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Archiver > KYHARLAN > 1999-09 > 0937400197


From: Wilma Johnson <>
Subject: [KYHARLAN-L] Bloody Harlan
Date: Wed, 15 Sep 1999 08:56:37 -0400


In 1938, I was 5 years of age, and we lived at Yancy, in Harlan Co. I
can remember quite well the National Guard lining both sides of the road
from some distance down the road up to the coal tipple and commissary at
Yancy. I can remember it, because at 5 yrs. of age, my Mother started
sending me to the store for groceries and I had to walk this road
between those two lines of National Guard. I would go to the office,
which was upstairs over the commissary and give them a note my Mother
had given me and they would give me "script" Then I would take that
script down stairs into the commissary and give Leonard Sorrells the
script and a grocery list my Mother had written and he would then fill
the order and put any "change" from this script into the grocery bag for
me to carry home. Just a few years ago, not long before my Mother
passed away, I asked her why she would send a 5 yrs. old girl to the
store, knowing she had to walk between those two lines of Guards. She
replied, Well I couldn't carry your brother, the groceries and hold your
hand! Well, my Mom did have her problems!!

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