The Mule-Bone

epub:type="z3998:persona">Daisy Gaily. Yes, that one. That’s a good one. Jim Begins to tune up. Dave touches Daisy’s hand. Voice In fun. Hunh, you all wouldn’t play at the hall last week when we asked you. Voice of Spiteful Old Woman Daisy wasn’t here then. Another Voice Teasingly. All you got to do to some men is to shake a skirt tail in their face and they goes off their head. Dave To Jim who is still tuning up. Come if you’re comin’ boy, let’s go if you gwine. The full melody of the guitar comes out in a lively, old-fashioned tune. Voice All right now, boys, do it for Daisy jus’ as good as you do for dem white folks over in Maitland. Dave & Jim

Beginning to sing.

Got on the train,
Didn’t have no fare,
But I rode some,
I rode some.
Got on the train,
Didn’t have no fare,
But I rode some,
But I rode some.
Got on the train,
Didn’t have no fare,
Conductor asked me what I’m doin’ there,
But I rode some!

Grabbed me by the neck
And led me to the door.
But I rode some,
But I rode some.
Grabbed me by the neck
And led me to the door.
But I rode some,
But I rode some.
Grabbed me by the neck,
And led me to the door.
Rapped me cross the head with a forty-four,
But I rode some.

First thing I saw in jail
Was a pot of peas.
But I rode some,
But I rode some.
First thing I saw in jail
Was a pot of peas.
But I rode some,
But I rode some.
The peas was good,
The meat was fat,
Fell in love with the chain gang jus’ for that,
But I rode some.

Dave acts out the song in dancing pantomime and when it ends there are shouts and general exclamations of approval from the crowd. Voices I don’t blame them white folks for goin’ crazy ’bout that.⁠ ⁠… Old Man Oh, when I was a young boy I used to swing the gals round on that piece. Daisy To Jim. Seem like your playin’ gits better and better. Dave Quickly. And how ’bout my singin’? Everybody laughs. Voices in the Crowd Ha! Ha! Ol’ Dave’s gittin’ jealous when she speaks o’ Jim. Jim To Dave, in fun. Ain’t nothin’ to it but my playin’. You ain’t got no singin’ voice. If that’s singin’, God’s a gopher. Dave Half-seriously. My singin’ is a whole lot better’n your playin’. You jus’ go along and fram. The reason why the white folks gives us money is cause I’m singin’. Jim Yeah? Dave And you can’t dance. Voice in the Crowd You oughta dance. Big as your feet is, Dave. Daisy Diplomatically. Both of you all is wonderful and I would like to see Dave dance a little. Dave There now, I told you. What did I tell you. To Jim. Stop woofing and pick a little tune there so that I can show Daisy somethin’. Jim Pick a tune? I bet if you fool with me I’ll pick your bones jus’ like a buzzard did the rabbit. You can’t sing and now you wants to dance. Dave Yeah, and I’ll lam your head. Come on and play, good-for-nothing. Jim All right, then. You say you can dance⁠ ⁠… show these people what you can do. But don’t bring that little stuff I been seein’ you doin’ all these years. Jim plays and Dave dances, various members of the crowd keep time with their hands and feet, Daisy looks on enjoying herself immensely. Daisy As Dave cuts a very fancy step. I ain’t seen nothin’ like this up North. Dave you sho hot. As Dave cuts a more complicated step the crowd applauds, but just as the show begins to get good, suddenly Jim stops playing. Dave Surprised. What’s the matter, buddy? Jim Envious of the attention Dave has been getting from Daisy, disgustedly. Oh, nigger, I’m tired of seein’ you cut the fool. ’Sides that, I been playin’ all afternoon for the white folks. Daisy But I though you was playin’ for me now, Jim. Jim Yeah, I’d play all night long for you, but I’m gettin’ sick of Dave round here showin’ off. Let him git somethin’ and play for himself if he can. An Old Man with a lighted lantern enters. Daisy Coyly. Well, honey, play some more for me, then, and don’t mind Dave. I reckon he done danced enough. Play me “Shake That Thing.” Old Man with Lantern Sho, you ain’t stopped, is you, boy? Music sound mighty good floatin’ down that dark road. Old Woman Yeah, Jim, go on play a little more. Don’t get to acting so niggerish this evening. Dave Aw, let the ol’ darky alone. Nobody don’t want to hear him play, nohow. I know I don’t. Jim Well, I’m gonna play. And he begins to pick “Shake That Thing.” Teets and Bootsie begin to dance with Lige Mosely and Frank Warrick. As the tune gets good, Dave cannot resist the music either. Dave Old nigger’s eveil but he sho can play. He begins to do a few steps by himself, then twirls around in front of Daisy and approaches her. Daisy, overcome by the music, begins to step rhythmically toward Dave and together they dance unobserved by Jim, absorbed in picking his guitar. Daisy Look here, baby, at this new step I learned up North. Dave You can show me anything, sugar lump. Daisy Hold me tight now. But just as they begin the new movement Jim notices Daisy and Dave. He stops playing again and lays his guitar down. Voices in the Crowd Disgustedly. Aw, come on, Jim.⁠ ⁠… You must be jealous.⁠ ⁠… Jim No, I ain’t jealous. I jus’ get tired of seein’ that ol’ nigger clownin’ all the time. Dave Laughing and pointing to Jim on porch. Look at that mad baby. Take that lip up off the ground. Got your mouth stuck out jus’ because someone is enjoying themselves.