《The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter》


 Part One-1

    IN toes, and toget from treet to . teered t uffed sloppily into rousers in front and  was colder er.

    curved in a gentle, stupid smile. te all. elligent expression. e and very soberly dressed.

    Every morning tly togetil treet of too a certain fruit and candy store t on tside. tonapoulos, ore. o make candies and ss, uncrate ts, and to keep te, Jo o er treet and o tore where he worked as a silverware engraver.

    In te afternoon t again. Singer came back to t store and ed until Antonapoulos o go  tcore onapoulos als of food ed—a piece of fruit, samples of candy, or tt-end of a liver. Usually before leaving Antonapoulos ly to t of tore ws and c. he

    back of t icular dainty inside imes  see  if iced ared at ight, pale face.

    Sadly Antonapoulos imes Singer stood very straigs and looked in anotion.  like to ctle scene beting drinking and a certain solitary secret pleasure, Antonapoulos loved to eat more the world.

    In tes  alking to Antonapoulos.  series of designs. ly. itrong old Antonapoulos all t he day.

    Antonapoulos sat back lazily and looked at Singer. It  o speak at all— and t o say t ed to eat or to sleep or to drink.

    t nig too drunk, onapoulos ever said.

    Singer never kne ood of all told  it did not matter.

    tairs of a small ion of toove in tconapoulos cooked all of traigcuffed sofa for Antonapoulos. ter for t for Singer.

    Dinner alook a long time, because Antonapoulos loved food and er ten, teetongue, eitain delicacy

    or because  he dishes.

    Sometimes in tes ried to teac to Antonapoulos. At first  be interested in t on to keep a bottle of sometable to be taken out after eac on to tic movements of ts and ty of t o make a fe, opening moves. e pieces and  play if ter t moves Singer  t attacks on  in tonapoulos was always very proud and pleased.

    tes   noturbed to to ery book and on Friday nigtended a movie. t to ten-cent pograpore so t Antonapoulos could ure taken. tomary visits. ts in to they had never even seen.

    toer cold were very few.

    Nearly al azure and tously brig, cer t and some s monters . toreet tory s t buildings in toories, ion. tton mills were big and flourishing

    and most of toen in treets te look of hunger and of loneliness.

    But tes  lonely at all. At ent to eat and drink, and Singer alk o  all t il Singer reacy-tonapoulos for ten years.

    t up in bed  stomacears rolled doo see  store, and also he arranged for leave from his own work.

    tor made out a diet for Antonapoulos and said t ors orders. All day  by  o make time pass quickly, but Antonapoulos only looked at  be amused.

    tful, and kept finding fault  drinks and food t Singer prepared for antly  of bed so t he could pray.

    tocks le feet o tied to y string. o ter o him.

    Singer ient and did all t tle pictures, and once co amuse ure  to be reconciled until Singer  yello to show his pleasure.

    Singer nursed  after a onapoulos o return to  from t time on trouble came to two friends.

    Antonapoulos  ill any more, but a change had come in

    able and no longer content to spend tly in to go out Singer folloo a restaurant, and  table  lumps of sugar, or a pepper-s. Singer alurbance. At onapoulos, but t h a bland smile.

    t on and ts of Antonapoulos gre noon  of t store of ed in public against t National Bank Building across treet. At times  people on t please o t tomaco a store one day and  a floor lamp  paying for it, and anotime ried to take an electric train he had seen in a showcase.

    For Singer time of great distress. inually marconapoulos doo to settle ts of the law.

    Singer became very familiar s and ant state of agitation. t for bail and fines. All of s and money o keep  of jail because of suc, committing public indecencies, and assault and battery.

    tonapoulos  enter into troubles at all. C aken) let Antonapoulos stay on at tore, but cig to range feeling about Co dislike him.

    Singer lived in continual turmoil and  Antonapoulos ter ill on  o Singer t tle and  onapoulos understood and w he big Greeks expression

    Singer t t ect something sly and joking.

    il ired and explain t nothing did any good.

    All of Singers money o pay bail for bis friend and Antonapoulos spent t in jail. o get  t day   to leave. .

    And ts and es pleased him.

    t Singer o ress. Antonapoulos let noturb s. At imes cooked ten in treets t w he would do.

    And trouble came to Singer.

 Part One-2

    One afternoon o meet Antonapoulos at t store ter explained t Cs for o be taken to tate insane asylum tails tled. Antonapoulos o leave and to be admitted into t, week.

    Singer read tter several times, and for a alking to er, but  even try to read and. At last Singer e on ttle pad :You cannot do tonapoulos must stay h me.

    Cedly.  know muc saying over and over.

    Singer kne everyt some day  be responsible for his cousin.

    C kno ood to admit his cousin

    to t delay.

    thing Singer could do.

    t y. alked and talked. And alto rest  tell all t o say. ed to talk to Antonapoulos of all ts t , but t time. tered and elligent face expressed great strain.

    Antonapoulos c kno w ood.

    tonapoulos must leave. Singer broug Ms ocase and very carefully packed t of t possessions. Antonapoulos made o eat during te afternoon treet for t time toget e November, and little hem.

    Co travel  ood apart from t tation. Antonapoulos croo ttled e preparations on one of t seats. Singer cely to talk for t time  Antonapoulos ention. Just before turned to Singer and e—as t.

    t follo seem real at all. All day Singer  nigurned to ted to sleep. As soon as  and try to doze aalk-  ing to onapoulos ching him.

    Singer tried to time before ried to recount to ain t  none of tried to remember seemed real.

    ticular fact t  it  at all important to , alt,  ale.  an orpitution for to talk o read. Before alk er to follos of peoples lips and to understand augo speak.

    At t very intelligent.  of t o speaking   natural to ongue felt like a  t  be like t ting in  ry to talk  o so say. y-toonapoulos immediately. Since t time his.

    Not ten years onapoulos.

    In  aching loneliness would be in him.

    Occasionally onapoulos, but y, dreaming way.

    In t sleep and less. At evening onously around to  all it o   a sleep t lasted until t struck suddenly beneatar.

    oonapoulos had

    lived, and ed a place in a s far from ter of town.

    e  a restaurant only taurant  treet and t day e a s note and  to tor.

    Eac I  an egg, toast, and coffee $.For lunc soup (any kind), a meat sandables (any kind but cabbage), fis, and a glass of beer— $.thank you.

    tor read te and gave , tactful glance. ,  t of  er, , quietly observing all t  on around o knoe at one of ables times a day.

    Eace .

    Sometimes ts  o  matter.  ated and  uffed tigo ts of rousers. tation gave o exion and t o be a brooding peace t is seen most often in t still reets of to and alone. \_f N A black, sultry nigood beer of t side treet ligurned off, so t t from tangle on treet ed, but inside

    tomers drinking beer or Santa Lucia olidly, ing on ter and ip of ent. c, squat man in overalls o te ables, or to otomers before ter. But urned back to ter and Biff continued to  silently beer. t last aurant a final survey and  to tairs.

    Quietly ered t top of tairs. It er oe struck somet for tcase on t to leave urned on.

    Alice sat up in t  you doing  suitcase? s you get rid of t lunatic  giving  hes already drunk up?’

    ake up and go do  soused on to it, Misses Brannon.’

    I  you leave t bag alone. It dont belong to t sponger any more.’

    I knos not one, Biff said. Myself—I dont kno Im not t kind of a thief.’

    Calmly Biff put docase on teps outside.

    t so stale and sultry in t airs. o stay for a s wer before going back.

    I told you already  get rid of t felloonigime akes t t nig paid one cent. And all alking and carrying-on  trade.’

    You dont kno kno;tion first came in welve

    days ago and ranger in to y dollars rade. ty at the minimum.’

    And since t, Alice said. tive days on credit, and so drunk its a disgrace to t a bum and a freak.’

    I like freaks, Biff said.

    I reckon you dol I just reckon you certainly ougo, Mister Brannon—being as youre one yourself.’

    tention. For t fifteen years of t plain Biff and Alice. ter and Misses, and since t up enougo c.

    tm just er not be tomorrow.’

    Biff  into ter  ime for a s ood before tatively. alked to Alice. itter.

    Being around t woman always made  from  made ougaring, he bed.

 Part One-3

    Listen, ;trouble  you dont  but one ell, Ive knoo do to------’

    Or maybe its curiosity I mean. You dont ever see or notice anytant t goes on. You never cry to figure anyt. Maybe ts t difference beter all.’

    Alice  asleep again, and tcac. tinctive point

    about en tention, and o tumpy outline of  beneat curves of o ture t stood out in e, unbroken figure.

    quot;t of a spectacle is something you have never known, he said.

    ired. quot;t felloairs is a spectacle, all rigoo. But Im tting up h him.’

    mean anyto me. ive or buddy of mine. But you dont kno is to store up a ails and turned on t er and quickly began to shave.

    It  Jake Blount iced ely and c, ac ung by a  t seemed contrary.   and slender as a boys. tac uck on for a costume party and oo fast. It made  middle-aged, alts ained, and calloused, and e-linen suit. t t at time anot let you laugh.

    of liquor and drank it straig at one of te a big cer  iced Blount very carefully  t er. Never imes in twelve days. Never ay drunk so long.

    Biff pushumb and shaved

    his upper lip. he was finished and his face seemed cooler.

    Alice airs.

    tcase o t of taurant, beer,  so cro t-up e still drank coffee by  one of tables. t stopped talking.  addressing anyone around icular, nor ening. o t evening ead of t welve days. ch mud.

    Alertly Biff picked up fragments of o be talking some queer kind of politics again.

    Last nigalking about places  texas and Okla on t of cat-er of time nobody  alk—talk.

    t of  like a cataract. And t t imes alked like a lintimes nice a professor.  long and t ell  of try fully Biff fondled tip of ion. Yet connection usually  , but  from one to anot any reason be at all.

    rack by somet on ter and began to peruse told of a decision by ter four montion, t t could not afford traffic lig certain dangerous intersections of to column reported on t. Biff read ttention. As his

    eyes follo t of  to tions t  on around icles ill stared do t nervous. to make some sort of settlement   knoance would onig keep on forever.

    Biff sensed t someone anding in trance and o tood looking in ts, a blue s, and tennis s at first glance so him.

    o ts?’

    No, s belong to them.’

    From ticed t t doable and turned ao er before him.

    Your folks kno after midnight?’

    Its O.K. t late on our block tonight.’

    o tagged beer sty babies in a  if s nursing or trying to keep up ood t to be able to make up  sed. S pusishe palm of her hand.

    Id like a pack of cigarettes, please. t kind.

    Biff started to speak, ated, and ter. Mick broug a ying t in t  a jerk ttered to the

    floor and rolled to, tering to  ared in a daze at t before ter tted doration and picked up to ter and stood jiggling the dime in his palm.

    Seventeen cents for cigarettes now?’

    Biff ed, and Mick looked from one of to ther.

    tacked to a little pile on ter, still protecting it y  down.

    Five mills for t,  for you, Biff. tried to focus  toes on t fingering t last s a o liberty. to democracy and tyranny.

    to freedom and piracy.’

    Calmly Biff picked up t into till.

    Mick looked as ted to ook in turned o te sat at able alone. After a moment Blount also glanced noion. te sat silently over able  matcick.

    Jake Blount  to speak. Its funny, but I been seeing t fello ts.  leave me alone. If you ever noticed, o say anything.’

    It  Biff ever discussed one customer , tally.

    Its funny.’

    Mick sed  from one foot to tted ttes into t of s. Its not funny if you kno er Singer lives h us. he rooms in our house.’

    Is t so? Biff asked. I declare—I didnt knoMick o

    looking around. quot;Sure. hs now.’

    Biff unrolled -sleeves and t take  taurant. And even after ses ill fumbled -sleeves and stared at ty door and turned back to the drunk again.

    Blount leaned er. -looking and  ank like a goat. t beads on y neck and an oil stain on ted on oo s in t pulling at tchem.

    Man, you ougo knoter, Biff said finally. You cant go around like t been picked up for vagrancy. You ougo sober up. You need ing. Mot fit to  people.’

    Blount sco his lower lip.

    No take offense and get your dander up. Do ell you. Go back in tcell to give you a big pan of  er. tell illie to give you a toy of soap and oast and open up your suitcase and put you on a clean s and a pair of britc fit you. tomorroart doing o do and  straig.’

 Part One-4

    You kno said drunkenly. *You can just------’

    All rigly. No, I cant No behave yourself.’

    Biff  to ter and returned  steadily   a freak, alt sa hing was

    deformed about   in t erm in prison or o ime  ot likely to go or  ot apt to do.

    Biff cocked o one side and said, here are you from?’

    quot;Nowhere.’

    *Now, you o be born somewennessee—Alabama—some place.’

    Blounts eyes were dreamy and unfocused. Carolina, he said.

    I can tell youve been around, Biff ed delicately.

    But t listening. urned from ter and aring out at ty street. After a moment o tain steps.

    Adios, he called back.

    Biff  one of   one in tomers in te still sat by  table. Biff stared at tom of  back to t on ter.

    time  keep he words before him.

    tes and if it he palm of her hand.

    of  of cs and sure senderness came in him. he was uneasy.

    Restlessly Biff turned tention to Singer. te sat s and tagnant. he

    o treat Singer to a slug of w.

    o Alice rue—he did like freaks. he had a special friendly feeling for sick people and cripples.

    .B. came into t o beer. Or if tomer o ing for  liquor at ime ed it. Biff nodded to ly  it under ter along  take to toreroom bec a complete file of t dated back  a break for ty-one years.

    At t entered taurant again.  in all Negro man carrying a black bag.

    tried to bring o ter for adrink, but t as soon as or own ever since he could remember.

    ed in some o young illie back in tc Biff sa red.

    t stood there.

    ?Dont you kno bring no nigger in a place we men drink? someone asked him.

    Biff cance. Blount  could easily be seen how drunk he was.

    Im part nigger myself,  as a challenge.

    Biff cly and t. itrils and tes of  looked a little as t be telling truth.

    Im part nigger and wop and bohose.’

    ter.

    And Im Dutcurkisable we drank his coffee. his voice was loud and cracked.

    tm one range land.’

    ?Quiet doo him.

    Blount paid no attention to anyone in t te. t eaces eyes le as a cats and all o listen. the drunk man was in a frenzy.

    ?Youre to said. For talking to you in my mind because I knoand t to mean.’

    Some people in a boot kno t a deaf-mute to try to talk ctle darting glances and listened attentively.

    Blount sat doo table and leaned over close to Singer.

    t knoen t knoime—t t t dont knos like in teentury ruth.

    But its different in t it took talent to figure t truts a miracle of all ory t people dont know. You savvy.’

    Biff rested er and looked at Blount y. Know w? he asked.

    quot;Dont listen to  said. Dont mind t flat-footed, blue-joard. For you see, . It almost never imes  eac ts a bad ts o me a lot of times. But you see there are so few of us.’

    Masons? Biff asked.

    S up, you! Else  snatc you black , Blount bae and o a drunken w and insidious conspiracy.

    Obscurantism.’

    till laug trying to ion e. Only Biff o ascertain if te really understood o ly and emplative.   began to crack a fealk about knoe never smiled until several seconds after talk ill tle too long. t uncanny.

    People felt tc t about

    seem quite human.

    Jake Blount leaned across table and t as t understand s tongue  suc pace t togeturned  of t, too—like she said.

    Biff yating ips until   t stagnant te ient. ening to Blount for almost an o look at t did not notice t on  a pause. At last opped a to roll a cigarette, and te nodded ion of t  up from table. ayed stuffed in s as al quickly.

    Blount   know w had happened.

    on to t t te made no ansood out on o  table angrily s.  could not last much longer now.

    Come on over, Biff said kindly. quot;Your friend has gone.’

    till ing for Singer.  before. he had an ugly look.

    I  to speak e, Biff coaxed.

    Blount pulled able and eps toreet again.

    Biff leaned against t—in and out. After all, it . tes lingered. earily  ion seemed sloo be leaving the room.

    ter, faces, tables, to become very faint and still.

    s came back to o see ed. illie, tcood before e apron. illie stammered because ed about o say.

    And so  against this here brick w-w-wall.’

    s t?’

    Rigwo d-d-doors away.’

    Biff straigie.

    ?’

    And to bring o pile in any minute------’

    illie, Biff said patiently. Start at t me get traight.’

    It t ache.’

    ?Mr. Blount. Yesgt;ell—I didnt see  commenced. I anding in tion. Sound like a big figo see. And te man  gone ting bis  tting s. ing like I never seen a

    before. it to broken and around and look------So w happened?’

 Part One-5

    ell—you knoleman—s—this here------’

    Mr. Singer.’

    And  stood looking around to see  . And Mr. B-B-Blount seen o talk and ed old  been staying here.’

    Biff bo pattern.  for a minute.

    quot;to pile in e. illie  to treet hey all come now.

    to drag him.’

    A dozen onlookers and a policeman all tried to croo taurant. Outside a couple of   he ordinary happened.

    No use creating any more disturbance t ted the drunk.

    t of t as .’

    t tled ttle croo treet again. turned to Biff: Somebody said aying h you.’

    No. But  as well be, Biff said.

    ant me to take h me?’

    Biff considered.  get into any more trouble tonight.

    Of course I cant be responsible—but I this will calm him down.’

    O.K. Ill drop back in again before I knock off.’

    Biff, Singer, and Jake Blount  alone. For t time since  in, Biff turned tention to

    t seemed t Blount  able emple.  ed out of ely collapsed. te sat at table across from aking it all in h his gray eyes.

    t Blount

    rembling. tears began to roll do t e and raised -to-do? expression. Singer cocked his head on one side.

    Biff ion. ill trying to decide urned over to e.

    // you cannot to go  some soup and coffee would be good for him.

    ith relief Biff nodded vigorously.

    On table es of t evening meal, t. But Blount  eat.  take   part of ed to one diser t Blount just sat h and shook his head.

    Biff enunciated slo te could see. tters------ ionally.

    team from t floating up into Blounts face, and after a little  of . ill trembled and e.

    Biff noted t in nearly every person

    t kept always guarded.

    ite  t of o keep tender nipples beginning to come out on . it  h himself？

    Lingeringly Biff turned ttle finger. Any . Not. Any more. A s into  moved nervously to up from table. Funny to spot it in othough.

    t to . eetered  o be brooding on sometion  out tcase from beer and explained to te about it. Singer looked as t be surprised at anything.

    Biff  o trance. Buck up and keep your nose clean, o Blount.

    t sky o ligurn a deep blue  a fears. treet y, silent, almost cool. Singer carried tcase  ed Blount. o Biff and tarted off togetood cer te straigumbling Blount o ed for a moment and examined t dept fascinated and oppressed  back into ted restaurant.

    ood beer, and racted and ried to recall t .  ed to explain someto s in tedious detail and ill puzzled.

    times as a sudden spurt of

    customers began to come in. t acked some of tables and mopped at to go copping to play for a wrokes and eadily.

    till not cro  meet to start a neress ion, for eaco be alone. tual distrust bet a gave everyone a feeling of estrangement.

    treet he dawn.

    ts inct.  last t ss of to brigreet, Biff gave t survey and  upstairs.

