good
fresh milk, butter and eggs. Also fruits of all many kinds. And I"ll tell you
now, we didn't have to wait for company to come to get something [?] [good?]
fixed, for we had what we wanted at any time. Father said that we had worked for
it and should have it and he liked to have good things to eat.
"I [?] lived three 3 miles from school and didn't get to go to school until I
was eleven 11 years old. and We went to school [a?] after the work in the fields
was finished. [??????] We stayed all day, too,[??] carried our dinner with us,
and with [?] all the time I went to school, I just finished the fifth grade. Our
teacher was a man and he was mean as the devil. I know I shouldn't say that but
it is the truth. The larger boys did everything they could to aggravate him
because he was so mean. I guess I was mean to. [?] Any way I would get from one
to three whippings a day. [?] "What did he whip with? I asked. [?] "Why, he used
big switches, sticks or anything that he could get his hands on, except his
walking stick. He had one made out of a large [?]. He was very particular with
it, and would not allow any of us to so much as touch that stick.
"He was always nearly [about? half?] drunk and every day at noon and recess
periods he would take that his walking stick and go out in the woods. We
followed him one day at dinner time and we found out why he carried that cane
with him. It had a big cork in one end, and would you believe it, he took that
cork out and drank [out of it for he had his corn liquor in it. corn liquor from
the hollow cane. When he stopped drank it he was just about drunk. We hurried
back to tell the others what we had seen.
"We hunted up about forty or fifty pins and put them in the big cushion in his
chair. He came in and rang the bell like he would tear it up. That was one time
we hurried in when the bell rang for we was were anxious to see what he would
do. He looked at us like he could go through us, as we marched by his chair. As
we all got to arrived at our seats desks, he just flopped down in his chair, but
he came up in a hurry and the cushion came with him. His eyes looked like they
would pop out of his head, as he tried to pull that cushion lose from him.
"We all yelled out and laughed. It was just too funny to watch him, but that is
where we give gave ourselves away for he knew then that some of us was were
responsible for those pins. He kept every one of the boys in after school and
tried to find out which one who did it. No one would tell - just didn't know a
thing about it. He got a bundle of sticks and said if we didn't tell he would
whip the whole crowd for he knew then he would get the guilty one. [?]
[?] " And Still no one knew anything about the pins. Why we didn't even know
that there was a pin in the schoolhouse. Then the whipping started. I"ll say we
really got a trashing thrashed, and he didn't miss a one of us either . Almost
beat us to death. Oh, yes, he got the guilty ones, for we was were all ,
everyone of us in it.
"He didn't last very long after that as a teacher for we told why he gave us
such a whipping and about his drinking. walking-stick flask. Some of our fathers
got a hold of that cane and found the whiskey in it. As soon as they could get
somebody else they let him go. For he was never able to learn [teach?] us
anything. I guess one reason was because we disliked him so much.
"Our next teacher was man also. But such a different one! He was a fine man
person, and teacher and we all liked him. All I ever learned in school was from
him. He did not believe in whipping, but was strict with us and made us study.
Yet, he never had any trouble with a one of us. He was a good man.
"When I was about 17 seventeen I got sick and was sick for a long time. The
doctors were treating me for indigestion, but I didn't get any better. Finally
my doctor sent me to Augusta for an operation for appendicitis, and on the 17th
of October 1907 they operated on me. The *2 doctor in Augusta that operated
[operating*2] kept me there for in that Augusta hospital two weeks and charged
me $500 for the operation and hospital bill. But When I was ready to come home I
asked the doctor for my appendix. He said they were it was in such a bad
condition, in fact were just rotten and that they had to throw them it away. But
that they said they had some one that belonged to had been taken from another
man and I could have them that if I wanted them it. I thanked them and told them
I didn't care of for anyone else's appendix. I came home much worse off than I
was before the operation.
"I stayed at home until January, [?] 1908. Then I went to St. Joseph's Hospital
in Atlanta. One of the doctors there, after the x-rays, examinations, [??],and
x-rays, said, "Well, son, you will have to have an operations for appendictis."
I couldn't understand and told them that I had an operation for that, just a few
months back. They He said, "Well, you still have them it so what are you going
to do about it?"
"I was in such a condition that something had to be done. I told them to go
ahead and see what they could find. They laughed and promised and said, "Well,
We will find your appendix. Want to bet on it? I was sure they wouldn't, but was
just about too sick to care, but after the operation and after I had come to
myself, that was the first thing they showed me, my appendicticappendix. They
were It was in a very bad condition. All that suffering and hospital bill in
Augusta had didn't do me any done me no good.
