The Mule-Bone

done when he got to dat crooked place in de road going round Park Lake? He turnt right round and went through de handle of dat basket⁠ ⁠… wid de boy still up on his back. General laughter. Brazzle Yeah, he up and died one Sat’day just for spite⁠ ⁠… but he was too contrary to lay down on his side like a mule orter and die decent. Naw, he made out to lay down on his narrer contracted back and die wid his feets sticking straight up in de air just so. He gets down on his back and illustrates. We drug him out to de swamp wid ’im dat way, didn’t we, Hambo? Joe Clark I God, Brazzle, we all seen it. Didn’t we all go to de draggin’ out? More folks went to yo’ mule’s draggin’ out than went to last school closing.⁠ ⁠… Bet there ain’t been a thing right in mule-hell for four years. Hambo Been dat long since he been dead? Clark I God, yes. He died de week after I started to cutting’ dat new ground. The bone is passing from hand to hand. At last a boy about twelve takes it. He has just walked up and is proudly handling the bone when a woman’s voice is heard off stage right. Voice Senator! Senator!! Oh, you Senator? Boy Turning displeased mutters. Aw, shux. Loudly. Ma’m? Voice If you don’t come here you better! Senator Yes ma’am. He drops bone on ground down stage and trots off frowning. Soon as we men git to doing something dese wimmen.⁠ ⁠… Exits, right. Enter Teet and Bootsie left, clean and primped in voile dresses just alike. They speak diffidently and enter store. The men admire them casually. Lige Them girls done turned out to be right good-looking. Walter Teet ain’t as pretty now as she was a few years back. She used to be fat as a butterball wid legs just like two whiskey-kegs. She’s too skinny since she got her growth. Cody Ain’t none of ’em pretty as dat Miss Daisy. God! She’s pretty as a speckled pup. Lige But she was sho nuff ugly when she was little⁠ ⁠… little ole hard black knot. She sho has changed since she been away up North. If she ain’t pretty now, there ain’t a hound dog in Georgy. Re-enter Senator Bailey and stops on the steps. He addresses Joe Clark. Senator Mist’ Clark.⁠ ⁠… Hambo To Senator. Ain’t you got no manners? We all didn’t sleep wid you last night. Senator Embarrassed. Good evening, everybody. All the Men Good evening, son, boy, Senator, etc. Senator Mist’ Clark, mama said is Daisy been here dis evenin’? Joe Clark Ain’t laid my eyes on her. Ain’t she working over in Maitland? Senator Yessuh⁠ ⁠… but she’s off today and mama sent her down here to get de groceries. Joe Clark Well, tell yo’ ma I ain’t seen her. Senator Well, she say to tell you when she come, to tell her ma say she better git home and dat quick. Joe Clark I will. Exit Boy right. Lige Bet she’s off somewhere wid Dave or Jim. Walter I don’t bet it⁠ ⁠… I know it. She’s got them two in de go-long. Re-enter Teet and Bootsie from store. Teet has a letter and Bootsie two or three small parcels. The men look up with interest as they come out on the porch. Walter Winking. Whut’s dat you got, Teet⁠ ⁠… letter from Dave? Teet Flouncing. Naw indeed! It’s a letter from my B-I-T-sweetie! Rolls her eyes and hips. Walter Winking. Well, ain’t Dave yo’ B-I-T-sweetie? I thought y’all was ’bout to git married. Everywhere I looked dis summer ’twas you and Dave, Bootsie and Jim. I thought all of y’all would’ve done jumped over de broomstick by now. Teet Flourishing letter. Don’t tell it to me⁠ ⁠… tell it to the ever-loving Mr. Albert Johnson way over in Apopka. Bootsie Rolling her eyes. Oh, tell ’em ’bout the ever-loving Mr. Jimmy Cox from Altamont. Oh, I can’t stand to see my baby lose. Hambo It’s lucky y’all girls done got some more fellers, cause look like Daisy done treed both Jim and Dave at once, or they done treed here one. Teet Let her have ’em⁠ ⁠… nobody don’t keer. They don’t handle de “In God we trust” lak my Johnson. He’s head bellman at de hotel. Bootsie Mr. Cox got money’s grandma and old grandpa change. The girls exit huffily. Lindsay To Hambo, pseudo-seriously. You oughtn’t tease dem gals lak dat. Hambo Oh, I laks to see gals all mad. But dem boys is crazy sho nuff. Before Daisy come back here they both had a good-looking gal a piece. Now they ’bout to fall out and fight over half a gal a piece. Neither one won’t give over and let de other one have her. Lige And she ain’t thinking too much ’bout no one man. Looks off left. Here she come now. God! She got a mean walk on her! Walter Yeah, man. She handles a lot of traffic! Oh, mama, throw it in de river⁠ ⁠… papa’ll come git it! Lindsay Aw, shut up, you married men! Lige Man don’t go blind cause he gits married, do he? Enter Daisy hurriedly. Stops at step a moment. She is dressed in sheer organdie, white shoes and stockings. Daisy Good evening, everybody. Walks up on the porch. All the Men Very pleasantly. Good evening, Miss Daisy. Daisy To Clark. Mama sent me after some meal and flour and some bacon and sausage oil. Clark Senator been here long time ago hunting you. Daisy Frightened. Did he? Oo⁠ ⁠… Mist’ Clark, hurry up and fix it for me. She starts on in the store. Lindsay Giving her his seat. You better wait here, Daisy. Walter kicks Lige to call his attention to Lindsay’s attitude. Lindsay It’s powerful hot in dat store. Lemme run fetch ’em out to you. Lige To Lindsay. Run! Joe