    Noisily tled tered so t Alice urbed. Mot a night!’

    Alice aion. S and stretc morning sun, and a pair of silk stockings he window-shade.

    Is t drunk fool still airs? she demanded.

    Biff took off  and examined to see if it were clean enougo be worn again. Go down and see for yourself.

    I told you nobody will .’

    Sleepily Alice reacled tissue pages of til sain passage and began reading, pronouncing tration. It  of he sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew

    ing a net into they were fishers.

    And Jesus said unto t;Come ye after me, and I o become fis; And straigs, and folloo to udied aloud. ened.  ..

    and in t , and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

    And Simon and t er him.

    And ; ‘

    S tly inside ried to separate tual ed to remember to read it   about bis giving up church and religion.

    today is about to ion. And text is, quot;All men seek for t; ‘

    Abruptly Biff roused ation and turned on ter spigot at full force. ripped off  and began to —and about t into ts.

    Biff stood by ting impatiently for Alice to get up.

    From t t. Alice ill lay lazily across t ing. A calm, sullen anger rose in terness: If you like I can sit and read t I wis me sleep now.’

    Alice began dressing ly s in all possible ting top one on ttom, and turning them over and upside down.

 Part One-6

    ed until Alice  trousers and crawled inside.

    jutted out from beneat  t told Alice about ed to talkto somebody about it, because maybe if old all ts out loud   puzzled him.

    tcalking and talking and not ever getting anybody to understand  knoated around te and picked  and tried to make  of everything in him.

    hy？

    Because in some men it is in to give up everyt some time, before it ferments and poisons—t to some o. In some men it is in text is All men seek for t retcened and relaxed. t t and brigurned s and a quick tongue—Mister Brannon—by himself.

    J. ayed out mige t before. It oo  even to drink coffee for breakfast, so ser  and cold biscuits. Sc out on t porco read t maybe Mister Singer  Sunday mornings. But Mister

    Singer  ter on e t before and ed for Mister Singer a long time. All t  back in tcook Ralp of  a clean dress on him and wiped off his face.

    t o take t. S Bubber ride in ted and t sideo t . till propped against to climb.

    You mind Ralpo Bubber. Mind ts dont sit on his eyelids.’

    Five minutes later Mick stood up and raig ed to stand. top. But not many kids could do it. Most of t your grip and rolled off t ops of trees. On toeeples and tacks from t blue and  as fire. te or black.

    Sed to sing. All to t to t part of t  out a yell and tarted  a speec rymen, Lend me your ears! t getting to top t gave you a  to yell or sing or raise up your arms and fly.

    S tennis s sraddled t finis  buildings in tories, h very high

    ceilings and teepest roof of any house she had ever seen.

    But soon ters o find anoto play.

    S  and sook from t of s ttes s t before. Ste gave   so finis.

    M.K.—t en on everyteen years old and very famous. Se Packard automobile ials on tten in red on  inventor. S little tiny radios t people could carry around and stick in ten on ter t s one to make a large tunnel to China, and people could go down in big balloons.

    t tilings s they were already planned.

    te s dead and flipped tt do of t ed on o o herself.

    It  nearly all time tter  er s on teps every Sunday afternoon and listen in on the programs.

    t t. t made  sime s.

    Sometimes ttle colored pieces of crystal candy, and otimes it est, saddest t.

    t up straight

    and listened t sun made e and damp.

    tinued, and Mick moved sloed roof on omac ted over the ground below.

    t tting over somettle black, died in the wagon.

    old enougo sit up, and o th his cap crooked on his head, crying.

    Bubber! Mick called do  Ralps and give it to him.’

    Bubber stood up and looked o t  nothing.’

    ell, give hen.’

    Mick climbed back to tting before. Sed to time about tain people, to sing to o make plans. But t Ralpill  be any peace for  all.

    Boldly so climb doo t eep and t from eac tholds.

    S beat so  made remble.

    Commandingly salked out loud to igil your rigoe gets a grip tay close and o t. Nerve, Mick, youve got to keep nerve.’

    Coming do part of any climbing. It took ime to reaco feel safe again. ood on t last ser and smaller and  for a minute like tcs and jerked t a notcigill crying, but stention and  into ty house.

    Last mont a sign out in front saying t no c. A gang of kids had been

    scuffling around inside t, and a girl o a room t  been floored and fallen till at tal in a plaster paris. Also, anotime some touge some pretty bad  no matter  signs  up, t runkids ail ted and finished and people had moved in.

    tennis s ec and quiet. Sood still in t room for a  and broug tubs of cher red.

    Mick dreters very slo top se EDISON, and under t sRACY and MUSSOLINI. t letters of all, made lined in red, se ials—M.K.  e e a very bad  s ials, too.

    Sood in ty room and stared at isfied. Srying to tten t  eac seemed t a kid ra too. In  six different tunes from tinkling, and anot smell in time after a rain. But ted at time.

    Sunes, and after a y  tears come in her eyes. her

    t got tig sing any more.

    Quickly se t top of t—MOtSARt.

    Ralpied in t as s  up quiet and still and  little o the sides.

    Ralptle C o cry again. So took from  pocket a blue-colored jelly bean. Suck t mouth.

    Put t in your pipe and smoke it, so  e, because Ralpill too little to get t of candy. A clean rock  to tle fool .  understand any more about taste t talking.

    ired of dragging o t o o  was w was suco haul him around.

    Mick cupped igoget first ts. tle sounded, and after a fe from around the house.

 Part One-7

    S out of Bubbers raig t  of lace and all embroidered. te on ttes.  too big for tc s it on ook . Ralp  folks babies did, or any summer bootees.

    o be dragged around in a tacky old  the fine cap gave him

    face.

    treet, for it e Sunday morning and very . ttled.

    Bubber ed and t it burned . trees made cool-looking black s t  shade enough.

    Get up in told Bubber. And let Ralp in your lap.’

    I can .’

    time al  and e. tead of brole titties were like blue raisins on .

    I dont mind pulling you, Mick said. Get on in.’

    *O.K.’

    Mick dragged t in any o get alking to t it o o them.

    tely. Its like Im s instead of er Im pus my arms and s big croimes bigger tore on Saturday afternoon. t croimes Im yelling and simes Fm on trompling all over me and my insides are oozing out on ts more like a nigors. Neled and tsteps alairs.

    Some t naurally  to keep private. Not because t because you just  t.

    t  even you to kno’

    Bubber got out  t it up on t

    sidewalk.

    But ts a piano. If  more thing else.’

    to t  ooriesi*   teen people in t t many in t te t t five dollars a  as  t counted in t because ed a room and kept it straightened up himself.

    t been painted for many years. It did  seem to be built strong enougs tories of . It sagged on one side.

    Mick untied Ralped ed quickly t too. cing for dinner-time.

    S into t of t t for t Ralp and gave ring of beads to play h.

    From be room so go inside.

    ta stopped talking ting in ting oe-nails eel rollers and te dab of face cream on a little place under .  lazy on t ? Its none of your nosy business, Etta said. Just you hush up and leave us alone.’

    Its my room just as muc is eit rutted from one corner to til s t care anyt picking any fig are my os.’

    Mick brusen t ttle row of cowlicks above  he room again.

    ta ers . But Etta  ars and getting in tten to Jeanette MacDonald and  a typeten letter back saying t if ever s to  sas mind. All s about o ting a job as a secretary and being buddies te MacDonald and getting in the movies herself.

    S . Etta  naturally pretty like

    of c movie book. S rying to keep  in a certain  it didnt do any good.

    Sometimes Etta  it.

    teen years old, and next to Bill s of all t rouble.

    S t and biggest s  part of any special treat. o grab for anyt.

    Are you just going to tramp around t makes me sick to see you  to clamp doa said.

    S up, said Mick. I   to  to be like eit  to look like eit.

    ts h Bill.’

    Mick scrambled under t out a large box.

    As s to ter her, Good riddance!’

    Bill  room of anybody in t all to  for Bubber. Bill ures cut out from magazines tacked on tly faces of beautiful ladies, and in anotures Mick ed last year  t class.

    tting  up be her arms around his shoulders. hey, you old son-of-a-gun.’

    begin tussling o do. ?tle.

    ill it botay in tle while?’

    Sure—I dont mind if you  to stay.’

    Mick knelt on tied tring on tbox.  for some reason s make up o open itI been t his already, she said.

    And it may  may not.’

    Bill  on reading. Sill knelt over t did not open it. o Bill as  o  kept stepping on t all Bills dinners  to  and  to one ear and bis supper to t  of mean to say and Bill  for a mont it was funny.

    and  out of een sried to  by scraping one foot beood up, but t only made it worse.

    Mick opened t it again. S too excited to look into it noil stle. After a fees sopped before ture sed at t art class for sc er. ture of a storm on t orm. teache

    ocean during t t arted  of their own eyes.

    t  picture sacked it on  of ures were full of people.

    Sorms at first —one  to save trans-Atlan-tic liner going dorying to puso one little lifeboat.

    Mick  into t of Bills room and broug some otures ser-colors, and one canvas reet and painted  it  green and orange and Mr. Bran-nons restaurant and t National Bank  t.

    People reets and ots and a lady rying to carry a buncure s in Factory, and men  of ood scrouged togets of dinner t to ting ure of to. Sed t t name for it. t any fire or storm or reason you could see in ture ure. t one, and it oo bad t s t it was.

 Part One-8

    Mick put ture back on t s  s drao  reason—and in  it didnt give he

    same feeling t music did. Nothing was really as good as music.

    Mick knelt doed top of tbox. Inside rung rings, a guitar string and a banjo string. tly mended icking plaster and trings at ther side.

    Mick  before. Some time ago stle play mandolin out of a cigar box  put to  sed all over everys and added a little to t seemed to  use her head.

    Bill, t look like any real violin I ever saw. ill reading—Yeah—?’

    It just dont look rig just dont------’

    So tune t day by scre since surned out s  to look at it. Sloer anottle hollow-sounding ping.

    a boo be made out of just iently.

    Notrung on a limber stick would do?’

    Bill rubbed  against eac answer.

    Anger made beads of s come out on her forehead.

    s not even a bad violin. Its onlya cross bete them------’

    Bill turned around.

    Its all turned out   do. Its no good. tipe do carrying on about t old broken ukulele youve been fooling old you at first it o ts one t sit do to buy them. I

    t anybody . But I figured it   yon if you found out for yourself.’

    Sometimes sed Bill more the world.

    entirely from ed to slam tomp on it, but instead s it back rougo tbox. tears  Bill.

    As so get to to her Mama.

    s tter  o now?’

    Mick tried to jerk loose, but o her arm.

    Sullenly sears from c on  ime to ask ions.

    Mr. Jackson  ers to dinner and t be but just enougoday youre to eat in tch Bubber.’

    t*s h me, Mick said.

    to take off break of talking. S by not keeping up  insurance until time   off . tter of diser a opped.

    Mick leaned on ters of tairs. tarted  seemed to  back over t mont s t in  s making  o believe a little. Sired out. Bill  ever a o t person in to folloer him

    every place — out fiso t o t macaurant—every to let  anyhey could never be good buddies again.

    In ttes and Sunday dinner. Mick took a deep breatoco smell good and she was hungry.

    Sias voice as salked to Bubber, and it was like selling ory.

    And t is t more fortunate t colored girls, Portia said as she door. hy? asked Mick.

    Portia and Bubber ting at tcable eating tias green print dress  ig.

    You all time pounce in on tail of  to kno it, Portia said. S up and stood over t stove, putting dinner on Micks plate.

    Bubber and me  talking about my Grandpapas  on telling Bubber een and a s four of tton, some years so peas to keep t ric for peacime from ty to ty-five laying able patcrees and plenty figs and plums and berries. trut many we farms heir land good as my Grandpapa.’

    Mick put able and leaned over e.

    Portia alk about t about o ell it you  colored farm e self.

    tarted  one little room. And t on until ton. In they haves a real organ and a

    gramopure of my Grandpapa taken in  and vegetables and no matter er turns tty near alo eat.’

    go live hen? Mick asked.

    Portia stopped peeling atoes and apped on table in time to ;t is. See—eac on imes is  see—I lived tle girl. But I  never done any  there since.

    Any time, ts in bad trouble us can always go back.’

    Didnt your Father build on a room?’

    Portia stopped cher?’

    quot;Sure, said Mick.

    You knoor rigown.’

    Mick ia say t before, but s it ale. or？

    ?t is. Before tune my Mama married my Fat real kindness. My Grandpa is Mister Kind  my Fat from .’

    Mean?asked Mick.

    quot;No,  a mean man, Portia said slo just t sometter. My Fat like oto explain. My Fatime studying by ime ago aken up all tions about  to be. tle t nigried to teach us children lessons.’

    quot;t dont sound so bad to me, said Mick.

    listen  of time . But ts  .  madder t he was a sure enough crazy man. he done

    en years old at time. Our Mama taken us co Grandpapas farm and us  time ed us to come back. But even ay all by hisself.’

    Mick  to tove and filled e a second time.

    Portias voice op her now.

    I doesnt see my Fat I done a lot of t  e man in to God and turned o religion.

    All roubles come do to t.’

    Portia ed.  to talking about God—or illie,  excited.

    No a big ser. I belongs to terian C alking in tongues. Us dont get sanctified ever ogets tell you trut ttle singing and a little preac you, Mick. You ougo take your little broto ty big enougo sit in cy ing lately it seem to me like you already got one toe in t.’

    Nuts, Mick said.

    Now highboy he were holiness boy before us were married.

    o get t ever Sunday and s and sanctify  after us  o join  kind of o keep  sometime I t well.’

    I dont believe in God any more ta Oaus, Mick said.

    You  a minute! ts ime seem to me you favor my Fathan any person I ever knowed.’

    Me? You say / favor him?’

    I dont mean in t the shape and color of your souls.’

    Bubber sat looking from one to tied around ill y spoon.

    all does God eat? he asked.

    Mick got up from table and stood in to leave. Sometimes it o devil Portia. Sarted on tune and said t was all she knew.

    Folks like you and my Fat attend t never  all. Noake me oo. And my  seem to me just from looking at oo. I done felt t t time I seen him.’

    your oher of yours could ever be.’

    But you  never loved God nor even nair person. You oug just the same I knows you.

    ternoon you going to roam all over t never being satisfied. You going to traipse all arpund like you o find somet. You going to ement Your  going to beat o kill you because you dont love and dont o bust loose and be ruined. ont nothen.’

    , Portia? Bubber asked.  kind of t?’

    Mick laugamped out of the room.

 Part One-9

    Sernoon because s get settled. Some days  like t. For one t of t er all t of it made

    bad trust in anyt mig to them.

    Mick did not  to go back into tayed. And s  to o talk to any of t but treet—and too burning . S puso  to a real piano I sure o myself thing I know.’

    t Portia ain kind of niggery craziness, but so Bubber or Ralp Portia  sopped ood very still, rubbing  on top of her head.

    ia t w would shink？

    S to  ruth.

    Mick  sloairs. S landing and  on to to make a draughe house.

    Mick stopped on t fligairs and sat dourned on he music. Maybe some good program would come on.

    S ied knots in trings of ennis s ia say if s aler anotime it  of  in a hundred pieces.

    But s it to herself and no person had ever known.

    Mick sat on teps a long time. Miss Bro turn on  t people made. S a long time and kept ting s.  like it tered in pieces and s keep it straig  it . I —I —I — s—but just

    was s know.

    After about an urned on t er Singer. ood in tes and  across to t come out ting s of t pulled over him.

    Sed for Mister Singer to come out of throom.

    and s th her hands.

    Maybe it rue t sop steps sometimes so ser Singer o Miss Bro kind of music

    kind of talk.

    Nobody kne either.

    Mick ed, and after a o the hall again.

    S  to his door he did glance down and nod his head.

    Micks grin rembling.  into  t mig to invite o see ed suddenly to go into his room.

    Sometime soon w er Singer. S.

    t afternoon passed sloill sat on teps by sarts music  Mister Singer reminded o  out loud. Some kind of music oo private to sing in a  oo, ried to te place  t t about time s there was no good place.

    l_j AtE in ternoon Jake Blount a  enoughe room hi which he lay was small

    and neat, furnisable, a bed, and a feurned its face sloo anot passed Jakes face  of cool er. By t before table and stared do a c before  t familiar to Jake, but antly and it ime.

    Many memories urned palm upe s. o  tc sometime. ired and unkempt. ache was awry.

    Even ousled. As wice and ach a nervous quiver.  .

    After a o straig.  him.

    God, Im ty, Jake said. I feel like ts stocking feet. t ill smiling, and table and brouged pitcer and a glass. Jake drank in great panting gulps—standing ense fist.

    ook a deep breattle.

    Instantly certain recollections came to  remember coming  t er er, and afteralked.  a lot of t and the man had

    listened. alked  ter t o bed in t could come in. At first mares and o turn t on to get

    complained at all.

    kick me out last nig.  case  remember  it back from taurant , and some ss o dress himself.

    An electric coffee-pot able by time o t of t t  out a card and Jake took it questioningly. ter, and beneatten in ink e precision as there was a brief message.

    I am a deaf-mute, but I read tand o me. Please do not s.

    t and vacant.  looked at eacher.

    I o find t out, he said.

    Singer looked very carefully at iced t before. But a dummy！

    t at table and drank  coffee out of blue cups.

    tened t from  a tin box t contained a loaf of bread, some oranges, and c eat muc sat leaning back in . Jake ate o leave tely and tranded  to scout around for some sort of job in a  room oo peaceful and comfortable to  and walk by

    himself for a while.

    Are te people here? he asked. *You have many friends?’

    Singer ill smiling.  catco t first, and Jake o repeat them. Singer raised his sharp, dark eyebrows and shook his head.

    Find it lonesome?’

    t mig eit silently for a little o leave. imes for ts lodging, moving  o be understood. te only smiled again and scase under te nodded t ook  and e carefully on a pad of paper oward Jake.

    / can put a mattress on tay il you find a place. I am out most of t  be any trouble.

    Jake felt remble efulness.

    But  accept. t a place.’

    As e o a tigy-five cents. t and, s.

    Adios, Jake said. til be back sometime soon.’

    te standing in till in s and teps of tairs urned and waved.

    te o him and closed his door.

    Outside t ood on too dazzled at first by t to see very clearly. A youngun ting on ters of ts sed her eyes.

    y roll of overalls.   to these

    away. Know where I can find a garbage can?’

    ters. Its in the back yard.

    Ill show you.’

    to t tting on teps. te suits and  green. t mulatto of average . in rast all companion ie were a  red.

    ted to turned to tcia! she called.

    ing for you.’

    A soft voice anscting on my  right now.’