"It seemed as if I just couldn't get any better, and on the eleventh (11 th day
of March I had to have another operation. For three days and nights I didn't
know anything. They had sent for all my folks and just knew I was going to check
out, but I wasn't ready to die and after the fourth day I began to mend. I
stayed there in the hospital for twenty-seven (27) weeks.
"After I got better I had a good time for , the Sisters nuns - we called them
Sisters" - were so nice . They did everything that they could for us. There was
a man there who had been burned. He was in a terrible fix, but so jolly with it
all. There was A young doctor was there for treatment. We were soon put in a
room together, for the Sisters said they could keep up with us better that way.
"We did enjoy teasing and playing jokes on these good Sister. They were good
sports and could take it . and Very often we got it back . [from them as good
????]. I was there on my twenty-first 21st birthday. I was a little blue that
day. I had been used used to having my birthday a dinner at home and then you
know a man's twenty-first 21st birthday is rather important to him. We were
discussing it and the other two patients in my room were threating to give me a
whipping [- 21 licks?].
"One of the Sisters came in the room and said, "I have tried everything else to
make a man out of you and now I am going to try the last thing. I only hope that
it will do more than we have been able to do." And then another Sister came in
rolling in a table . And such a table it was ! A real dinner for the three of us
and in the center of the table was a cake with twenty-one 21 candles.
"I just couldn't say anything and I guess I would have been a big baby and cried
if it had not been for the doctor. He told the Sisters to put the baby to bed
that they would take care of the dinner [??]. We really did enjoy the dinner
[that ?], and as we were eating they bought brought me in a cake from mother and
I had a nice birthday if it was spent in a hospital.
"When I did get home I was not able to do anything , and the doctors had told me
before I left the hospital that if I would take things easy for a year, I would
be well and a good man again. After I had been at home for a few months and got
a little of my strength back, my father decided that a good camping and hunting
trip would put me on my feet again.
"After considering several places, he decided that down in Greene County would
be the best place for me to go. That suited me fine, for there is nothing that I
enjoy more than hunting and fishing. I went to Parks Mill and Ferry, and I just
fished and hunted birds, rabbits, and squirrels for the rest of the year. I was
camping out, but and even had a cow with me so I had all the fresh milk that I
needed. could use.
The only thing I didn't like was the water. I just couldn't get used to that,
but I had to drink it. I met some of the finest people that I ever knew there
and they were all so good to me; always bringing me [?] things to eat, and
inviting me out to their homes. I stayed there until I had my health back and
was ready for work again. But you know , [??] there are more kickory hickory
nuts in Greene County than in the rest of the whole State of Georgia. I never
saw so many nuts in my life.
"I came back to Athens in November 1910. As I was walking down the street I met
a man I knew and he offered me a job. I accepted and went to work for in his
store for twenty-five dollars $25 a month . and I worked for him until April of
1911 and then I changed jobs. And on the fifteenth 15th day of April 1911 I went
to work for [??] for thirty five dollars another store at$35 a month, [and
worked for thirty five dollars a month ?] in June of 1913 , when I got married.
Then my boss raised me to forty-five dollars $45 per month , and But he
continued to give me raises until I was making $175 per month. I worked [?] for
him until the end of 1919. He was such a good man to work for ! and Always
looking out for the people working for him. He was just a good old Scout all the
way around.
"But you know I was from the country and I wanted to go back to the farm . [?] I
don't think you just ever get that country out of you. I know I haven't !" So in
1920 I went back to the farm. The first year I made good with the farm, and I
also put me up a country store." He laughed , and [?] [?], "I have "ve noticed
you looking around in here, but you should have seen that country store of mine.
"It was small also, but Lord the stuff I did have packed in that small little
place. It was a sight . I had to move things sometimes to get what the customers
called for. I had farm supplies, such as ploughs plows, hoes, rakes, seeds, and,
in fact , just a little of everything [?] needed to farm with.
"Then the food stuff, everything in that line. Of course you I didn't forget
cloth, thread, pins, powder, hair pins, combs and just all the things the women
had have to have , and the children needed paper, pencils, and books for school.
I tried to think of them all, and I really made money.
"But [as it goes in the country, as same as in town, [business conditions in
town and country are much alike. The next year I lost as much as I had made
before. Crops were bad with us all , and cotton prices went to the bottom. I
lost heavily , for the other farmers could not pay for what they had bought in
the my store. It was That just a bad year for all of the farmers, and it took me
four 4 years to get over that [it's? losses.?]
