The Mule-Bone

rush toward the steps. He staggers Dave. Dave knocks Jim sprawling once more. This time Jim grabs the mule bone as he rises, rushes Dave, strikes Dave over the head with it and knocks him out. Dave falls prone on his back. There is great excitement. Old Woman Screams. Lawdy, is he kilt? Several men rush to the fallen man. Voice Run down to the pump and get a dipper o’ water. Clark To his wife in door. Mattie, come out of that store with a bottle of witch hazely oil quick as you can. Jim Weston, I’m gonna arrest you for this. You Lum Boger. Where is that marshall? Lum Boger! Lum Boger detaches himself from the crowd. Arrest Jim. Lum Grabs Jim’s arm, relieves him of the mule bone and looks helplessly at the Mayor. Now I got him arrested, what’s I going to do with him? Clark Lock him up back yonder in my barn till Monday when we’ll have the trial in de Baptist Church. Lindsay Yeah, just like all the rest of them Methodists⁠ ⁠… always tryin’ to take undercurrents on people. Walter Ain’t no worse then some of you Baptists, nohow. You all don’t run this town. We got jus’ as much to say as you have. Clark Angrily to both men. Shut up! Done had enough arguing in front of my place. To Lum Boger. Take that boy on and lock him up in my barn. And save that mule bone for evidence. Lum Boger leads Jim off toward the back of the store. A crowd follows him. Other men and women are busy applying restoratives to Dave. Daisy stands alone, unnoticed in the center of the stage. Daisy Worriedly. Now, who’s gonna take me home? Curtain.

Act II

Setting: Village street scene; huge oak tree upstage center; a house or two on backdrop. When curtain goes up, Sister Lucy Taylor is seen standing under the tree. She is painfully spelling it out.

	Enter Sister Thomas, a younger woman in her thirties, at left.
Sister Thomas	Evenin’, Sis Taylor.
Sister Taylor	Evenin’. Returns to the notice.
Sister Thomas	Whut you doin’? Readin’ dat notice Joe Clark put up ’bout de meeting? Approaches tree.
Sister Taylor	Is dat whut it says? I ain’t much on readin’ since I had my teeth pulled out. You know if you pull out dem eye teeth you ruins’ yo’ eye sight. Turns back to notice. Whut it say?
Sister Thomas	Reading notice. “The trial of Jim Weston for assault and battery on Dave Carter wid a dangerous weapon will be held at Macedonia Baptist Church on Monday, November 10, at three o’clock. All are welcome. By order of J. Clark, Mayor of Eatonville, Florida.” Turning to Sister Taylor. Hit’s makin’ on to three now.
Sister Taylor	You mean it’s right now. Looks up at sun to tell time. Lemme go git ready to be at de trial ’cause I’m sho goin’ to be there an’ I ain’t goin’ to bite my tongue neither.
Sister Thomas	I done went an’ crapped a mess of collard greens for supper. I better go put ’em on ’cause Lawd knows when we goin’ to git outa there an’ my husband is one of them dat’s gointer eat don’t keer whut happen. I bet if judgment day was to happen tomorrow he’d speck I orter fix him a bucket to carry long. She moves to exit, right.
Sister Taylor	All men favors they guts, chile. But what you think of all dis mess they got goin’ on round here?
Sister Thomas	I just think it’s a sin an’ a shame befo’ de livin’ justice de way dese Baptis’ niggers is runnin’ round here carryin’ on.
Sister Taylor	Oh, they been puttin’ out the brags ever since Sat’day night ’bout whut they gointer do to Jim. They thinks they runs this town. They tell me Rev. Childers preached a sermon on it yistiddy.
Sister Thomas	Lawd help us! He can’t preach an’ he look like 10 cents worth of have-mercy let lone gittin’ up dere tryin’ to throw slams at us. Now all Elder Simms done wuz to explain to us our rights⁠ ⁠… whut you think ’bout Joe Clark runnin’ round here takin’ up for these ole Baptist niggers?
Sister Taylor	De puzzle-gut rascal⁠ ⁠… we oughter have him up in conference an’ put him out de Methdis’ faith. He don’t b’long in there⁠—wanter tun dat boy outa town for nothin’.
Sister Thomas	But we all know how come he so hot to law Jim outa town⁠—hit’s to dig de foundation out from under Elder Simms.
Sister Taylor	Whut he wants do dat for?
Sister Thomas	’Cause he wants to be a God-know-it-all an’ a God-do-it-all an’ Simms is de onliest one in this town whut will buck up to him.
	Enter Sister Jones, walking leisurely.
Sister Jones	Hello, Hoyt, hello, Lucy.
Sister Taylor	Goin’ to de meetin’?
Sister Jones	Done got my clothes on de line an’ I’m bound to be dere.
Sister Thomas	Gointer testify for Jim?
Sister Jones	Naw, I reckon⁠—don’t make such difference to me which way de drop fall.⁠ ⁠… ’Tain’t neither one of ’em much good.
Sister Taylor	I know it. I know it, Ida. But dat ain’t de point. De crow we wants to pick is: Is we gointer set still an’ let dese Baptist tell us when to plant an’ when to pluck up?
Sister Jones	Dat is something to think about when you come to think ’bout it. Starts to move on. Guess I better go ahead⁠—see y’all later an tell you straighter.
	Enter Elder Simms, right, walking fast, Bible under his arm, almost collides with Sister Jones as she exits.
Simms	Oh, ’scuse me, Sister Jones. She nods and smiles and exits. How you do, Sister Taylor, Sister Thomas.
Both	Good evenin’, Elder.
Simms	Sho is a hot day.
Sister Taylor	Yeah, de bear is walkin’ de earth