    Jake unrolled tiff orn and a feained t.  of te-suited boys on teps. Jake sa ts   from one foot to ted.

    Are you kin to Mister Singer? she asked.

    Not a bit.’

    Good friend?’

    Good enougo spend t h him.’

    I just wondered------’

    ion is Main Street?’

    Sed to t this way.’

    Jake combed acarted off. y-five cents in  il it tled and scarlet. talking among themselves.

    Because  lonely in to and so her.

    planned for this evening? she asked.

    It depend entirely upon you, all boy said. quot;illie and me dont have no special plans.’

    So t to decide.’

    ell------ said ter boy in t m-maybe us to church.’

    t tones. O— K— And after c a notion I ougo go and set  a s  t corner, and Jake stood c before walking on.

    treet  and , almost deserted.  realized until no it  of tores  sun.  ty and dark.  found any socks to  morning, and t pavement burned t like a  piece of iron pressing doillness of treet gave range feeling.  and riotous. And no o a sudden, static .

    into a fruit and candy store to buy a paper. ted column y-five and forty omobiles to sell various products on commission. tisement for a truck-driver tention for a fees. But tice at ttom interested  It read:anted—Experienced Mecreet.

    it kno o taurant  t store o drop in and see Biff Brannon.

    ter tness outside.

    Everyter t. Brannon stood beer as usual, .  filing  ter.

    Jake noticed t t eacher as he came in.

    Afternoon, said Brannon.

    Jake felt somet ood ful. Package of target, please. As Brannon reacer for tobacco Jake decided t  laugime t as   nig slept, and he look of a weary buzzards.

    Speak up, Jake said. how much do I owe you?’

    Brannon opened a dra on ter a public-scablet. Slocablet looked more like a private notebook t s. tracted, and little dra a certain page and Jake saten at t random across ttle round, seated cats ails. Jake stared. ttle cats le cats were Mrs. Brannon.

    I raigme see------ Brannon rubbed  tablet. Approximately ty dollars.’

    Itll take me a long time, Jake said. tut maybe youll get it’

    quot;theres no big hurry.’

    Jake leaned against ter. Say, own?’

    Ordinary, Brannon said. About like any othe same

    size.’

    population?’

    Around ty thousand.’

    Jake opened tobacco and rolled te. ly mills?’

    ts rigton mills—tory. Some gins and sawmills.’

    kind of wages?’

    Id say around ten or eleven a  t laid off no makes you ask all to try to get a job in amill?’

    Jake dug  into  sleepily. Dont kno. er and pointed out tisement read. I to this.’

    Brannon read and considered. Yea ss not muc a couple of contraptions suc corrals to different vacant lots in town.’

    So get there.’

    Brannon  o ted out tion. Did you go on his morning?’

    Jake nodded.

    quot; do you think of him?’

    Jake bit es face was in his mind very clearly.

    It ime.

    even know he was a dummy, he said finally.

    , deserted street.  ranger in a strange toricts bordering treets became narro empty any longer. Groups of dingy, o eacen and unpainted. tink of food and se in t rushing

 Part One-10

    sound. People stood silently in dooreps.

    t Jake ared back at the hairy back of his hand.

    At t block. It omobiles. Rusted pieces of macorn inner tubes still littered trailer , and near-by ly covered h canvas.

    Jake approactle younguns in overalls stood before ted on a box, a Negro man droe suns eaced ce.

    Jake cick hem slowly.

    ?fit?’

    t  fingers between ongue.  all I know, Capn.’

    heres he now?’

    largest wagon.’

    Jake slipped off ie as affed it into . to set in t. Above tops tood smoking a cigarette by op of ared at Jake h gray, flabby eyes.

    quot;You the manager?’

    *Utersons my name.’

    I come about this mornings paper.’

    *Yea  no greenhorn. I need a experienced mechanic.’

    I got plenty of experience, Jake said.

    you ever done?’

    tve omobile assembly ss of different things.’

    Patterson guided oly covered flying-jinny.

    tionless ic in te afternoon sun. tatically, pierced by t bars. t Jake ery s dingy rump and tic, s peeled from ts. tionless merry-go-round seemed to Jake like something in a liquor dream.

    I  a experienced meco run tterson said.

    ?I can do t all right.’

    If s a terson explained. Youre in ctraction. Besides looking after t to keep t to be sure t everybody gets on icket. You got to be sure t tickets are O.K. and not some old dance-icket. Everybody s to ride t niggers ry to put over on you o keep time.’

    Patterson led o ted out ts. ed a lever and to cut t of topped, Jake asked a feions and operated the mechanism himself.

    t on me, Patterson said o t. I alo break in a ne?’

    tomorroernoon. e run six days and nig four and sting up at to come about t t takes about a er to fold up for t.  about pay? twelve dollars.’

    Jake nodded, and Patterson  a dead-we, boneless y fingernails.

    It e  lot. t te moon. Dusk softened tline of treet. Jake did

    not return immediately t ain smells, certain voices ance, made op s noy street. ically, jerking from one direction to anot very lig aking place in ored so continuously in em set in a reaction. reets reet, and as Jake o rise nearer to  do a teleptled ably, crossing urkisaco o himself.

    ?Resentment is t precious floy. Yeah.’

    It o talk. the sound of his voice gave him pleasure.

    tones seemed to ec eaco return to tes quiet room and tell s t were in his mind.

    It o  to talk e. But he was lonesome.

    treet before he coming evening.

    Occasionally men passed along treet very close to alking in monotones to eac rising around t ep. Or girls passed by toget numbly for some time, and at last  to  and walked on.

    eavers Lane rembling patc in tirely dark and t on t steps ions from a neigo see by. A  of a er into treet. A fe splashe peaceful sound

    of a chair slowly rocking.

    Jake stopped before a  toget steps. A pale yello no ss and ed. One of tall and loose-jointed.

    t and trousers.

    raw  on his knee.

    hey, Jake said.

    tared at h mill-sallow, dead-pan faces.

    t did not cions. Jake pulled target from  and passed it around.

    dotom step and took off  good to .

    orking no of time.’

    Jake picked bet t to tell it to somebody.’

    treet ttes ill air. A little youngun passing along treet stopped and opened bis fly to make er.

    tent around ts Sunday, tell all t.’

    Its not t kind. Its better. Its truth.’

    kind?’

    Jake sucked ac anser a wrikes here?’

    Once, said tall man. trikes around six years ago.’

    happened?’

    t and dropped tub of te to t quit ed ty cents a  t. t reets all day. So t out trucks, and in a oo get a job.’

    Jake turned so t  teps

    above  o raise o look into t it make you mad? he asked.

    how do you mean—mad?’

    t.

    Camigo t door  room tand. In ted  sleeping in a car.

    I rucks, tall man said.

    t makes no difference.  Im trying to tell youis plain and simple. tards s quiet. See? So s and. t it and see  people and ricket-legged young-uns, dont it make you mad? Dont it?’

    Jakes face  rao laugh.

    Go on and snicker. Sit t your sides open.’

    t t one. Jake brus from t and put on s igorted s all youre good for. I  til you rot! As iffly doreet, ter and catcalls still followed him.

    treet ered on a corner, fondling t.  e and ed urgently to go back and sit  and candy store  afternoon ed a basket of fruit y cents, so t  of the

    store t seemed a funny one to take a hem off hungrily.

    Singer   by t before able. t as Jake  it, urned on and tcer beside table. t on t seemed t te  come in. o table and puso one side.

    s, and o question Jake about  t on table. For ternoon, he said.

    tto  and find an octopus and put socks on it.’

    te smiled, but Jake could not tell if   t s tried to understand tumped. tly.

    I got a job ternoon  of so run the flying-jinny.’

    te seemed not at all surprised.  into t and broug a bottle of  t  room. t above ion of ure of iced many times before on tcin mugs—acraggling almost up to e o  ering again the kaleidoscope of drunkenness.

    Excitement made acremble jerkily. ened a wide, searching gaze on Singer.

    I bet Im tos been mad— Im

    talking about really mean mad—for ten solid long years. I damn near got in a fig a little  seems to me like I mig dont know.’

    Singer pusotle and rubbed top of his head.

    You see, its like Im ted man. I been in some of t libraries in try. I read. I read all time. I read books t tell t trutcase I ein Veblen and sucers as tudy t. I knoed on every page. to begin h I like words.

    Dialectic materialism—Jesuitical prevarication— Jake rolled ty—teleological propensity.’

    te wiped ly folded handkerchief.

    But ting at is t make tand, w does he do?’

    Singer reac to t it firmly into Jakes bruised  drunk,  spilled drops of rousers. But listen! ion. ttle of grape s in t, are all products of profit and loss. A fello live  giving ance to meanness.

    Somebody o a frazzle for every mout and every stitco know.

    Everybody is blind, dumb, and blunt-upid and mean.’

    Jake pressed s to emples. s ions and  get control of ted to go berserk. ed to get out and figly reet.

    Still looking at ient interest, te took out e very carefully on a slip of paper, Are you Democrat or Republican? and passed table. Jake crumpled it in o

    turn around  even read.

    es face to steady  did not seem to move. t bro t  ized  to be riotous and felt calm again. to understand all t  to say and to er a weady again.

    You get it,  I mean.’

    From afar off t, silver ring of church bells.

    t  door and tle summer blue. It   Jake ay il he found a room.

    eput a mattress on t removing any of antly asleep.

    JL AR from treet, in one of tions of toor Benedict Mady Copeland sat in c  nine oclock and t no ove. Doctor Copeland sat close to it, leaning forraigcove s  purple against ig ook on a bluis motionless in tion for a long time. Even ared from beacles, did not c o o tove to make out t. tonig ricate play of ideas and t as rong, true purpose be t  understood.

    Often at nig room ient  t disturbed. And after tary  sitting in tc  o side and from  tia came.

    Doctor Copeland kne outside  t t turning on t  t door.  step out on t stood in t reet. tor Copelands  from any ot  solidly of brick and stucco.

    Around t yard t fence. Portia said good-bye to  te and knocked on the screen door.

    his?’

    t togeto tchen.

    You ric lig dont seem natural ting in this.’

    Doctor Copeland ted table and t. ts me, he said.

    tcable tand—on te. Doctor Copeland  uprig first Portia sat stiffly, too.

    ter rong resemblance to eac noses, t Portias skin was very ligo hers.

    It sure is roasting in o me you would

    let t when you cooking.’

    If you prefer o my office, Doctor Copeland said.

    I be all rig prefer.’

    Doctor Copeland adjusted  together?’

    Portia relaxed and slipped  out of s along just fine.’

    illiam still boards h you?’

    Sure ia said. You see—us . I buys all t of my money. And illie—ends to all of our curday Nigs.tJAKSUINDoctor Copeland sat  il s. t s—beloer in color t of  yelloer.

    forgot w I brougia said. ?’

    Doctor Copeland al eaco be filtered t eaten.’

    Portia opened a paper sack scable. I done broug maybe  a piece of side meat, too. to be seasoned . You dont care if t cooked in meat, do you?’

    It does not matter.’

    You still dont eat nair meat?’

    *No. For purely private reasons I am a vegetarian, but it does not matter if you ’

 Part One-11

    it putting on ia stood at table and

    carefully began to pick over to my feets. You mind if I just  putting back on tiging pumps?’

    No, said Doctor Copeland. t ’

    to cut me off a fee meat and fry it for myself.’

    Doctor Copeland folloia ockinged feet, taking do from to speak once and then composed his lips again.

    So you and your ive plan, he said finally.

    quot;ts right.’

    Doctor Copeland jerked at ried to poptuiN mis.  i？

    ts again. Do you intend to plan for children?’

    Portia did not look at er from t;t seem to me to depend entirely upon God.’

    t say anytia left to cook on tove and sat silently . But  sleeping; noremor ifling room. In tness top of t t said to eaconous ticking he word chil-dren, chil-dren, said over and over.

    ing one of treet  Copeland, t for ted one day, and than a dozen named for him.

    But all old and explained and exed. You cannot do t be, ell t is

    not more c more c  to. ell t came to be a sort of angry poem w.

    udied and kne of any ne ribute to ients  doctor in too even tell times a week. Madyben and Benny Mae.

    t . Only one.

    All of  there was a reason for his working.

    to teaco alk to ter tiredness  gate tiredness on and Karl Marx and Portia and little illiam. too.

    Portia took tove and stirred ter a while.

    Doctor Copeland cleared  and spat into a ter and rough. Yes?’

    Less us quit ther.’

    e  quarreling, said Doctor Copeland.

    It dont take o make a quarrel, Portia said. It look to me like us is aling perfectly quiet like t just tell you trutime I come to see you it mig. So less us try not to quarrel in any way no more.’

    It is certainly not my er.’

    S coffee and ened to ion s several spoons of sugar. I getting aste good to us. Drink your coffee o us a piece back. No it all over it seem a little bit funny, but  plenty reason not to laugoo hard.’

    Go aor Copeland.

    ell—sometime back a real fine-looking, dressed-up colored man come in to ty colored s on. t nigo ty Caf. en finer tole of gin and to come in or go out For about a  ions and  tty soon, after s o settle doo business.’

    Portia spread out o  t Pincher business for old folks?’

    Doctor Copeland nodded. Pension, he said.

    ell—ed . . o come do in ason, D. C, to join everbody up for t Pinc around from one door to t explaining o join and after t ty-five cents a  y dollars ever monted about t joined a free picture of t . old  to be free uniforms for ever member. t to get a orange ribbon h a G.

    L. P. C. P. on it to stand for tter t. o tle book and everbody commenced to join. e took turday  In t get all turday. o pay somebody to take up tions in eaced early ever

    Saturday for near  quarter. Course illie  the beginning for him and highboy and me.’

    I ures of t in various ioned, said Doctor Copeland. hief?’

    ia. Somebody begun to find out about ted. t  plain Atlanta and  never smelled no ason, D. C, or no President. All t. illie  ty cents.’

    Doctor Copeland ed. t is er, Portia said, t man sure going to pitc. But no it all over it do seem a little bit funny, but of course  plenty reason not to laugoo hard.’

    ts oor Copeland.

    Portias rickled do from  , you mean?’

    I mean t I am al if I could just find ten Negroes—ten of my oo give all tthey have------’

    Portia put do talking about anyt’

    Only four Negroes, said Doctor Copeland. Only ton and Karl Marx and illiam and you. Only four Negroes rue qualities and backbone------’

    illie and ia angrily. t seem to me us truggles along pretty well.’

    For a minute t. Doctor Copeland laid acles on table and pressed bis so his eyeballs.

    You all time using t ia. And

    t ter t  polite peoples—no matter w shey is—always says colored.’

    Doctor Copeland did not ansake illie and me. Us arent all t and bote folks blood in us. And  a good part Indian in ime using ing peoples feelings.’

    I am not interested in subterfuges, said Doctor Copeland. I am interested only in real truths.’

    ell, trut sure ake a o get on or Buddy or illie or my o come in t tle boy and hen.’

    Doctor Copeland coug.

    Everbody ter . You too many times by  to kno.’

    *No, said Doctor Copeland. You  seen my feelings injured.’

    Course I realize t illie or my  none of us is sc h good as gold.

    t is a difference bethem and you.’

    Yes, said Doctor Copeland.

    on or Buddy or illie or me—none of us ever cares to talk like you. Us talk like our oalk from somets t ime. ts one of them differences.’

    Yes, said Doctor Copeland.

    A person cant pick up t squeeze to o be.   t.  rigried t ry. And no would come

    in t his.’

    t o pick up t   steadily. tears came up to o try to hem.

    Portia sa up to  o  my Fatly.

    is foolisive to keep repeating t  feelings.tears  sloruly sorry, said Portia.

    Doctor Copeland on handkerchief.

    It is all right.’

    Less us not ever quarrel no more. I cant stand ting bet seem to me t sometime ogethis no more.’

    No, said Doctor Copeland. Let us not quarrel.’

    Portia sniffled and wiped he back of her hand.

    For a fees sood er a  over to t of greens on tove.

    It migime for to be tender, she said cheerfully.

    Noart making some of ttle o go along hem.’

    Portia moved slocockinged feet and .

    it, so t tia ruly like  around tc and occupied. Daisy  black as iful color of dark  and gentle.

    But beneat soft gentleness tubborn in ter iously udied it all out,  understand tle stubbornness in his wife.

    ell  ill sle. And still s listen to  would go on her own way.

    ter ton and Karl Marx and illiam and Portia. And true purpose for trong t ly on  scientist and Karl Marx a teaco fig injustice and Portia a doctor for women and children.

    And  t from ttle older  t t true purpose. ell it to t toget t  listening, gentle and stubborn.

    Because of true purpose for on, Karl Marx, illiam, and Portia, ail sumn of eacook to toia  black erial for dresses and rousers and fine  to o sco  t her.

    everyt be plain and dark and indicative of rue purpose.

    t  Daisy tle Portias ears for earrings. And anotime a kes elpiece  it a Daisy eac of meekness. Sold t s and of ed places. Daisy

    to calked sorroo tubbornness sook to too, and tened.

    times . After t e of  o toilet paper, on and Karl Marx ia  all over  in a different alk  close toget talk and talk, but none of ted to understand.

    t o sit in ate until art again.  t ligation. But sometimes t come. errible feeling  go audy.

    on, Karl Marx, illiam, and Portia imes w w he did.

 Part One-12

    stop terrible terward and.

    to me, said Portia.  expect us better eat norooping in any minute.’

    Doctor Copeland settled acles and pulled o table. he evening?’

    ter, Love Jones, plays ever nig mind about o time t they would

    come back for me at quarter to ten and I expecting te.’

    Before I forget, said Doctor Copeland. I suppose you ly from on and Karl Marx.’

    I does from on. ically taken over all t Buddy,  ing letters.   I dont ever  along right well.’

    t silently at table before tia kept looking up at t ime for o come. Doctor Copeland bent e.  ed train, and it seemed as ted to keep up some conversation.

    Doctor Copeland did not knoimes  t alked so muco ood so little t no all to say. After a wain voice.

    You ioned yourself. tell me about your job and w you ely.’

    Course I still ia. But I tells you, Fat knoo keep on  alake me a long time to get t dont bot about t. I suppose to get t sometimes Mrs. Kelly likes a dollar or fifty cents of paying me t. Course sc soon as s it haves a way of leaving me in a pinch.’

    quot;t is not rigor Copeland. and for it?’

    It aint . S , said Portia.   pay t, and it a big expense to keep evertell you trut barely keeping one jump ay

    ime.’

    t to be some ot I kno te peoples to tle c like some of my oting into some kind of quarrel togetoo. But you must tor Copeland.

    Mick, noia. S asoul kno c as biggity and rong as sime. I  t c seem to me t one of to really surprise somebody. But o be a good surprise or a bad surprise I just dont knoimes.

    But still I really fond of her.’

    *You must look out for your own liveli.’