"I never did like to give up when I was down, so I stayed right on that farm
until I was on my feet again. Then as my wife did not like the country, I came
back to town [Athens?]. This time I went to work in a mens clothing store.
"I worked there for three (3) years for [at?] $124 per month. My boss was very
good to me, but he had a good business and he carried a line of clothes that his
customers could depend on. He is still in business here and he still carries the
best in mens clothing and I really did like to work for him, but while he was
good to me, he was really hard on the other clerks . but Finally, a dull season
hit him , as well as all the other stores in town , and my salary as well as the
other clerks was out. I was cut to $100 a month. [?????]
"When I left there I went to work in a department store. It was owned by an a
fine old Jewish man . and he really was a fine old man. He was good to everybody
and especially to the people that worked for him. There was just he and His
family was small, just himself, his wife , and one child, a girl daughter. She
was married , and her husband was [?] manager of the store. I went to work there
for $120 a month.
"The old man [?] tried to keep his business going straight and to keep pay his
bills [?] promptly, but that son in law manager of his was rotten, and did so
many things the old man [??old father-in-law] didn't know about and that in a
few years he put the old man was in bankruptcy , and the shock of it this really
caused the old man's his death.
"He [????] passed away one evening at about six o'clock. He had a stroke of
paralysis a day or so before and never knew anything after that. They called his
son-in-law at the store, [????] but you know that sorry Jew [?] wouldn't go home
until the store was closed . and The old man was dead [??] before we left [??]
and the manager told us that he would have to close the store until the funeral
was over, but that he wanted me and the two girls , that were working worked
there , to come to the house the next morning to help them get fixed for the
funeral.
"Do you know I never saw anything like it in all my life ? ! And I don't think I
was ever so mad about anything that really didn't concern me in anyway. We
worked hard all day . They had to have everything , and could think of more
things to do. The girls had to fix their [?] clothes [???]. I went with him [the
manager?] to see about things for the old man, for they was were going to leave
him at the undertaking parlor, because it would be cheaper than carrying him
home , [?].
"And when I saw what he was going to put on that old man, I really went up in
the air, for it was an [?] old palm beach suit, that he had had it cleaned and
pressed , and he was going to put an old worn-out shirt and tie on him, but that
was just more than I could stand. I went out and bought a shirt and tie myself
and asked the undertaker to put them on my old boss for he had always been good
to me. [????????????].
"But [?? His son-in-law said [?], " What is What's the use ? in that? It is It's
just wasting money and he will never know the difference," but I remembered how
neat and particular the old man had always been in his clothes and I felt sure
that he would want it that way [???]. I begged for a new suit out of the store
to put on him but I sure didn't get it.
"The funeral was the next morning at eleven 11 o'clock. Of course, we all went.
Do you know that [the manager and?] son-in-law of the old man gave me the key,
[???] while they was were letting the body down in the grave, and told me to
hurry back and get the store open. It was open and ready for business before the
funeral wreath had been taken off the door. On the following Saturday when we
was were paid for the week's work, he had took taken out for the day and a half
that we worked at his house.
"The business was reorganized in his mother-in-law's name, but he was still
manager. It took just about all of the old man's insurance to get it
straightened out and that is where the old woman made the greatest mistake of
her life for she has no more to say in regard to it than you have [, and I]
can't even get a dollar unless he says so.
"I could see how things were but there was nothing that I could do about it. It
[??] was just going down every day, and he had cut our salaries also, but he and
his wife were having the time of their life lives. They only have one child, a
girl , and they [have?] made one long trip after another and that takes money.
"About this time I had opened up a small grocery store of my own for my oldest
boy to run the store. I started that store with a capital of seventy dollars
cash and a debt of almost $700. My son was married, and we had five other
children at home. We all [?????] lived out of that store, and I used my salary
and what we made out of the store to pay on the notes.
"It was a hard pull but I knew that if we tried hard enough we could make it,
and I knew that I was going to have to do something for myself. For the way
things were going at the store, I didn't really think it would could last long.
When he [the manager?] found out that I had opened up a store for myself, he
wanted to know how I did it . but we worked hard and there was no need of extra
help for [???] there were enough [?] of [?] [my family?] to look after the store
. without my help.
