Mrs. PETERMAN. I won't say a dry goods store--more like a grocery store, I guess you would say--just a small place there in the front room. She sold bread, milk, candy, and things like that.
Mrs. PETERMAN. Yes; it was a little grocery store.
Mr. JENNER. Would the local city ordinances permit that?
Mrs. PETERMAN. I don't know about that, but she did operate it for a short time--not too long. Finally she gave that up, but as far as I know that was the only money she had coming in at that time.
Mr. JENNER. Give me your impression of Mrs. Oswald, would you please; what kind of person she was.
Mrs. PETERMAN. Well, like I said--I don't know how to explain it, but she was a person who was not overfriendly, and she wasn't no snob either. I can't say that, but I don't know. She was the kind of a person that--I don't know how to say it. I mean, I had no trouble with her, and she was a good mother to her children.
Mrs. PETERMAN. That she was, and she would always keep, like I say, to herself. She didn't do much talking, that is, to me; but now whether she did to the other neighbors, I don't know.
Mr. JENNER. You didn't regard her conduct as strange?
Mrs. PETERMAN. No; nothing like that. Like I told you, I am the kind of person who keeps to myself too. I have been right now 23 years in that neighborhood, I--there are some people living around there right now that I couldn't tell you their name. I am always inside. I never go out, you know, but I have nothing to say against her in any kind of way.
Mr. JENNER. She seemed to be industrious and a good mother, is that right?
Mrs. PETERMAN. Yes, sir; she was good to her children, and she kept them all, you know, nice and clean, but I don't know anything about her business at all.
Mr. JENNER. What was your reaction to the two older boys, John and Robert?
Mrs. PETERMAN. Well, they were like all kids, I guess, you know, having a good time, but I will say that they were not running like the kids do today.
Mrs. PETERMAN. I mean children back in those days were not like children are today, and I know, because I have grandchildren now, and they are altogether different now. Even Lee, he was a good little child, and he didn't do things like the boys do today. That's why I just can't see how this all came about. I can't understand it. We didn't even know anything about it until the man found me, you know. We all thought maybe it was Lee, but we just, you know, couldn't believe it.