    As I say, it aint Mrs. Kellys fault It cost so muco run t big old  just dont be paid. Aint but one person in t amount for  on t  fail. And t man only been living t whese here deaf-and-dumb folks.

    one of t y fine all, tor Copeland suddenly. And ale to everyone and very  like someone from toherner or maybe a Jew?’

    t ia.

    Eagerness came into Doctor Copelands face. o te and began to eat ite. I e patient, he said.

    ed ia.

    Doctor Copeland coug seen imes.’

    I better clean up noia. It sure enougime for illie and my  er ttle dis take me two winks.’

    t insolence of te race ried to keep out of ment o ate and study. In treets and around  no o t filling station on te man in a car  to  long ago. Boy, give me a . And  listen, but y in  A fe. . But to a aurant and te men at ter   t ty in him.

    But all, te man  o e man before.

    It came about on a dark, rainy nig come from a maternity case and anding in tried to ligte and one by one tc. anding ed cigarette in e man stepped up and ed matce man smiled at ed for te.  knoo say, for not o him before.

    tood for a fees on treet corner togete man ed to talk to te man and ask ions, but  know for sure if and.

    Because of te race o lose y in friendliness.

    But te man ed te and smiled and seemed to  to be  times.

    I e patient, said Doctor Copeland to Portia.

    tient is a boy five years of age. And some get over t I am to blame for bis er t-delivery visits of course I forgot about rouble, but ttention to t bring o me.  tention it oo late. Of course  speak. But I c seems to me t if elligent c interest in little cia. You care a  t gro you?’

    quot;tor Copeland. But to. make inquiries and find if titution t ake him.’

    Mr. Singer ell you. ruly kind  biggity.’

    I do not knoor Copeland. I  once or t ing e and seeing if ion.’

    Sure I ter-er and I  to Mr. Singer for you, said Portia. cs ed me to rinc for s y t Joist o do er and give t t nigaken ts up to his room you know how much he give me?’

    No.’

    o me a dollar. A tle ss.   be afraid to ask ion. I  even mind ing t nice ter myself. You go rig, Fats to.’

    Peror Copeland.

    Portia sat up suddenly and began arranging ight, oily hair.

    t sound of a ia said. I got to go out no take care of yourself noalking very much.’

    tell t illie  t gate.

    ait a minute, said Doctor Copeland. I  times and I believe ell to drop in for a little while?’

    Portia stood in the doorway, fingering her hair and her earrings.

    Last time illie come in ed  understand just how------’

    Very or Copeland. it ion.’

    ait, said Portia. I going to call to invite t now.’

    Doctor Copeland ligte and  straigo just t position and  trembling. From t yard tsteps ia, illiam, and ered tchen.

    ia.  believe you and my Fatruly been introduced to eac you knows wher is.’

    Doctor Copeland s t epped forance.’

    Portia and Doctor Copeland broug around tove. t

    and uneasy. illie gazed nervously around t tcable, t against t  ie.

    Doctor Copeland seemed about to speak, and t ill silent.

    illie, you ty good ia finally. Look to me like you and  of got into somebodys gin bottle.’

    No, maam, said ely. Us  urday. Us  been enjoying our horseshoe game.’

    Doctor Copeland still did not speak, and t glancing at ing. tness made everyone nervous.

    I do  time ia said. I s ever Saturday and I presses t them now.

    Course t  er to be potty black. I ironed ts just last nig a crease left.’

    Still Doctor Copeland .

    fingers and stared at . Doctor Copeland felt  s and temples.  to . ed to speak to  o say. tterness came up in  ime to cogitate and pus do rong t o speak.

    did not sound as t came from o you wayed in your mind.’

    I dont know w you m-m-means, illie said.

    tor Copeland kneo you and on and Karl Marx I gave all t  all of my trust and  is blank misunderstanding and idleness and indifference. Of all I  in nothing has remained. All has

    been taken a I ried to do------’

    ia. quot;Fat us  quarrel. t afford to quarrel.’

    Portia got up and started to door. illie and or Copeland  to come.

    tood in t door. Doctor Copeland tried to speak, but  some-.. ogether.

    itia o  to Doctor Copeland. Less us all make up no standting bet ever quarrel no more.’

    In silence Doctor Copeland shem. I am sorry, he said.

    It quite all rigely.

    It quite all rigoo, illie mumbled.

    Portia oget cant afford to quarrel.’

    tor Copeland c porc togetreet. tsteps as t ired. y. ayed on t porcil hem any longer.

    Doctor Copeland turned off ts in  in tove. But peace  come to him.

    ed to remove on and Karl Marx and illiam from  Portia o o  up suddenly and turned on t. tled  table h his books by Spinoza and illiam Shakespeare and Karl Marx.

    o he words had a rich, dark sound.

    of te man of w

    e man could us Benedict Mady Leient. It o e to te man even if  ions to ask. Doctor Copeland  trange sound like a kind of singing moan. e mans face —and peace was in him.

    BY MIDSUMMER Singer ors more often ter dinner at ts and as a rule did not go out again.

    t.  tles of cold beer and fruit drinks.  s at th a welcome smile.

    Mick loved to go up to Mister Singers room. Even if e ood every  more to it t  ne music. Sell  s tell anybody else.  e little ced and caug-tail in tric fan ed in suc s embarrassed at all. Except for er Singer  man she knew.

    or Copeland e te to Jo Augustus Benedict Mady Lee reply and an invitation for o make a call y. Doctor Copeland  to t ia ao te mans room. truly none of t insolence about togete e doo tions he

    from any person of te race wor Copeland ered.

    Aftere man a long time.

    ter, inasmuced in a cordial manner to return, .

    Jake Blount came every air before  ed. airs  carry tfully  seeming to notice where he was going.

    Even Biff Brannon came to tes room one nig as ay aaurant for long,  in a half-hour.

    Singer o everyone.  in astraiguffed tigo s, and nodded or smiled to ss t ood.

    If  or in t to a late movie. o sit back and cors talking and  on t title of a picture before going into a movie, and no matter .

    t a able in an envelope adddessed to Mrs. Kelly t . ors came and say room t a surprise.

    No one could imagine his.

    Singer spent all of ion in to in trip and imagined about eac togetion ime icket in an envelope in .

    Antonapoulos  c all. o o meet ter t t

    t attention. s  dressing-go bedroom slippers, and tonapoulos looked beneatissue papers in t noto eat s disdainfully on  bothem any more.

    toget notice Singer or Antonapoulos, and t alone on the room.

    It seemed to Singer t years ogeto say t  s glittered on y and bliss rol himself.

    Antonapoulos kept  move. crousers. Singer told  tors ake his mind away from his lonesomeness.

    old Antonapoulos t trange people and alalking—but t o c and Mick and Doctor Copeland.

    t Antonapoulos  interested Singer crumpled tc about ttendant came in to say t time o say. But  tired and happy.

    tients could receive t be onapoulos, Singer el.

    to , except t tclessly and did not play slapjack.

    After mucrouble Singer obtained permission to take Antonapoulos out h him for a few hours. he planned each

    detail of ttle excursion in advance. t into try in a taxi, and t four-ty t to t tel. Antonapoulos greatly enjoyed ra meal. e very greedily. But w leave.

    o table. Singer coaxed ed to use force. Antonapoulos sat stolidly and made obscene gestures o  last Singer bougtle of axi again. tle out of tonapoulos  ment and offense. ttle excursion made Singer very sad.

    visit  one, for ion  over. Antonapoulos ten es slipped by quickly. Singers alked desperately and  last it ime for o go. o  o do ared at  move. Singer left tuffed o s.

    Soon after Singer returned to  t and Doctor Copeland began to come again. Eaced to kno t  Singer pretended t  understand tions, and able.

    One by one to Singers room to spend te ful and composed. inted gentle eyes  and Doctor Copeland alk in t room—tor t t te and ed to say to .

 Part Two-1

    J. ms summer  from any otime Mick could remember. Not so s or  there was a feeling of

    cime sed. In t  to get out of bed and start going for t niged like o o sleep again.

    Riger breakfast sook t, and except for meals t of time t roamed around treets—s and plans. Sometimes s of too Bill on treets and so grab o make her see him.

    Early in t tle cool and tretc tall on t of t in t. t it  to keep your eyes open. A lot of times t t o o imes it zerland and all tains ing on cold, greenish-colored ice.

    Mister Singer ing uro toscanini ogeter Singer  regard for peril and s he plans always going on in her mind.

    Usually after trained ty good. If sold  to go out of ance from Ralp ever find ing marbles  t o o t tional Geograp roamed around and t some more. If s a dope or a Milky ay at Mister Brannons. he gave kids a

    reduction. s.

    But all time—no matter ly to ts. Some s  anywhere.

    In t-time, as soon as t  important time of all. A lot of t  tell anybody about t nigions stle tale t sounded reasonable. But most of time if anybody called  ran a for everybody except   run aallest men in to  and kindly t people were surprised when he spoke.

    No matter o stop when her Dad called.

    t il t about e person. A lot of times  room  o o  s  nig kno  made and. Afterhough she knew him as good as she could know any person.

    It  and so be at ther.

    into t room. ting slumped over  never did seem natural to see il time of  last year er and carpenter. Before daylighe house in his

    overalls, to be gone all day. t nigimes ra  of times ried to get a job in a jeore e s on and a tie.

    Noer any more  a sign at t of tc  look like most jeotle Jeall for ogether in a loose way.

    stared at ell  ed real bad to talk to ried to to begin. oo big for  every single op of ul looked at  speaking and she was in a hurry.

    So be at t ime to e. I got somet maybe you can treat yourself .’

    o give  because ed to talk. Out of tles y and one just opened. And alk to somebody.  and sten like a kid about  forimes imes in a little slit  in . Sed to take t   naturally open and ready.

    I got so muco do I dont know wo begin,’

    he said.

    t  te to trut good as sco fix, and   nig at his bench, cleaning

    old springs and o make t out until bedtime. Ever since  eady o be doing somete.

    I been t tonig  on the back of his hand.

    t and took a s of the glass.

    S it and still. iced tried to say somet  called to tell ed to talk tle ed to speak and s looked at eacness gre longer and neithem could say a word.

    t  like s—sood it all along in every   suddenly kne s  to  earn muc like  off from ted to be close to one of  t kno.  like  muco anybody.

    Sood t eac gave c h a brush dipped in gasoline.

    I kno nig do accounts and expenses and  managed in a different o  -sleeve. Sayed  nig for some reason s tell  t t, dark nights.

    ts , and of t important time. In t  every

    street came to be as plain to time as o range places in t s. Girls  from some in t girls s. If a person tain Man Dean  at  to fig if it y pounds  s on.

    ts o t suc about music. reets so  like toened  kno was Mick Kelly.

    S about music during ts in time.  in ts of toed to hear.

    t got all tras.

    And at nigo to to listen. tiful s under a buser it s and time. t  part of all tening to tudying about itCerra fa puerta, senor Mick said.

    Bubber a, he answered as a comeback.

    It o take Spanis Vocational. t speaking in a foreign language t made . Every afternoon since scarted sences. At first Bubber umped, and it o calked t on in a oo. Of course  knoences meant,

    but s say ter a  it  long before   at t—nobody could put a thing over on old Bubber Kelly.

    Im going to pretend like Im o t time, Mick said. tell better if all tions look good or not.’

    S on t porcood in tia and y. tion umn leaves and vines and red crepe paper. On telpiece in ticking up berack t yellow leaves.

    trailed vines along table y decoration. It was O.K.

    Sed her eyes.

    Bubber stood beside  ty to turn out all right. Isure do.’

    t party so more t summer so a prom party. But none of to prom or dance, s stood by til all ts  y  going to be a bit like t one. In a feart coming and to-do would begin.

    It   ty. tion came to er sarted at Vocational.  it  from Grammar Sc  so muco take a stenograpta  s special permission and took mecy eacher was Miss Minner. Everybody said Miss Minner had sold her

    brains to a famous doctor for ten t after s t. On ten lessons sions as Name eigemporaries of Doctor Joe ten lines from quot;t;  S and kept eacraveled once in Europe.

    S in France t and talking on treets and  t. And t any er in France—only wine.

    In nearly all ional  luncudents  soon began to botogeto belong to some special bunco t t o any croo belong  er.  .

    During t  t being  as muc of music. ty.

    Srict ations. No Grammar Sceen and fifteen. Sed good enougo speak to t knoo find out. Selep sed at school.

    On telep Bubber stick in o listen. this is Mick Kelly, she said.

    If t understand t on until t it.

    tm y at eigurday niging you no  Fourtreet, Apartment

    A. t Apartment A sounded seleped. A couple of tougried to be smarty and kept on asking ried to act cute and said, I dont knoside of t en boys and ten girls and s ty, and it ter and different from any party so or  before.

    Mick looked over t time. By track sopped before ture of Old Dirty-Face.

    to of tle.

    Some kid once dre y.

    t ure  frame. On botures of  Bubbers age. ttle also. A long time ago.

    tm going to take ty. I t looks common. Dont you?’

    I dont kno.’

    S ture underneatrack. tion er Singer . table  for supper. And ter supper it ime for ty. S into tco see about ts.

    You t? sia.

    Portia s. ts op of tove. t butter and jelly sand didnt take one.

    I done told you forty times t everto be all rigia said. Just soon as I come back from fixing supper at o put on t o pusy.

    turday night and highboy and illie and me

    oo.’

    Sure, Mick said. I just  you to  till t of get started—you know.’

    Sook one of tay ia and  into t on tta  lending  clot t supposed to come to ty.

    ttas long blue crepe de ce pumps and a rone tiara for  was o imagine hem.

    te afternoon s took t ime to begin no putting on t just sit around and . Very sloo ts and s and turned on ter.

    Ss of ake a long time.

    So to dress. Silk teddies s on, and silk stockings. Stas brassieres just for t. t on tepped into t time sood for a long time before tall t t t ood in front of tune, and finally decided siful. One or ther.

    Six different  tle trouble, so s  curls.

    Last of all suck tones in  on plenty of lipstick and paint. ed up ar. Slo iful s beautiful.

    S feel like  all. S

    from Mick Kelly entirely. ty o t mess up ting doo press ement. S so different from t ster ty.

    ?Yippee! the punch!’

    test dress------’

    Say! You solve t one about triangle forty-six by twen------’

    Lemme by! Move out my way!’

    t door slammed every second as to t voices sounded togetil t one roaring noise. Girls stood in buncs or R.O.t.C. uniforms or nee. tion t Mick couldnt notice any separate face or person. Sood by track and stared around at ty as a whole.

    Everybody get a prom card and start signing up.’

    At first too loud for anyone to tention. t table and t s alL Only o ttle paper cups. On t of track beside   telling t be fourteen for eighs.

    Every person  and slick. t-colored long dresses stood toget art y was O.K.

    Im part Scotch Irish and French and------’

    *I got German blood------’

 Part Two-2

    S time before s into to pile in from took a prom card and t tart now.

    It came all of a sudden in a very queer ness.

    tood toget making noise at once. t till. None of tarted asking for proms like to do. tness got o enougies to knoed puncalking. t even if t look at tell to be popular or not. tness  ttery about theroom.

    After a o a girl named Delores Brown.

    As soon as o rus once. arted on anoter t everytopped again. One or tra girls got a couple of proms—and because sy to  was all.

    t he hall.

    tly flocked around tried to soget of laugo pretend like time. t about t about t all t came of it he room.

    It o notice z.  door and she had known him all her life.

    Altime to le and fig on t of grass by treet.  he

    did not look so muc broraigonig, and on track.

    It   made ice   ty  on one of o cock o see.  toucy as t  uck t into ell  bumping into people.  ask any girl to prom except   was y.

    All to tco make lemonade. Some of t porco get out in t air. After t, brigumn in the darkness.

    t expected. Along treet te and Sucker ells and Baby and Spareribs—t started at belo on up to over t kno all o  s invited eito o ty and in plainss or draggle-tailed knickers or old everyday dresses. t o cy. S of two feelings wher was a kind of warning.

    I got tz made out like  sten on it. o tle t meant t prom.

    Yeas get going.’

    tarted out to ill felt very ritzy. Look yonder at Mick Kelly! one of t

    Spare-ribs, and some day soon sc along to treet turned doher block.

    een?’

    Going on fourteen.’

    S  used to  six incall and a een. Every kid at ty  beside  er. No boy ed to prom aller t maybe cigarettes  t of h.

    I gre in last year, she said.

    Once I sa t and a  tall. But you probably  gro big.’

    opped beside a dark crepe myrtle bus. ook somet of  and started fooling ever it  was h his handkerchief.

    Pardon me,  on he deep.

    You ougo ime.’

    Yeah.’

    them?’

    t  and dark. reet.

    tain young lady back at ty t ts sissy for a felloo ain person—oh well, maybe I am a------’

    finisigeps and sprang for a leaf about four feet above  could see t o

    it t time. t the dark.

    S up h him.

    As usual a song was in o herself.

    s t youre singing?’

    ?Its a piece by a fello’

    pretty good. epping  like a fast boxer. t sounds like a sort of German name.’

    I reckon so.’

    Fascist? he asked.

    *?’

    I say is t Mozart a Fascist or a Nazi?’

    Mick t a minute. *No. time.’

    Its a good ted o ask why.

    I say its a good thing, he said again.

    hy?’

    Because I e Fascists. If I met one reet Id kill him.’

    S  treet liged.  you ever read ts thisway------’

    tion  he sidewalk. A heavy sickness came in her belly.

    t time to explain unless  mind telling you s. Id like to tell about it.’

    t c to spielt to somebody. But s ime to listen.

    S  he mess she saw.

    tanding around in t y. Noer just five minutes—the place looked

    more like a crazy  of t into ty itself. te ells banging out of t door ed people —in thes.

    Baby ilson messed around on t porc more t to be eps one at a time, o be  all. Mister Brannon  ime sed to. As soon as s  o see raig again like t to be. S up to Sucker ells. ood fart  ion, but s w had happened.

    So shake him.

    At first ig after a min- I ute eeto rattle. You go   invited.  ucked ail and reet.

    But  go all ter  to t docy w s see him.

    For a minute s good about s out of Sucker. And t aftered to let s t nerve she had ever seen.

    Drinking up ts and ruining ty into all tion. t door and

    o eac up to Pete ells because  of all. ball  and butted into people. Pete  of fourteen, yet ill stuck in t up to  oo big to sold o go  her.

    I been in six different states. Florida, Alabama------ftMade out of silver cloth a sash------*

    ty alking at once.

    ted people from Vocational ill stood in separate bunc about gone. ttle puddle of er ing lemon peels at ttom of ted too nice  to anybody  him.

    Portia  into tes t one—a jelly kind he bread.

    Portia stayed in to cy.  oo good a time to leave, s o o go on urday Nig me. Everbody so excited o  and see ty.’

    Excitement—t  all t excited, too. It  just iful  on one tiara in  ion and all tional people and kids being jammed together.

    ?atch her run!’

    Ouc it out——’

    Act your age!’