"In about a year I started another grocery store . One of my daughters and her
husband took care of the new store . and then My boss then said, "How in the
world do you manage with your large family and on the salary that you are
getting here. I told him my small salary was the reason that I was having to
work so hard to try to get something else started, so that I could take care of
my family.
"His business kept going down and he just bought until he was loaded down with
stuff that he could not sell. The That fall was a disappointment for that is
when he has the [???] most business, [but that was ??] and he went broke. For
awhile it looked as if he would lose everything but he finally got a settlement
with his creditors for 33 1/3 per cent, and just as soon as that was settled he
put off part of the help, cut our salaried again, then / took his family on a
trip to Florida.
That left just three of us to run the store and get it straight of after the
inventory that had to be taken before the settlement could be made. We worked
hard and had the store all cleaned and everything in place when he came back. He
was telling told us about the grand trip and how they had enjoyed it. He had
left his family in Florida for they did not want to come home.
"He told me that he paid five dollars $5 for a berth on the trip home and I
realized it when he paid me off that night that I had paid for that berth, for
he had given me another five dollar $5 cut and the others got another cut also.
We were paying for his family's visit in Florida. I did not think it was right
and told him so.
"He said, "Well , that is that's the best I can do." I asked him if he thought
we could live on what he paid us. That made him mad and he said that was up to
us, he didn't have anything to do with it. I told him that I was sure I couldn't
live on it and that my family was just as important to me as his was to him.
"He said, "Well , what are you going to do about it?" Only this, I replied and
put the *3 key to the [store*3] down on his desk. He wanted to know what that
meant. I asked him what did he think it meant. [It meant?] That I was leaving
for I wouldn't work for him any longer. Then he wanted me to reconsider. I asked
if he would reconsider and he said no, that He was doing the best he could.
"So I told him I didn't see where I could do any better either [?] by staying on
there and that it was time for me to try something else. He laughed and asked me
if I would be back in the morning. I did not didn't even answer ; just got my
hat and walked out, and I haven't been back yet since.
"That is when I opened up my store here, and from what I hear I really did more
business last fall than he did. For My customers that I had waited on for years
followed me here to my store and I hope before the fall business starts this
year that I will "ll be able to get in to a larger place for I really need more
room.
"My wife and daughters help me and we manage just fine." ]?] "Do you do any
credit business ; ?" I asked. & par; "No," he replied, "But I do use the
lay-away plan. A small deposit will hold anything the customer wants for a
reasonable time, and I find that is a much better plan than taking it out and
paying later. It really is a help to the customer as well as to the store.
"My greatest mistake was in not pulling out for myself sooner. I would have been
so much better off and [would have?] bad something to fall back on. But I hope
to do [??] that yet . I have I"ve built up a good trade here and both of my
little grocery stores are going good. I don't have much trouble with collections
in them, for if they don't pay up, I cut the customers off [???] until they do
pay up [???].
"I have managed to give my older children a high school education and the
younger ones are still in school. I have three grandchildren . but I have I"ve
had my share of trouble and sickness in my family I guess [???] everyone , has
them and with hard work I have I"ve managed to come through them all and get all
[?] the bills paid.
"You know it has it's been years since I have I"ve had the time to think of a
vacation . But just as soon as I can now, I am I"m going to take a good long
vacation one just like I want. [?????] I asked just what would he liked in a
vacation [He quickly replied,*4] "A camping trip," *4 "with good fishing and
hunting. "I can get more pleasure out of that than any other kind of sport.
"Of course , I enjoy ball games. [?] Baseball is my favorite and [?] the movies
also for too. I go to shows often with my kids for I really want them to enjoy
life while they can , for as they grow older, they will may have many problems
of life to face and work out, [?????] and I may not be here to help them then.
"And I always try to see that they go places and have a good time, but [now*5]
understand *5, I want them to [go?] with the right class of people and [?] the
best places , and we try to keep a pleasant home for them so they will want to
bring their friends there as well as go out with them and there is usually a
crowd of young people at our house . as they like to come.
"Some folks tell me I am too easy on them [my children?], but I don't think so
for they are smart and they all work at home / and in the stores when they are
not in school , so why not try to see that they have some pleasure as well as
all work. What do you think? [?] "that you are right, I replied , [?] and as I
was leaving he walked to the door with me and said, "Come over to our house
sometime and see just how we do live. We will be glad to have you."
Notes
About Publication:
Source: Manuscripts from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1940
Online Publication: This information was donated to Troup County, Georgia
Genealogy by C. W. Barnum.