    A buncreet,  be off t bushem.

    Fresional all dressed up for a real prom party

    and acting just like kids. It  all. A boy came up to icker and sarted running too.

    ty irely no a regular playing-out. But it  nig. tco ty made all t about  gro  before you take a baternoon  plenty dirty just for t before getting into tub. Everybody  on Saturday nig like t of all.

    S to try any neunt.

    S s notice  enougo let ed to do.

    tcreet! tcch!’

    Sarted for it first. Do in nereet and dug a sc and red in t  to climb dole hen she jumped.

    itennis s —but tomac this pipe.

    opped. S h her eyes closed.

    ty------For a long time s it ional. And about ted to be  in t t somet like any ot  ty. But it  he end.

    Mick climbed out of tctle pots of flames. t on a doug in advance for  ty except her.

    S speak or look at tion in torn doy because everyone side. In took off torn and s so t sone tiara  some  too big to er ter t Not any more.

    Mick stood out on t porce  t. Sook a deep breat! ty is over!’

    In t, secret nig  late—yellos. Ss and o one side. For a long time s noticing tion.

    t from eacrees in times in t  taken  o ted to be sure no person could see. t the side yard.

    tood by tc a table. Mick sat on t place. Close around  sely onig all ended in t  around ring of beads— one cigarette ced tte and put   even a feeling or t in her.

    One program came on after anot especially care. She smoked and picked

    a little buncer a ed talking. ioned Beet t musician— ed to do. to play hird symphony.

    Sened because sed to arted. Mick raised   up to .

    come? For a minute to trutting in t. tside of  first part of t inside . S even  sounded after, but s ting and froze, s tiger a  o do ime and by  nig sun and in the real plain her.

    S listen good enougo  alL to o certain s and t later s forget—or s go and listen to eac t came  trying to remember? Golly! t listen  last t instruments buncogete like a ig t socked at  And t part was over.

    t take a long time or a s time. It did not o do ime going by at all. S iging y knee very  miges sened or . t  like t ruments played a sad and silver tune. the music rose up angry

    and ement underneathe black march again.

    But maybe t part of t—glad and like test people in t  t enougo listen.

    It iff   only t in  remember any of t even t fees. Sried to remember, but no sound at all came to  it  like a rabbit and terrible .

    ts in turned off. t ing s. Srengtil tears came dohe bush were sharp.

    S until o t t.

    it in  better. S grass, and after a wh came slow and easy again.

    t t t stars. t . t trying to t all o  part  as it ened in a quiet, slo tes out like a problem in geometry so s forget them.

    No  fe

    any real God.  of e s around — maybe t er Singer: Lord forgivet w I do.’

    t of tiful and clear. S noo. Maybe later on, o s to add to imes, just four more times, s all. Maybe.

    Once again sened to t of the music.

    tes gre and it he dark ground.

    Mick aurned c of tta Kelly aking all t------ sried to say. tars .

    S up in a  tell ed beating it for  like autumn. ter and faster on to the home block.

    B? Y OCtOBER t seersucker trousers for dark-blue serge ones.

    Beer of talled a mac made  ce. Mick ial to  ce, and simes a o drink a cup.  to ead of a dime and ed to give it to cood beer and roubled and sad. ed to reac oucousled  not as ouched

    a woman. In o range sound.

 Part Two-3

    t il ten at nig s  s plainly. One Sunday,  typeer, s ty cents instead of fifty, and did not discover take until several customers o pay. Anotime sen dollars. Biff and looking at ime, rubbing fully and h his eyes half-closed.

    t speak of toget nigairs aurant alone. ogetayed beer and looked after tcables, as om. t talk except on matters of business, but Biff and ch his face puzzled.

    ternoon of tober t. Biff airs. itaken Alice to tal and tor umor almost ther hour Alice was dead.

    Biff sat by  tal in stunned reflection.  hey hardened like glass.

    tor inued to look into  for ttle difference. ed eacail about  cy-one years.

    t ts turned to a picture t ored inside him.

    t gold strip of sand. ttle che

    sturdy brotle naked boys, t to eac, srange young faces no one had ever seen before. Biff bowed his head.

    After a long er-in-laside. A fat bee craop of tly Biff caug in  it out t time, and teness  led out into tal corridor.

    Late t morning  seairs.

    t in cases of real love t does not more often follo bury tes t must be fulfilled after a deat is as t steps for a time upon a stage and eaco an unlimited amount of time and cion  carry out? Or per stay for tion of t t really dead, but groed for a second time in the living? hy？

    Biff bent close over ated on many things.

    ips of   a ts, and now .

    t and , and t dead leaves of tumn scraped on t early.

    Eace  and side a o t first and looked carefully at tion of caskets. oucerials of tested trengthe frames.

    is tte?’

    taker answered ions in an oily,

    unctuous voice.

    And age of cremations in your business?’

    Out on treet again Biff y.

    From t t. copped, so urned dooreet  out cting at c quietly on a pallet on te  in it time for contemplation and enquiry. o explain t use of jeced torted look of Kellys rig appeared tcalked for a ill early o go up to tes room.

    Singer  nigter of condolence. o be a pallbearer at t on tte toget  eyes.  talk, and once te stopped to pat o  out together.

    Biff boug tore and sahe preacher of Alices church. hen all was arranged he came back home.

    to put t  in o give to Lucile. raigcairs and removed treamers from tric fans. t in tub and bathe morning was done.

    Biff bit t. By noing for oget a and fitted tly around to see t all was well

    before going out again.

    An er cte.  ea.

    Lucile and Alice  in all  it  easy to realize ters. Lucile oday sely in black. Sed patiently on tcable her worked on her.

    t  and mellohe room.

    Bartholomew------ said Lucile.

    ??’

    quot;Dont you ever start thinking backward?’

    I dont,said Biff.

    You knos like I got to ime so I  t. All I can let myself t is going to ure.’

    ts t attitude.’

    I been giving Baby finger  t t so quick I been t letting . I dont  to give it to ake o Atlanta ologist convention and let  it there.’

    Mot but four. Its liable to scare s tend to coarsen the hair.’

    Lucile dipped ter and mas. And ss one.

    Young as Baby is, sion as I got.

    And ts saying plenty.’

    Biff polishe palm of his hand and shook his head.

    Every time Baby and I go to t even get o eat erward.’

    For goodness sake, Biff said.

    Sting along so fine  year I  o start ll be a o play some.

    eaco give he

    soiree. I feel like I got to puss started on ter itll be for both of us.’

    Motherogod!’

    You dont understand. A calent cant be treated like ordinary kids. ts one reason I  to get Baby out of t let art to talk vulgar like ts around hey do.’

    I kno.

    treet—the Crane boy------？

    You kno none of toBabys level.’

    Lucile set t le co put more color in ted able. For ttle e se socks and even small ain urned t way now.

    t for a cte  saying anyto cry. Its not like ers. e  see muc  your own blood kin, and whis happens------’

    Biff clucked soothingly.

    I kno all just roses  maybe t sort of makes it worse for you now.’

    Biff caugo ting epped into t le silk skirt  t. Sigtle hand.

    Unca Biff! atc.’

    Gently  Baby on  again. S slid sloedirections on t sed retcraig of her and one

    be a fancy angle, looking side th a sad expression.

    Scch me do a------’

    tle quieter, Lucile said. S do stle of  her eyes and face?’

    see test resemblance between Baby and Leroy ilson.’

    Lucile looked too t for  er all,  to admit her, she said.

    Cant you ever forget about t man?’

    I dont kno things.

    And ts Leroy and Baby.’

    Bills ne tired. Dont you ever just t ? Dont you ever use logilt;—if ts t to be t?’

    Not about him, I guess.’

    Biff spoke in a weary manner and  closed.

    You married tain party er one racket beter another.

    You divorced er you married ime. And nos  suited to eacs aside from t of man tain party o be anyway.’

    God kno door again.’

    Look, Baby, Biff said quickly. ;teeple. Open the door and here are Gods people.’

    Lucile s o bot Baby. I tell  to Z.’

    quot;t ay  as long as  was before?’

    Yeaime time anybody steps up on t t man. Biff spread out truck two.

    t. Baby turned anot again on took o tle legs dangled against toned  and burrowed o him.

    Listen, Lucile said. If I ask you a question o ansruth? Sure.’

    No matter  is?’

    Biff touc gold ly on ttle head. Of course.’

    It  seven years ago. Soon after  time. And  from your place s all over old me you caug tale about  I  to knohe real reason.’

    Biff turned t never did like Leroy, and  from now.’

    quot;No. te t for. e been knoy long time, and I understand by no you got a real reason for every single tead of just s. Noell me   to know.’

    It  mean anytell you I got to know.’

    All rig nigarted drinking, and   of you and you ake it. But terep outside in times so t t been playing around and it s  about it’

    Lucile sat up straig on eacs o be like I ime so as not to t my mind stay on is going to  home and Babys career.’

    Yes.’

    I  too, and not start thinking backward.’

    Biff leaned  and closed his eyes.

    During t been able to tried to remember   umpy, very soft and oes. ttoms  iny bro taken off ockings and kissed . And, come to t, t  t part of a irred and glanced at ctle whe funeral would be held.

    In  tions of tand-  ing ember sunse tombstones, on tent covering t？

    No matter  your oer, Lucile said.

    Biff raised  you marry again? Some nice young man  forget about Leroy you would make a good man a fine wife.’

    Lucile o ansime understand eacty  any kind of ts t I ever  to be to any man again.’

    feel the same way, Biff said.

    er t up sloe silk

    dress a little aness outside.

    Biff kept taurant closed during t day. t door and opened tomers came in alked es by ter before giving t—Singer, Blount, various men er supper Mick Kelly stle brot a nickel into t mac t coin ss and kept opening to be sure t not in anot . Coins came clattering out and rolled along the floor.

    ttle brot looking around pretty s no customer   on one before t to it te  table in th his dinner before him.

    Across from  sat drinking beer, dressed in alking. Everyt er a , and no sound or movement escaped him.

    I go around, Blount said. ly across table and kept es face. I go all around and try to tell t make tand anytter  seem to make truth.’

    Singer nodded and o eat, but e t  Blount go on talking. t mac tting o t. Often s table, but te urned to  see.Mister Singers got fried c eaten one piece yet, ttle boy said.

    Mick pulled dohe machine very slowly. Mind

    your own business.’

    Youre alo his room or some place where you know hell be.’

    I told you to hush, Bubber Kelly.’

    You do.’

    Mick sil eettled and turned oo bed. I already told you I get a bellyful of you and Ralpime, and I dont  you  nigo be free.’

    Bubber  bis grimy little  t pocket  for home.

    Biff straig and smootie  t ed to go up to t macalk  somet let er. A dance orcra came in on t   to listen. All tunes in t ten years ell one from t enjoyed music. Yet  song.

    o one side. Mick  year t soon saller ter and blue pleated skirt sarted. Nos  and tting knees. S the age when she looked as much like an overgrown boy as a girl.

    And on t subject  test people mostly missed t point? By nature all people are of bot marriage and t all by any means. ten old mens voices groimes gro and t rougtle mustac  of  sometimes almost wis Mick and Baby were his kids.

    Abruptly Biff turned from ter.

    tack of ter.

    iticed eye o ttom of t. tomorro cem of files. Build sober ,, on up to t date. itop markings outlining orical events. ts of outlines—one international beginning ice and leading termational, time Mayor Lester s  try club up to t ty years docketed and outlined and complete. Biff beamed quietly be Alice ed o  turn to a ladies toilet. t   for once tered  one time.

    ition Biff settled doo tails of teadily and ration, but from  some secondary part of  to everyt ill talking, and often   on table. te sipped beer. Mick lessly around tared at tomers. Biff read every  paper and made a fees on themargins.

    t s. to an old song t dated back to time  treetcar one Sunday to Old Sardis Lake and ed a ro. At sunset , and  feelings. Biff folded t ter. ood on one foot

    and to Mick.

    Youre not listening, are you?’

    Mick turned off tonig  of rate on someter and comer after anot last tention rested on te at table. o  ation sit doed to sometress broug a freak like a deaf-mute, cut off from ot young girl to sit doo table  talked, and tes expression cc  in t very still s, and because  speak it made  did t fello did he know？

    tarted to go over to table, but eacime er till   te —and in turned over questions and solutions in  satisfaction. taken root in  worried  hing wrong.

    [.ANY times Doctor Copeland talked to Mr. Singer. truly  like ote men. ood trong, true purpose in a  ote men could not. ened, and in le and Je is oppressed. On one occasion ook Mr. Singer  and sickness and fried fatback.  made on tient ed a sypic ced out to Mr. Singer tion on t incisors. ted two-room s housed as

    many as teen persons. In a room cood. o tness and decorum  disturb tients as would or.

    treacobreak of influenza so t Dr. Copeland  of t. ions of toomobile  nine years.  tains snapped to to cut off ts, and tigime  see Portia or illiam or  often  of tia came to see  a note and borrowed half a sack of meal.

    t , alto make,  milk and  to bed.  at first  rest.

    t seemed t o sleep ill in s,  door. It ia.

    quot;tor Copeland stood ss dra ed.

 Part Two-4

    It about our illie.  y bad trouble. And us got to do sometor Copeland eps. opped in t back to tcia ing for c.   is it? Just  a minute. Just let me find brain room so I can study it all out and tell it to you plain.’

    s of neicks of kindling.

    Let me make tia said. You just sit do table, and soon as tove is  us going to  all  seem so bad.’

    quot;t any coffee. I used t of it yesterday. gt; ia began to cry. Savagely suffed paper and o tove and lig rembling ;t is, sonig a place o keep my illie and my o me? ell, if Id been trouble . But I  ting at t restless.

    t doo Madame Rebas Palace of S Pleasure.

    And Fat a man sells tickets on t t trutting, bad-blood, tail-sin curtains and------’

    Daugor Copeland irritably. o t to t.’

    Love Jones here—and she is one bad colored gal.

    illie il first t.  s t out  o bello cut this Junebugs head off.’

    Doctor Copeland drew his shawl closer around him. Is he dead?’

    quot;t boy too mean to die. al, but o be out and making trouble again before long.’

    And illiam?’

    taken o till locked up.’

    And  get ?’

    O a busted eye and a little c out his behind.

    But it  bot I cant understand is  Love. S least ten s nigger I ever seen. She walk like she have a egg

    bet to break it. S even clean. And  this over her.’

    Doctor Copeland leaned closer to tove and groaned. iffened. o  became spotted h blood.

    took on a greenish pallor.

    Course ell me soon as it all happened.

    Understand, my  o do  keeping illie company.  illie ting out on treet curb in front of tears rolled doias face. You kno before. Even money  bot and I buys takes care of Saturday Nigwinses.’

    At last it les ble s. t and brigove. t for a long time.

    Portia pulled at til ated and purplisor Copeland still held his head in his hands.

    Seem to me, Portia said finally, if us can just get a lot of o e letters about illie it mig some. I already been to see Mr. Brannon. ten exactly old o.  er it all . So I just  in t aken tter  it in t lose it or dirty it’

    did tter say?’

    Mr. Brannon e just o. tter tell about  tell anding colored boy and  ever been in no trouble before no tell y co take type of colored boy and how------’

    Psor Copeland. All t is no good.’

    Us just cant sit around and . it boy even if he

    did do onig cant sit around and ’

    e  is thing we can do.’

    ell, I kno’

    Portia got up from tractedly around tly s to door.

    ait a minute, said Doctor Copeland. end to go now?’

    I got to  to keep my job. I sure o stay on  my pay ever week.’

    I  to go to tor Copeland. Maybe I can see illiam.’

    I going to drop by to  to send o oo—else o sit t illie all the morning.’

    Doctor Copeland dressed ia in t out into tumn morning. t to to find out very little. Doctor Copeland t to consult a las. At trial for illiam  enced to nine mont immediately to a prison in t of tate.

    Even norong true purpose   from one o anotomobile, and t eleven oclock tients came to ter tumn air outside t, stale odor in t made ient Negroes  porcly  tiredness in ed sometimes to lie do s and cry. If   get emperature four times a day and h.

    But  rest. For tiredness—and trong true purpose.

    il sometimes, after a long day and nig  for a minute just  o less and eager to take on a neask. But ten stuck in  loud as it o tient faces of the Negroes who were his people.

    Often alked to Mr. Singer. itry and tesimal sperm and tery of living matter and ty of death him of race.

    My people o Mr. Singer. On to t trong survived. C brougen and c of trong ones perister years trongest of my people are still ers, t grandsons.’

    I come to borroo ask a favor, Portia said.

    Doctor Copeland o tell ia aken of strong drink. ruly resembled her now.

    You knoe plates and cups you have?’

    *You may hem.’

    No, I only s to borrow. And also I come o ask a favor of you.’

    Anytor Copeland.

    Portia sat doable from irst Isuppose I better explain. Yesdiddy I got tomorro and part of Sunday y  illie, and Grandpapa feel like us all ougo get toget, too. I sure do  to see our fcLnfolks again. I been mighty homesick since illie been gone.’

    You may es and anytor Copeland said. But er. Your carriage is bad.’

    It going to be a real reunion. You kno time Grandpapa  t in toy years.  ever slept outside of  times in  nigo get up and drink er and be sure t. I a little  if Grandpapa able here.’

    Anythink you will need——’

    Course Lee Jackson bringing tia. And  going to take to get  expecting till around supper-time. Course Grandpapa alient  make him hurry none.’

    My soul! Is t old mule still alive?  be fully eighteen years old.’

    . Grandpapa been y years.  mule so long  just like Lee Jackson is one of and and love Lee Jackson like  a animal is t s.’

    ty years is a long time to work a mule.’

    It sure is. Noake good care of  in t sun Lee Jackson  big stra for  mules stra budge a step when he

    going to plo t  is on his head.’

    Doctor Copeland took doe co s and pans to cook all the food you will need?’

    Plenty, Portia said. I not going to any special trouble.

    Granpapa, ful o  o y meal and cabbage and t. Sounds good.’

    Portia laced oget;t told you yet. A surprise. Buddy going to

    be on. Buddy just come back from Mobile.

    on the farm now.’

    quot;It  sa just o ask you about,* said Portia. You remember o borroo ask a favor.’

    Doctor Copeland cracked ts of o see if I cant get you to be tomorro t illie going to be there.

    Seem to me like you ougo join us. I sure will be glad if you come.’

    on and Karl Marx and Portia—and illiam. Doctor Copeland removed acles and pressed  e ime ago. traighank you, he said. I will come.’

    t nig alone by tove in t back to time of his childhood.

    er freedom saug of teen years old t y dollars er and as a bellboy in a el.

    And all tudied and read and  to school. his

    fat live long  er ten years of struggle or and hagain.

    I endlessly from o rutruction. At times rong liquor and beat  t truck doia o led in  and foug Daisy did not come back to  years later urn to  an old man in an empty house.

    Promptly at five oclock t afternoon  tia and  of toage or Copeland approaciffly and stood in t  in his hand.

    t first  noticed.  ton. Besides togetill looking into tia perceived anding in ther, she said.

    topped. Grandpapa turned around in  and very  y years before at ers arniscon looked at eac t ther.

    Benedict Mady------ said time. A real long time.’

    Aint it, tia said. t reunion us is all  a ccon. Doctor Copeland sall and strong and a ts and overalls tias. t look e.

    It sure is a pity everybody couldnt come—Aunt Sara and Jim and all t, said  to us.’

    agon too full, said one of to oo full anyways.’

    Grandpapa scratccick. Somebody got to stay home.’

    Nervously Portia licked  our illie I t. y or to-do. My mind just  stay off our illie.’

    t murmur of agreement.

    tia, o us a little ime of trouble.’

    Portia took up table in ter of t part you  to hear now, Grandpapa?’

    It all t any place your eye fall on will do.’

    Portia read from tracing till.

    Doctor Copeland sat on t to anotuffy. ttered ed advertisements from magazines. On tel t from tia read  t in Doctor Copelands ears and he was drowsy. Karl Marx lay

    spraon and o study the words.

    Portia finiser and closed the book.

    I done pondered over time/ said Grandpapa.

    t of t? asked Portia.

    It ts Jesus raising the sick?’

    Course  time o ted it so muc seem to me like it  it many a time. And t. I reason I  to stand before Jesus  grandco ;Jesus C, us is all sad colored peoples.quot; And traige as cotton. t t been in my  a many and a many a time.’

    A or Copeland jerked t.  too fast and  igting in t isolated and angry and alone.

    has any of you ever had a sign from heaven? asked Grandpapa.

    I  t me. It e beard and blue eyes.’

    I seen a g, said one of ttle boy.

    Grandpapa man—it noime for you to * listen but not be ime has I had a real sign.

    And t come about. It  year, and . I rying to dig up ts of t big oak stump near tcraig dark. I  ttle angel. It tle o me about te robe. Just flying around near ter t I come in tudied t out in the field again.’

    Doctor Copeland felt tely to  and  speakten to t to  attend. tried to tell  because  did not  tense and sullen.

    It a queer t Mady, you a fine doctor.  time in ter I been digging and planting for a good her me?’

    how old are you now?’

    I somey and eighty year old.’

    treatment Alo see Daisy ake  ent ised in t imid eagerness.

    Drink plenty of er, said Doctor Copeland. And rest as much as you can.’

    Portia  into tco prepare to fill t, idle talking, but Doctor Copeland did not listen or speak. No Karl Marx or on. Karl Marx talked about Joe

    Louis. on spoke mostly of t  t on t staring at th angry misery.

    Doctor Copeland clamped eet so muc on and Karl Marx and illiam and Portia, about true purpose  t of tell it all to til t, telling . But t listen or understand.

    eacrained.  listen or look at anything around him.

    in a corner like a man o table and the old man said grace.

    But Doctor Copeland did not eat out a pint ,bottle of gin, and ttle from mouto mout also.  in rigid silence, and at last  and left t a fareruto him.

    ense and  t. t day o Mr. Singers room. t blunted t h himself once more.

    of t  occurred. As arted doairs e man carrying a large paper sack and o ters so t t te man eps t a time,  looking, and t Doctor Copeland  sick and breathless.

    C! I didnt see you.’

    Doctor Copeland looked at  made no answer.

    e man once before. unted, brutal-looking body and the huge, awkward hands.

    terest e mans face, for in range, fixed, and hdrawn look of madness.

    Sorry, said te man.

    Doctor Copeland put er and passed on.

    I ? Jake Blount asked. all, quot; t just come out of here?’

    t. ted a boable. Singer sat ilted back and s, looking out of the window.

    I bumped into eps and o look at me so dirty.’

    Jake put table.  Singer did not knooucheshoulder.

    I didnt mean to bump into oact like t.’

    Jake s t into the hall.

    urned  tle of coal and some kindling. Jake ch.

    Neatly icks of kindling over ion of paper.  to a system. At first t drae  of ne gave t of flame filled te.

    t morning ale aste. Jake gulped h file back of his

    hand.

    time ago,  of remind me of tle farm in texas. And made pralines to sell in ties. Sall, big, fine-looking lady. ore ters and clod.  ting at is t  been for  never   know. I would  been a preachead or a salesman.

    My w ed.’

    Jake shook his head wonderingly.

    to understand you got to kno before. You see, I lived in Gastonia , too small to put in t and got meals for pay. t, quick boy could make ty cents a day stringing tobacco not very far from t and made t ty cents a day.

    t  left my folks. I didnt e. tand ter but my sister.’

    I mean t belief was Jesus.

    tabernacle and preac. I  and listened and I got time I studied t I took a able. I o table and I looked at it and ttered and turned blue.’

    Jake  ed to te scar in ter.

    I ed to be an evangelist. I meant to travel around try preacime I moved around from one place to anoty I got to texas. I worked in a pecan grove near

    o knoo alked to me.

    Understand, I didnt begin to kno once. ts not t o any of us. It o read. I  so I could put aside enougo knock off for a  ime.

    Just us  means. e have opened our eyes and have seen. ere like people from way off yonder somewhere.’

    Singer agreed able in a  out from t tin box in  and ced an orange and peeled it slo ransparent in tioned te tions at a time and  to te ed ly in two more ales.

    And ry? Maybe ten ty t more. I been to a lot of places but I never met but a fe say a man does kno.

 Part Two-5

    cination of capital and pooday. he sees America as a crazy house.

    o rob to live.

    arving and y o get to eat. ed.

    so muc mean and ugly and somet t tem of t on a lie. And alts as plain as t-kno cant see it.’

    ttle on ttled an avalanc o sleep, and amped it

    so  the floor shook.

    I been all over talk. I try to explain to t  do? Lord God!’

    o t deepened tingling in  spread up ints of green and blue and burning yello;the only one.’

    ranger no longer. By no, every alley, every fence in all town.

    ill  t lot to anotaying aly limit, until at last it oions tings rip of eland bordered by roted ston gin, or a bottling plant. t part factory s in to throwing game was always crowded.

    From tton candy.

    , but gradually ties inually o anot stood out on en acurday o keep t,  s of racted appearance.

    o four rooms and t y per person. t on toop. In , sour smell. Sooty, cains  the

    y. reet ligside tion inside. ed ted to read. ted him.

    If ayed at lessly  on t ty ends of aste of grime lingered in  error. Usually  of bootleg les from t s. tles made lost, eerie ecil after they had sounded.

    But usually  stay at  out into ty streets. In t dark ars . Sometimes ted buildings came t of ted at tes for t. Young girls in sers and print dresses came out into treet. t carrying their dinner pails.

    Some of t to a streetcar caf for Coca-Cola or coffee before going

    for t side they were deaf.

    I In treetcar Jake drank Coca-Cola alked. ter daen , and ed body very straiguck tle finger out from ily ted acill laug imes fougs h crazed violence and sobbed aloud.

    After sucurned to t eased o pusinks, tact of hed his jangled nerves.

    Because of to up early in took from tcase .  to treet.

    First o t a sack of ales. t to Singers room. Altoe he ales.

    alk, and ted t in treets or h relief.

    t table. Jake urned to Singer.

    Yeao a sudden question.

    Some of us are Communists. But not allof us------. Myself, Im not a member of tParty. Because in t place I never kne one of them.

    You can bum around for years and not meet Communists.

    Around  to join—and if t. And you just dont take off for Ne one—and tle teetotaler  t I  against ts. t is I dont talin and Russia. I e every damn country and government t even so maybe I ougojoined up s first place. Im not certain one  do you think?’

    Singer wrinkled e on   know.

    But t cant settle doer kno  to act And some of us go nuts. too muco do and you dont knoart It makes you crazy. Even me—Ive done t w

    t seem rational Once I started an organization myself. I picked out ty lint-alked to til I t tto ion.  to start riots—stir up all trouble we could.

    Our ultimate goal  a real freedom, a great freedom made possible only by tice of tto, quot;Action,quot; signified talism. In titution (draain statutes dealt to from quot;Actionquot; to quot;Freedomquot; as soon as our hrough.’

    Jake scroublesome cavity in a tooter a moment inued:quot;titution ten do follo out on a cour to organize component units of ty. it do you reckon I found?   ion? eous fury overcome planned action so t t me? as it destruction, murder, revolution?’

    Jake leaned fory-seven dollars and ty cents from treasury to buy uniform caps and free Saturday suppers. I caugting around table, rolling their heads, and a ham and a gallon of gin in easy reach.’

    A timid smile from Singer folloburst of lauger a ill laugoo long. Singer looked up at ted time— tes and matcel and distributed ts. It ime.

    But Jake still lauger.  ts. ense and as of his coming

    meal. o.

    ith each word he raised his upper lip like a ravenous animal.

    Roast beef  bread.

    And a big ell you about Mr. Clark Patterson, tleman y years, and all day s in railer playing solitaire and smoking reefers. -order joint nearby and every day  h------’

    Jake stepped back so t Singer could leave t dooro lead. As tairs inued to talk y.  his brown, wide eyes on Singers face.

    ternoon  and mild. tayed indoors. Jake  back  of  on t of to fill tle on t able by t. c t afternoon merge he darkness of evening.

    t made dark, silent he room.

    But at nigension came in  away  facing eacher.

    Nervousness made Jakes lips tco sootlessness and desire overcame o talk again to Singer. to t last took so te o us! truturned into lies. take Jesus.  it is o pass to enter t

    just o Jesus during t t turned every able and I   me and  t at a table and------And look  tion -bellied, perfumed Pekingese dog.

    t  freedom. t a real revolution. t so t try  every man  of Nature— mean t ty per cent of to rob ty per cent of to live.

    t mean for one rico s t of ten t  ric mean tyrants o get try in suc millions of people are ready to do anyt, lie, or  to ink like a skunk to all who know.’

    t up, alarmed, Jake tried to speak again and t dorembling lips s ts t seems to me. All we？

    can do is go around telling trut kno be any use for figo do is let them know.

    All ts needed. But how? huh?’

    t took on motion. t ions doo a serror rained   t  roared  last  t. tes face  and very far away. Jake closed his eyes.

    t morning e. Singer  of coffee on table.  it ime for ooreet t racted arted to tention en in brigters dra ty, and drink th.

    reet. No one es of puzzled deliberation ook from  a te carefully beneation:e t me omorro noon, ednesday, November . Or t day.

    At t day ed before the wall. .

    Noiently to to look : up and doreets. No one came. After an o leave for t day ed, also.

    ter rain. treaked so t no inued, gray and bitter and cold.

    ICK, Bubber said. I come to believe  rue t it like to never quit raining. Mrs. ells rode to scernoon to stay on t porc marbles on t oime and Bubber began to talk about ttle Lord Jesus and ted Santa Claus to bring  and cold and gray. t some of tory people o move out of t looked like t suddenly stopped. t sun   and sticky and ter clot and a pocketful of rocks.

    Ralp up in  crooked on ful. Spareribs he sky was a wonderful blue.

    e ed for you a long time, Mick, Bubber said. here you been?’

    S steps t a time and ter to rack. Practicing on the gym.’

    Every afternoon sayed after sco play.

    team ball games. today s on t getting a co sit at a piano  of knocks and trouble. Ses togetil t sed. It . After t t some sets of c  in une   almost any piece no ter t copying tunes. ed out tiful ne  feeling she had ever known.

    Sed to learn o read music already ten down.

    Delores Bros a  Delores did not knoions sed to knoaug t scales, tes, and suchose.

    Mick slammed tcove. quot;t to eat?’

    t I can do for you, Portia said. Just cornpones and margarine. As se ser to he swallows.

    Quit acting so greedy. Nobody going to snatc out your hand.’

    till  of t  in  and noes Bubber would o ook aim and made a loud pow sound.

    Dont monkey rigger, said Spareribs.  got the gun loaded.’

    Mick finiso do. z ting on  porcers o see o him, heil!’

    But  take it as a joke.  into   t o  ely s good friends. t in t t Vocational -time jobs.   yards imes se at nigics and ory est boy at Vocational. Often, no she was in high

    scoo, t eacogeteacners to assemble a motor.  up ics ime on alked slo stood out on  someth her.

    I  his gold piece, Spareribs said.

    gold piece?’

    a gold piece in ts w Jews do.’

    S it mixed up, ss Cat. Catol for a baby soon as its born. Some day to start a war and kill everybody else.’

    Nuns give me a funny feeling, Spareribs said. It scares me .’

    S doeps and laid  into t side room. Sc side room. Mister Singer ries and plans and music  about  niger ty o imes, or  of to o go into ten to it many times and try to join it into ts of te place. Sill feel like she was locked up by herself.

    Spareribs stuck y o aring off at space. She slapped him.

    is a nun? Bubber asked.

    A Cat comes up over her head.’

    Sired of o t pictures in tional Geographic.

    Pographe wild jungles in Africa.

    You kids see t Ralp get out in treet, she said.

    Bubber rested tory back h you.’

    It  kid o read.  o read stories by o read to him.

    kind you  time?’

    Pick out some stories o eat in t one a  t in t and coming to t of all different kinds of candy and tcory o eat in it.’

    Ill look for one, said Mick.

    But Im getting kinda tired of candy, Bubber said. See if you cant bring me a story . But if you cant find none of tory.’

    So leave ared.

    tared too. tood still and looked at Baby ilson coming doeps of reet.

    Aint Baby cute! said Bubber softly.

    Maybe it , sunny day after all t er cloto ternoon like ture s years soiree costume—tle pink-gauze skirt t stuck out s and stiff, a pink body , pink dancing stle pinkpocketbook. ite and gold—and so small and clean t it almost  to creet in a cute   turn ohem.

    Come over  your little pink pocketbook------’

    Baby passed treet h her head

    o one side. S to speak to them.

    trip of grass betreet, and ill for a second and turned a handspring.

    Dont pay no mind to ries to so Mister Brannons cafe to get candy. s it free.’

    Bubber rested too creet  pulling traggly bangs of  sure is a cute little pink pocketbook, he said.

    alks about alented s Baby in the movies.’

    It oo late to go look at tional Geograp ready. Ralpuned up to cry and sook   o a kid Bubbers age t ime from summer.

    All last summer Baby  in t pink soiree costume and danced in treet. At first tc soon t tired of it. Bubber c to dance.  on to cimes—but summer  seemed neo him again.

    I sure do wisume, Bubber said.

    kind do you ?’

    A real cool costume. A real pretty one made out of all different colors. Like a butterfly. ts  for Cmas. t and a bicycle!’

    Sissy, said Spareribs.

    Bubber o ook aim at a reet. Id dance around inmy costume if I  every day to sc on t steps and kept  a sissy like Spareribs said.  loved pretty things.

    Ster not let old Spareribs get a.

    A persons got to fig, she

    said sloiced a lot of times t tter the kid really is.

    Younger kids are aloug. Im pretty  of top of me. Bubber —ty t  guts underneat. If all true Ralp to be a real strong one  around. Even t seventeen montoug Ralphs face already.’

    Ralpalked about. Spareribs sat do off  in o tease him.

    A! Mick said. You knoo you if you start o cry. You just better c’

    Everyt. t  block ting. Bubber leaned up against a tree and o be dreaming about somet of t ime to eat soon.

    Lookit, Bubber said suddenly. ty in tume.’

    Baby o same prissy, dainty ell t s her.

    Please, Baby------ Bubber said ed topass ttle pink pocketbook and toucume.’

    Baby started o  listen. S letting Bubber play  tle.

    Bubber still o ended like  to Baby again—in a soft, sad voice like tle kitty.  Please,  Baby—come here, Baby------’

    oo quick for Mick to stop  seen rigger he

    gun. Baby crumpled doo t eps and couldnt move or scream. Spareribs had his arm up over his head.

    Bubber  didnt realize. Get up, Baby,  mad h you.’

    It all  time. Sy sidewalk.

    le op of  in turned doohe ground.

    So mucood o oo. t to get to the house.

    S the eyes. I seen her face.’

    Mick ongue stuck in ried to ask was Baby killed. Mrs.

    ilson came running doy parlor o t again. Sreet, crying and pulling a ring on and off or  in to Baby. Mick follo as a church.

    Baby looked like a pretty little doll on t for t seem . tor bent over and looked at er ook Baby out on a stretc into th her.

 Part Two-6

    till quiet. Everybody ten about Bubber. ta and all ted in t room. Mister Singer stood in the doorway.

    After a long time

    die but t ured. he asked for Bubber.

    Nobody kneside. treet. t Spareribs and some ot to  for  looked like Bubber  of t around to a   be.

    porc,  saying. I never believed in it. But Im sure going to lay it onto t kid as soon as I get my hands on him.’

    Mick sat on ters and creet. I can manage Bubber. Once ake care of .’

    You go out and  for ter than anybody else.’

    As soon as  s a tree o love to sit up in tree  t porche dark yard.

    Sood for a minute by trunk of tree. Bubber—, sly. Its Mick.’

    ans s eacree o ill t any ans around t last soucrembling. ouc all at once.

    I—I didnt mean Baby to fall. S so little and cute—seemed to me like I just o take a pop at her.’

    Mick sat doree  a lot of people ing for you.’

    Bubber quit crying. .

    *You kno was like sening.

    You know arden Lawes—you he radio.

    And you knoing a letter to arden Latle bit kind to you wco Sing Sing.’

    t a srembling.

    t little electric c your size. And  fry up like a piece of burnt bacon. to hell.’

    Bubber  a sound from o get doter stay up  policemen guarding to eat’

    Mick leaned against trunk of tree. t eac. S t kid t a year or to stop off be on to t pretty quick. Sime it er Bubber and stle ree er t to pick up a gun again in all his life.

    till t on t porc talking or rocking in the chairs.

    room.  of a bottle and o get  o be anxious about Bubber. It hing else.

    t Bubber!quot; said Etta.

    tm so go out of ter this, hazel said.

    Etta and  into the door.

    Bill   to talk ood around in t  it over by herself.

    steps stopped. It e, s not like t fooling   off by accident. Everybody e aim.’

    I wonder when well hear from Mrs. ilson, her Mama said.

    ■ell y, all right!’

    I reckon we will.’

    No t  porc in t nobody liger  on and stood  over to keep  Bubber sitting out in tree  o worry some.  Baby.

    Mick, cant you t be?her Dad asked.

    he neighborhood, I reckon.’

    y beer bottle in  on o come ter. Ive never laid a nt be scared of me.’

    S until an  time y sorry for w  Bubber and make him learn.

    After a  in telepo tal to see es Mrs. ilson called back. Sed to alk o the house.

    ill  room like a blind man. tles of beer. t all c side of tgage. But t   all.’

    Suddenly Mick t about sometry Bubber in court and put him in a childrens jail.

    Maybe Mrs. ilson o

    Bubber. Sed to go out to tree  a ell  to tle and smart. S tried to send t kid out of ted to kiss e him because she loved him so much.

    But s miss anytes and so kno and tell Bubber t all to him.

    A ten-cent tajdcab drove up to ted on t porc and scared. Mrs. ilson got out of taxi er Brannon. Seetogeteps. t into t room and ser tood in tta and  out of it.

    Ive come to talk over all th you, Mrs. ilson said.

    t room looked tacky and dirty and ser Brannon notice everyttered on the floor.

    t  gray.

    Mrs. ilson kept pulling ter Brannon er in t o  from talked to ot because  time ser? Sed him.

    It all boils doo t;Your kid s my baby in the head on purpose.’

    Mick stepped into t, s t gun at me and Ralphere.

    o aim it at Baby and his finger slipped. I

    was righere.’

    Mister Brannon rubbed  e him.

    I knoo come to t right now.’

    Micks Mama rattled a bunc very still h his big hands hanging over his knees.

    Bubber didnt  in ------’

    Mrs. ilson jabbed t  a minute. I knoo court and sue for every cent you own.’

    ell you one t o sue for. All  is------’

    Just listen to me, said Mrs. ilson. I  come o sue you. Barter Brannon—and I talked it over  agree on ts. In t place, I  to do t t  Babys name mixed up in no common la at her age.’

    t a sound and everybody in t stiff in ter Brannon  Mick, but sed  ough way.

    Mrs. ilson te. I dont  to o sue you or anyt. All I  is for you to be fair. Im not asking you to pay for all t til to sleep. t any pay t . And Im not asking you to pay for to o o  get to dance in ttle bald place on her head.’

    Mrs. ilson and  eacized. to book and took out a slip of paper.quot;t to pay are just tual price of

    us in money. te room in tal and a private nurse until sing room and tors bill— and for once I intend tor to be paid rig to pay me for t ook o Atlanta to get—so tle extra bills like t. Ill e all tems do as soon as I knorying to be just as fair and  as I can, and youll o pay total o you.’

    ook a quick, s breato me like t better te room. hen Mick had penumonia------’

    I said a private room.’

    Mister Brannon  e, stumpy o a double room her kid.’

    Mrs. ilson spoke  I said. Long as your kid s my Baby sainly ougo age until ss well.’

    Youre in your rig  maybe I can scrape it up. I realize youre not trying to take advantage of us and I appreciate it. ell do w we can.’

    Sed to stay and  t Bubber ing up in tree  Sing Sing s uneasy. S out of to for t came from t in tcia sitting at table ill.

    the darkness.

    Sood under tree. t as sarted to reac limb a terrible notion came over her.

    It came to  Bubber was gone. She

    called  ans.

    Say! Bubber!’

    it feeling in t to make sure s into t in all t arted doe s.  kid like Bubber it elling wch him.

    Sree and ran to t porch. Mrs.

    ilson  to t steps h her.

    Dad! s to do somet Bubber.  our block. e all got to get out and  him.’

    Nobody kne, looking in all ter Brannon telepen-cent taxi for Mrs. ilson and tayed to . Mister Singer sat on ters of t calm. ted for Mick to plan out t places to look for Bubber. But totle kid so smart t s t to do.

    Maybe o Portias  back into tcia ting at table o her face.

    I got tion  doo your  him.’

    t! I bet a nickel my little scared Bubber been staying in my ime.’

    Mister Brannon omobile. er Singer and Micks Dad got into tia.

    Nobody kne o save his life.

    Portias  for t on tepped inside tell tia lig lamp.

    t-out pictures on table covers and lace pillohe bed. Bubber was

    not there.

    ia suddenly said. I can tell somebody been in here.’

    Mister Singer found tcable.  quickly and t it ting  little kid  misspelled but one e said:Dear Portia,I gone to Florada. tell every body.

    Yours truly, Bubber Kellytood around surprised and stumped.  to pile in toh.

    ait a minute, Mick said. Even if Bubber is seven years old  brains enoug to tell us o run a about Florida is just a trick.’

    A trick? her Dad said.

    Yeawo places Bubber knows very muc.

    One is Florida and tlanta. Me and Bubber and Ralplanta road many a time. o start ts  o Atlanta.’

    t out to tomobile again. So climb into t  you tell nobody else, but my Bubber done also taken my gold earrings off my dresser. I never t my Bubber would o me.’

    Mister Brannon started tomobile. treets for Bubber, olanta road.

    It rue t in Bubber tougreak. ing different today ted before. Up until notle kid  always made him ashamed and nervous.

    today？

    t tlanta road. t line of o topped to ask if anyone tle barefooted kid in corduroy knickers been by t even after t ten miles nobody iced rong from t e at night.

    ttle fart back tooed to look up all t surn around and go back on tlanta road again. All to Bubber. About Baby being dead and Sing Sing and arden La tric c  errible.

    t  of tos of t of t rying to get a ride. Portias butcuck in , and on t it was like ead of seven.

    topped tomobile and o get in.  see  al s and kicked. tc aime.  like a little tiger in a trap, but finally t o t very stiff, not leaning against anything.

    to drag o t to see tion. to t room and iged eyes looking from one person to to fighe whole crowd.

    said one o the house

    until o scream: quot;Mick done it! I didnt do it Mick done it!’

    tood out and s le rocks.

    You cant get me! Nobody can get me!  yelling.

    Mick sold ories.  s   looked like notop t screaming.

    I e everybody! I e everybody!’

    t stood around. Mister Brannon rubbed  t out very quietly. Mister Singer o kno . Maybe t  a quieter. Mister Singer  from any ot times like t ter if ot  ordinary people couldnt kno Bubber, and after a  o bed.

    In t made remble all over. o t into bed  let ouco er anot to sleep.

    Sime. In t ouc and little and ty, boy smell about   Bubber and music toget er t nig much of a chance for

    o tease er  Baby t ever like little Bubber again.   and  fool around h anybody.

    Most of time  sat in t got closer and closer toime. Sed a piano, but naturally s say anyt t. Sold everybody sed a Micky Mouse c ed from Santa Claus   anyt let anyone toucory books.

    After t nigarted calling   speak muco any person and noto bot first Mick couldnt stop calling   to stop. But it  a urally called hers did.

    But  kid— George—going around by  even  was really in his mind.

    S mas Eve nig talking. Quit acting so peculiar, so alk about t out tead of ockings.’

    George  anso sleep.

    S up at four oclock in t a fire in t room and t to tmas tree and see . George  and Ralp of t got clotocking for tc it  ts ill dark s out on toes and s firecrackers and ate up t omacired out. S  into the inside room.

    EIGor Copeland sat at udying a s from the window.

    Beside ree, a to t year o practice y on Cmas Day, and no t spiced odor of neeaming coffee. In tia sat on a benc t almost double.

    Fathe desk since five oclock.

    You got no business to be up. You ougo stayed in bed until time for to-do.’

    Doctor Copeland moistened ongue. So muc tention to give to Portia. ted him.

    At last urned to ably.  there moping?’

    I just got worries, s our illie.’

    illiam?’

    You see ing me regular ever Sunday. tter  uesday. But last e. Course I not really anxious. illie—ured and s I knoo to a. tter to say to attend a coday, and o send  of clotie.’

    ?Is t all illiam said?’

    ten t t too. And t o Buster Joo kno evert and a we-iced cake.

    But I sure  few days.’

    Doctor Copelands eyes glo rest er, er. It is getting late and I must finiso tc all is ready.’

    Portia stood up and tried to make  and happy.

    you done decided about t five-dollar prize?’

    As yet I o decide just  course, he said carefully.

    A certain friend of , gave an ao tudent  essay on a given subject. t alor Copeland sole judge of t tmas party. t of tion tion: ter tion of ty. tion. Yet t it o confer upon it tor Copeland put on ration.

    tion. First I tend tuskegee College but I do not or Carver. t my education is complete I art off being a fine latsboro Boys. I ake cases for colored people against o feel t t so. e are a Rising Race. And  s beneate mans burdens for long. e cannot always sow whers reap.

    I  to be like Moses, o get up a Secret Organization of Colored Leaders and Scion of t. Otions in terested in t of our race and ed States divided o our aid. All colored people ion, and at take up all territory east of the Mississippi and

    soutomac. I s up a migry under trol of tion of Colored Leaders and Scholars.

    No —and if t into try ts.

    I e te race and  t is my ambition.

    Doctor Copeland felt ticking of to a boy ions as t should he decide？

    t any firm content at all. t te only about tions and omitted t part of tide altoget  of t of ty-five began ence, I do not  to be a servant. After t to fly airplanes, or be prizefigion o be kind to the poor.

 Part Two-7

    ter of t troubled ity of turned t s over and saure. Already rouble er  to   middle age. ter o attend Lancy.

    Doctor Copeland  to t notes on all of ients. ook out tations until e ries on ten een years old—past puberty.

    Unsuccessful attempt self-emasculation. Oversexed and  boisterously during ts, ttle pain. Voluble—very glad to see Lucy Davis—motelligent talk through paranoiac.

    Environment fair ion and cact. Fee: $ (?)’

    It is a difficult decision to make to Portia.

    quot;But I suppose I he award on Lancy Davis.’

    If you done decide, tell me about some of ts.’

    ts to be distributed at ty chen.

    tmas card. Anyone ed to ty, but t to attend opped by tten (or o e) t book kept on table in t purpose. t forty of ts s or raisins and ot too o lift tcor Copeland stood in trils quivered h pride.

    t ainly have been kindly.’

    ts a  of w is needed.’

    ?No as pleased as you can be. But you dont  to s.

    You got to find someto grumble about.  four pecks of peas, ty sacks of meaL about fifteen pounds of side meat, mullet, six dozen eggs, plenty grits, jars of tomatoes and peacs. And ttresses and four blankets. I call thing!’

    A drop in t.’

    Portia pointed to a large box in t you intend to do hem?’

    tained not junk—a y lace, a rabbitskin. Doctor Copeland scrutinized eacicle. Do not thing.

    ts from our guests o contribute. I er.quot;these here boxes and sacks so I

    can commence to tie t going to be room cime ts.

    I just going to put ts out on teps and in the yard.’

    t and cold.

    In tc odors. A disove and iced cakes filled a she cupboard.

    And none of te people. All from colored.’

    No, said Doctor Copeland. t is not wrue. Mr.

    Singer contributed a co be used for coal. And I ed o be present today. ia said. t t it o ask  like othe Caucasian race.’

    You rigia said. But I keep t my illie. I sure do oday. And I sure do ter from  just prey on my mind.

    But  to quit talking and get ready. It migime for ty to come.’

    time enougor Copeland o re  expectation and restlessness  let rate. t ten oclock t guests arrived and hey were all assembled.

    Joyful Cmas to you! said Jos, tman.  te silk handkerchief.

    Many urns of t of ts  t porcurmoil  to eacrangers roduced and clasped ted togetocmas gift!’

    Doctor Copeland stood in ter of t room by tree. ations s, some tied elaborately h

    ribbons and ot into o put t  urned to o lay aside ts in tled acles and began to look around him.

    Merry Cmas! Merry Cmas! t, in a long-tailed coat, conversing ruck. t , moved sociably to young o gaudy he room was warm andnoisy.

    Mr. Singer stood in tared at him.

    Doctor Copeland could not remember if . te stood by  a picture of Spinoza. A Jeo see him.

    ts ble ted.

    ts  in ro guests. time o speak—and ig. ted. At a sign from Jos all sounds were hushed.

    My People, began Doctor Copeland blankly. to him.

    teent o celebrate Cmas Day.   it ime. Our people oold tory of imes today our story  one.

    One y years ago anotry t is knory far across tlantic Ocean. tood as did Jesus. But s  concerned ure of t masses of il they die.

    For people on and  t dye vats of tories. his man was Karl Marx.

    Karl Marx ood t to to make  divide to Negroes or  seemed t being one of tant to a man the color of his skin.

    to make all o divide t  ts Karl Marx left to us: quot;From eaco y, to eaco ;‘

    A imidly from the Bible?’

    Doctor Copeland explained. ed dates. Are tions? I o start or enter into any discussion.’

    I presume Mr. Marx was a Cian che preacher.

    *

    ere e man?’

    Yes. But  te man. ;I consider noto myself.quot;  of o all people.’

    Doctor Copeland paused a moment longer. ting.

    quot; is ty, of any

    mercore? t is t took to make or to raise ticle.  more to tar and t dorees to make terials to to be built. trucks t carried terials to t ts more t takes more o make. So  to make it. But ? Not t trol tudy t t trol all ticle his clear so far?’

    Us understand!’

    But did tarted all over and retold w he had said.

    time tions.

    But dont clay for t money? And dont it take money to rent land and raise crops on?’

    t is a good point, said Doctor Copeland. Land, clay, timber—tural resources. Man does not make tural resources—man only develops t and rain for crops? ;t; about to let ot tural resources so everyone, not divided into little pieces but used by all to ty to  is like t o he sons

    r  up to four parts and eacake oget is tural resources s by one group of ric by all the world as a whole.

    quot;e in te properties. Per aside—but  does not contribute directly to  in to our jobs and  any price, at any time, for any purpose. e are forced to sell our bodies so t  and live. And t o labor longer for ts of otoday  put up on tforms and sold at t o sell our strengtime, our souls during almost every  o anot free men?quot;A deep voice called out from t yard. quot;t truth!’

    t hings is!’

    ?And  alone in t t remember. te te race, and te us. tohe mills.

    People w as much in need as we are ourselves.

    tred is a great evil, and no good can ever come from it.

    e must remember truto eacice of need must bring us all toget separate us. e must remember t h of value because of our labor.

    trut keep in our s

    al forget.

    But my people! e in t is for ourselves alone. itrong, true purpose, and if . Let us see, t is ture of this special mission.’

    Doctor Copeland loosened t, for in  t oo muc ts. ted. tood  attention as did to ful baby h a pacifier. Mr.

    Singer stood attentively in t of t on tigcruth.

    today o confer tudent  essay on topic, quot;My Ambition: ter tion of ty.quot; to Lancy Davis. Doctor Copeland took an envelope from  quot;to tell you t t s— but trust and fait goes .’

    Lancy rose ao . rembled. ed to read tten?’

    No, said Doctor Copeland. But I alk ime this week.’

    Yes, sir. t again.

    quot;I do not !quot; t is t? Only one in a to be a servant. e do not  serve!’

    ter in the room was uneasy.

    Listen! One out of five of us labors to build roads, or to take

    care of tation of ty, or  of to get any  all. But t of test number of our people? Many of us cook for tent to prepare t t.

    Many ime tending floo drive t are of no real use to anybody. e labor and all of our labor is ed. Is t service? No, t is slavery.

    e labor, but our labor is ed. e are not alloo serve. You students  tunate fe of our people are not alloo go to sc all. For eace ty of study and wisdom.

    quot;From eaco y, to eaco ; All of us  it is to suffer for real need.

    t is a great injustice. But tice bitterer even t—to be denied t to o ones ability. to labor a lifetime uselessly. to be denied to serve. It is far better for ts of our purse to be taken from us to be robbed of the riches of our minds and souls.

    Some of you young people o be teac most of you o keep alive. You  back and defeated. t picks cotton. ter is unable to learn to read. teac some ironing board. e atives in government. e e. In all of t country  oppressed of all people. e cannot lift up our voices. Our tongues rot in our mouts groy and lose strength for our purpose.

    People of t precious of all

    gifts. And our offerings are empt. Our gifts are trampled in t to labor more useless ts. Negroes! e must arise and be w be free!’

    In teria mounted. Doctor Copeland cs.  as to t. t a dynamo, and ed to s so t  too fall upon t in a giant voice. ts.

    Save us!’

    Migh！

    hallelujah! Save us, Lord!’

    ruggled for trol in ruggled and at last turned.  in  for trong, true voice.

    Attention!  not by prayers of mourning. Not by indolence or strong drink. Not by t by submission and  by pride. By dignity. By becoming rong. e must build strengtrue purpose.’

    opped abruptly and raig time rate in our small  commandment from Karl Marx. Every one of you at t in advance some gift. Many of you  t to  ability,  t to t urn. It is natural for us to s it is more blessed to give to receive.

    ts: quot;From eaco y, to eaco ; ‘

    Doctor Copeland  a long time as te. to rengty tion. Our pride must be strong, for we

    kno teac sacrifice so t ty of study and ime ime . time ed.

    And our mission is to a time rength.’

    It amped upon ter ground outside. t, strong coffee floated from tcs took cs, calling out tten on tia ladled tove while Marshall Nicolls passed slices of cake.

    Doctor Copeland moved about among ts, a little crowd always surrounding him.

    Someone nagged at ions; o everyto teac and explain to o and. t  of all. to speak truttended.

    Us certainly ime at ty.’

    ood in tibule saying good-bye. Over and over  tired.

    I certainly do appreciate.’

    Mr. Singer  to leave. ruly good man. e man of intellect and true knoo remain. ed and seemed to expect some final word.

    Doctor Copeland o  because eac is our greatest need. Leaders. Someone to unite and guide us.’

    After tivity tia was waschen.

    tmas tree racked over ts were broken.

    ired, but t let

    Beginning  to o put top of te on Lancy Davis. t o o form in less because  speak t and  t it from s. op drao replace tters nervously. t Mady.

    In t case ory.

    o t. On t lung t place like a calcified star. And lo t duplicated itself in t lung fartor Copeland quickly replaced tes ten on ill in retc large and scra ed—duties resumed.  —lesion reopened—X-ray s read tes. At first  make out t t know.’

    t feeling came in  ttom of the case.

    A jumbled pile of letters. Notes from tion for t of Colored People. A yelloter from Daisy. A note from on asking for a dollar and a half.

    iffly.

    time ed. t hour gone.

    Portia peeled potatoes at tcable. She was slumped over and her face was dolorous.

    hold up your shoulders, he said angrily. And cease moping.

    You mope and drool around until I cannot bear to look on you.’

    I  t illie, ster is only t  no business to worry me like

    t t kind of a boy. And I got this queer feeling.’

    ience, Daughter.’

    I reckon I o.’

    t make, but I will be back sly.’

    O.K.’

    All will be well, he said.

    Most of , cool noonday sun. tients lay scattered in is. Potts disease. ed tomobile from tUsually reet to crank to  today ted turned it vigorously ion from  and o get beneathe wheel and on his way.

    oday ood? o fade and lose trengt unsaid o ted teered tomobile sloreet  turned less love.

    J. oer as cold as t formed on tened ter afternoons glo and se blue. A t of ice crusted treets, and it er Cmas t only ten miles to t fall of snow.

    A cen  out for t onapoulos  gone. tended for miles in every direction and covered toer. In many eyes t people o be idle, a certain

    restlessness could be felt. tbreak of nes in a mill claimed suddenly t a great  o deliver a ne of commandments from t up a tabernacle and  to roll on t too. A  believed t a foreman ed on okens and sabbed . A family of Negroes moved into t dismal streets, and tion t ten by  ts. Notrike t alked about never came off because t get toget nig and slept as muc tened ts so t t  into tomorrow.

    Singer tered odorous parts of toy and violence en t colored the windows.

    Meetings .

    Comfortable little  off in plots of bros also. o strangers. e columns and intricate fences of  iron.

    tomobiles  to t led from too general stores ove. en about t ed alleys

    be of to Singer did not kno from a ter nigiful. tars   o and stopped during ted o ranger, Singer presented  ood. o be knooo s. o take in everytill t is seen most often in to stop er all he was only walking and going nowhere.

 Part Two-8

    No came about t various rumors started in toe. In tonapoulos to  except for toget t tention ten.

    So t te reet claimed  extile union t te urk ole store o  te urkis ood. And as  to squabble ivity. One old man from try said t te  tes fat tobacco crop in all try. All t him.

    Antonapoulos! ithe memory of

    nigle smile. In ogether.

    It han a year now since his friend had gone away.

    t. Rat ime—as  most of terrible onapoulos aken arouble t follorying to control t of times in t , t came back to imes.

    times t otes—ted during ten years. But someto anotate ter t  talk  it ion ances t Singer remembered when his friend was gone.

    tes name tle and transparent t t tle body he was like a blue-and-yellow rag doll.

    ted o dinner and arranged to meet  tore ill busy ore. topped table. t smells.

    Antonapoulos seemed pleased to c it into squares.

    he edge

    of rick t o be liked. ed to a vat of syrup boiling on tove and fanned ed o s it   of cold er, plunged it into tly put it back into ter again.  ongue as t agony.

    so t t o s it he shoulder.

    It er evening, and terlocked doreet Singer  to stores to sonapoulos carried to tig. making conversation er talked cen to t and pour out drinks of gin. Carl sat by tonapoulos puso aking solemn little sips. Singer could not ever remember o a stranger before, and  ao time en.

    Midnig ruined tive party. Antonapoulos returned from one of rips to t and  on o stare repeatedly at t disgust. Singer tried to make eager conversation to ranee be tent. Carl ed and beimidly. Singer could ignore tuation no longer, so at last onapoulos if omac bad and o sleep. Antonapoulos shook his head.

    ed to Carl and began to make all tures of

    obscenity o see. Carl  last teet tairs.

    knoranger.

    Carl stood airs, limp,  last t away.

    Antonapoulos let  icing, t o t and drunk up all the gin.

    No amount of persuasion could convince Antonapoulos t it le. t up in bed and his round face was dismal and reproachful.

    Large tears trickled sloo t and  be com-forted. At last  to sleep, but Singer ime. they never saw Carl again.

    ter time Antonapoulos took t money from telpiece and spent it all on t macernoon Antonapoulos  doairs naked to get t. t an electric refrigerator on tallment plan, and Antonapoulos antly and even let a fe in bed . And time Antonapoulos got drunk and threw a bowl of macaroni in his face.

    ts during t mont. And times t tten. For as t on s of il  only onapoulos whom he alone could know.

    to  was in .

    tonapoulos le  nig  was wrong or foolishe wise and good.

    onapoulos sitting in a large chair before him. he

    sat tranquil and unmoving. able.

    h was wise and smiling. And his eyes were profound.

    c o ood.

    tonapoulos o o tell t . For somethis year.

    in an alien land. Alone.  understand.

    he was bewildered.

    cheir lips.

    e Negroes  a co be free at last. And freedom is only t to contribute. e  to serve and to so labor and in turn consume t  you are te man I ered werrible need of my people.

    You see, Mister Singer? I got time. I got to be a real musician. Maybe I dont kno I y. See, Mister Singer? And to travel in a foreign country wheres snow.

    Lets finistle. I  a small one. For s the word like a worm in my brain.

    Yes? No? tle? t and cunning. ell be free and test o enslave t! But to t dangerous. e  t ideal. But its  t webs for us.

    t one rubbed  come often and  say mucions.

    to ogether—always alone.

    And invariably  t th a cordial smile.

    t for Antonapoulos  as it  monter  ter to be o be too long alone. It ime years ago onapoulos (and even ten it on a paper and tacked it on t he would give up

    cigarettes, beer, and meat for one mont days  rest or be still. ed Antonapoulos so muc t store t C to  of tore c to some soda fountain to drink a Coca-Cola. In tranger ter t ttes and beer and meat t ed.

    At first  understood t all. talked and talked—and as t on talked more and more. o t ood eacera w eache same.

    orment to  rest. tcimes o find t like to look at o t trong. In tended ter o prevent c ticles puso tips. o imes a day and stuffed to s.

    s of  til trike t of times o s it. t talking aloud to   as toget t t let .

    Singer stood in treet before tonapoulos e afternoon was smoky and

    gray. In t treaks of cold yelloer sparroterns against t last came to ligreet ed.

    side of tory. t room, and beconapoulos heir meals.

    ted  and s o t t as it—onapoulos and t for uffed sofa and tray, t on the corner.

    On late afternoons like t in tc tove.

    Antonapoulos alurned t only a ragged fringe of gold and blue could be seen inside eache supper.

    Antonapoulos tasted tove tions—five little golden lanterns. As tle lanterns ense, so t  t y. Supper  time and turn on t and drao table.

    Singer looked do t door.  of t toget night.

    t wonapoulos umbled once and   company came eacouc his fingers.

    treet range he child

    in a group togetiness spread in onapoulos was away;  o remember.

    ts of  ried to t Antonapoulos onige beds and t tig t room  become clear in iness arted doogetimes.

    It urday nigreet h people.

    Sered before ten-cent store. Families stood in line be-fore ticket box of tared at ters on display outside. traffic from tomobiles  o  a long time before crossing treet.

    store. ts iful inside tor pears, brigtle cumquats, and even a fe Ced on a customer inside. to imes ore and stood around a long while.

    o tconapoulos made t  into tore o avoid eac day  on t in treet turned a nodding. Once o send e tupelo  from C to be obliged to meet him.

    Singer stood before tc on a group of customers. Business urday nigonapoulos sometimes o e as ten oclock. tomatic popcorn popper  flakes of snohe

    smell from tore  rampled on the floor.

    Singer passed on doreet. o led. treets rung ric ligood in laug eacion Army girl in  tinkled a bell on t Singer  obliged to drop a coin into t beside her.

    te, y isements cast an orange glohe crowd.

    onapoulos  afternoon. tore aken every pay-day. ograp no toaken a picnic luncen in a field on her side.

    Singer reet for about an  last ook out curned tohe house where he lived.

    Pero his room. he hoped so.

    onapoulos a large box of presents for Cmas. Also ed gifts to eaco Mrs. Kelly. For all of toget a radio and put it on table by tor Copeland did not notice ticed it immediately and raised  kept it turned on all time  tation, and as alked o be sing above tood out on  understand  to t suited  leaning forward in ing

    very fast in emple. So listen all over to  ernoon, and imes w work and  few days w rumpled here was a look in her face he had never seen before.

    One niger Cmas all four of to visit  time. this had never happened before.

    Singer moved about ts and did  in teness to make s comfortable. But something was wrong.

    Doctor Copeland  sit do in o thers.

    t  opened t front. Mick Kelly listened to t on then becoming narrow and fixed.

    Singer  no toget. ed an outburst of some kind. In a vague o be thing.

    But in train. ogether.

    Jake Blount stood beside Doctor Copeland. I know your face.

    e run into eaceps outside.’

    Doctor Copeland moved ongue precisely as t  a ed, iff body seemed to sepped back until  outside the room.

    Biff Brannon smoked te composedly. turned to Mick and

    ing on h your business now?’

    business? Mick asked suspiciously.

    Just th.’

    O.K., I reckon, she said.

    Eac Singer as tation.

    s and smiled.

    Jake rubbed  off trying to make conversation or Copeland and sat do is t used to e t bloody warnings?’

    Mostly from testament I been  t for a long time.’

    Eaco te. ts seemed to converge in o ter hub.

    t in ter got doo ten degrees Fa.

    It een degrees ts t since t year.’

    this morning, Mick said.

    ce didnt take in enoug o meet the payroll, Jake said.

    to be ing for to go. to leave at time. Doctor Cope-land  first and tely. ood alone in t understand tuation ed to forget it o e to Antonapoulos t nig t Antonapoulos could not read did not prevent Singer from ing to  o make out t as t by o imagine t peraken, t peronapoulos only kept ters a secret from everyone. Also, it was possible

    t be a deaf-mute at tters and to  of several justifications for ters, for  a great need to e to ten, ters  trips from t to al money order. But tters e to Antonapoulos accumulated in s until roy them.

    and   and left e ters at tore. Also, o deliver a certain piece of  morning, and ed to finis no tion of delay. t . tops  tarlit sky. As  of o begin ter, but ore before t sentence ore c lights.

    tore. A clotain separated  of t it e room. Besides ory  clocks. Singer rolled up top of s felt case tter o ore urned up triped cuffs of  so t t get in his way.

    For a long time  ter of tter. ite, concentrated strokes rating look of ter to onapoulos.

    Midnig tter a. o e. o sters e of silver.

    My Only Friend:I see from our magazine t ty meets t a convention in Macon. t. I imagine it. Remember o attend one of tions but   of course I could never go  you. tates and the

    . to be a special service at one of test e t I imagine all t. My ill so long t it is difficult to remember  is. And s being like you, my Friend.

    I stood before our  noree in front? t back so as not to interfere elepree died. tten and trunk. Also, t  tore (to stroke and fondle) ate somet was very sad.

    Singer  for a long ense,  continuing tter. tood up and ligte. tale odor—tobacco.  on  and muffler and began ing again ermination.

    You remember told you about aco tell you about t o put t sure.

    t t it ure t mean t t t but t t does not let t.

    to my room and talk to me until I do not understand   being  like t o sing or sleeping or  is whey are always so busy.）

    tacimes he

    speaks eac times  I cannot folloimes , and t time  and smelling bad and in to  I  .  toget I do not kno is. And let me e you someto believe. s of ill talk and   it is true.

    I rent my room from to dress in s trousers like a boy but no a young lady. I like o come and see me. Sime no I  it is s s music.

    tion but t a good al for o go to or and  talk like a black man at all. Ot o understand because tongues do not move enougens me sometimes.  and brigo a party and I .  oery books.  drink or eat meat or attend the movies.

 Part Two-9

    Yaes. Yaal and Democrats, says tacradicts est of all ideals. I just got to get a co e t to  alloo serve, says tor. t is t;. ful one.

    t is talk  do not let t, so togety  tion in Macon t t is not so. to my

    room at time today. t like t cities. t to be rude and not attend to t . I do not understand, so I e it to you because I tand. I  I ten of tter enoug. I am also.

    It y-one days no time I  you. t come to you soon I do not kno ed. t  sick. tonapoulos in  er some time Singer sat up and reached for his pen.

    t I ordered for you did not come in time for tmas box. I expect it sly. I believe you  and be amused. I to make. At t is muc used to be. I found a cooked fly in my soup not long ago. It ables and tters. But t is not bear. Soon I ion is not due for six mont I t before then.

    I to. I am not meant to be alone and  you wand.

    Alhe morning before he was home again.

    t  s of stairs and did not stumble. ook from s t cain pen. tly over t. Almost as soon as s to his

    chin he was asleep.

    Out of terns lig of stone steps.

    Antonapoulos kneeled at top of teps.   it as t eps.  take onapoulos and thing he held above him.

    Be tac one. t naked and  ted crohe darkness.

    ared fascinated at t Antonapoulos erns so and fro in tionless. t. In teps collapsed and

    afraid.

    Sucime  somet o onapoulos did not e to  kno  at any cost—and immediately.

    In t-office t morning ice in  a package   mas t did not arrive in time. t  on tall-ment plan to be paid for over a period of t ure mace use,  Antonapoulos enjoyed.

    Singer  to reacore t morning. ten request for leave on Friday and Saturday. And alt  he could go.

    let anyone knorip before on

    leaving acked a note to   for several days because of business. raveled at nigrain reacination just as ter dawn was breaking.

    In ternoon, a little before time for ting  out to ts of ture mac of fruit  immediately to ted Antonapoulos before.

    t as ood at t  once t tonapoulos  there.

    Singer put do ttom of one of onapoulos? A nurse came into t understand. S out into to everyone . Nobody kne ioning  last  an interne in a .  ternes elbo carefully and to a small room  a desk before some papers. Shrough some files in a drawer.

    tears of nervousness and fear sely to e on a pad of paper, and  restrain ing around to see immediately ten about his friend.

    Mr. Antonapoulos ransferred to tis. I will he way.

    On topped to pick up t at t of fruit olen, but tact. erne out of t of grass to the infirmary.

    Antonapoulos!  t glance. ting propped  dressing-gourquoise

    ring. ouc temples ting.  fingers  first  see his friend.

    tood before  surprise, and  his jeweled hand.

    A feeling of sraint suc doerpane.  leave t startled  icle of tfit, but  imagined hey would look when all combined.

    Antonapoulos han he had remembered.

    t pulpy folds of  te pillo o be a Singer h him.

    Singer raised Ms imidly and began to speak. rong, skilled fingers sh loving precision.

    ioned old memories, t t ore, t eaconapoulos nodded graciously. s to  and dark, and in ttle rectangled pictures of  cimes. to his face and his hands quickened.

    lengtacer and faster. Antonapoulos nodded y.

    Eagerly Singer leaned closer and  tears.

    tonapoulos made a sloo last omacuck out , pink tongue.

    Singer lauger and his head hung

    backonapoulos rolled inued to laugously until rembled. ried to steady himself. his laughs came slow and painfully like hiccoughs.

    Antonapoulos  to compose  little feet ucked t ttom of temptuously at t. Singer ened to put t, but Antonapoulos fro ture seemed one of benediction rathanks.

    turned gravely to his friend again.

    As Singer talked  realize ime had passed.

    Only onapoulos ray did  it e. ts in turned on and outside t  dark. tients rays of supper before t dos, otted) and ting listlessly.

    Besides Antonapoulos they all seemed very sick and colorless.

    Most of t and tss slit doared at tes h wonder.

    Antonapoulos lifted ted tables.  to t in tion. te o point out ted to one man in t. t ed to a young boy and smiled and nodded and waved his plump hand.

    Singer oo o feel embarrassment. o distract onapoulos took off t t interest  all. urned back to his supper.

    Singer e explaining about the movie.

    Serne and t in a doctor. As ted t Singer. tients and tedly. Only Antonapoulos  disturbed.

    Singer iced  Dp t it could be cients. tor and took out trays and ts in turned off. A Mickey Mouse comedy flashe screen.

    Singer c first Antonapoulos artled.

    ter vierained cients calling out to eacion.  on a Popeye film. t t t tertainment ed long enoug time. c and ttled doerne put tonapoulos slyly cut o be certain t eac the machine was his.

    Singer began to talk  o leave, but ts ored in oo big to be said in a s time. alked ic e. In tat onapoulos day after day. Singer would h him joyfully.

    tle brass cross t y string  of told t, also, to e times became blurred and o shake his hands and

    begin all over. Antonapoulos cting motionless in , rics he seemed like some wise king from a legend.

    terne in co stay for an  ting time. t last   and scients tled for sleep. Singers ered. ently into o do eaced for  to fists.

    During t January niginued to  treets of to old  s come back from tain piece- e at anotate—and tales old  t o disprove te as o be.

    hY？

    tion floiced, like t of people and of objects and of ideas and tion ler and tax on. beer. Especially ated on te. ance, did Singer go arain and,   understand tion? And e ly as ted o be — ake? Singer sat at table times a day. e  before  cabbage and oysters. In ttling tumult of voices .  little green soft butter beans and he

    stacked t pile on ts.

    Biff t also of deat occurred. One day le of Agua Florida t aking Lucile t of Alices cosmetics. Meditatively tle of perfume in   of her.

    Biff uncorked ttle. ood sless before ts.

    t made iffen.  glance ood motionless. unned by t to  because of ty, but because togete. Biff rubbed   in e t oget can be urned away.

    tirely no acky and flossy and drab. tockings and pink rayon knickers ring across to dry. ty, decked airs  the slop jar.

    All of traded tudio couc a beautiful cloto .  it laid el tle boy in velvet ed—specimens of butterflies, a rare arrowudio couco make deep

    red curtains for t e. On table ttle Japanese pagoda s t tinkled range musical tones in a draught.

    In t often tle of Agua Florida and toucopper to to s. tions. t grew in him.

    Memories built t arcectural order. In a box aken before tting in a field of daisies.

    Alice  o tle boy o c  t o copy times play  t time iful clot cable. But all, strong y like a man. S. Even now imes dreamed of ayed on his finger always.

    Along  a bottle of lemon rinse Alice ried it on e-streaked . o guard against baldness and rinsed ion regularly. Certainw he had ridiculed in Alice were now his own. hy？

    Every morning Louis, tairs, brougo drink in bed. Often  propped on t up and dressed. cterns t made on tation ween oes. he remembered.

    til five in the morning he worked

    doairs. And all day Sunday. till at meal-times tances every day as ood guard beer.

    do you stand and t all time? Jake Blount asked him. You look like a Jew in Germany.’

    I am an eig Jeerdam. But all t of my folks t I kno ch-Irish.’

    It omers lolled at tables and tobacco and tle of newspaper.

    Some men in a corner boot dice, but t one.

    you be going up to his morning?’

    Blounts face turned dark and sullen.   imes and acted as t  pretty soon oget talking.

    You live a fine life. Just standing beer. Just standing h your hand open.’

    Biff did not take offense.  on s me and you alk.

    is it you  anyway?’

    Blount smacked er. ty and rougtle packages of c butter in ts not , Biff said. But o it later.’

    till drank like a crazy fis liquor did not drag  did some men. ten red, and rick of looking back startled over  of fello kids laug and dogs ed to bite. Yet when

    it cut o t roug of clo somebody was laughing.

    Biff sfully. Come, ; makes you stick  ster t. I could give you a part-time job here.’

    Camig park myself be caso give me tock, and barrel.’

    t ating.  along h people.

    talk sense, Biff said. Be serious.’

    A customer h his check and he made change.

    till quiet. Blount less. Biff felt ed to er and offered Blount a smoke. arily ion after anotime in ory you could  era would you choose?’

    Blount licked ac tongue. If you o ciff and never asking anotion, wake?’

    Sure enouged. t over.’

    o one side and peered doer o alk about.

    Ancient Greece . Children.

    templations in temples.

    Maybe he Incas. In Peru.’

    Biffs eyes scanned over ripping  burned a ric of gold and precious stones on   ac did not belong to rousers. And it han

    t.

 Part Two-10

    Or maybe around .’

    quot;t ime to be living, Biff agreed.

    Blount s self-consciously. o leave. Biff  to detain ell me—o tion  been a politic one and ed  it was queer his.

    Its trut know.’

    tood quietly for a moment, boter.

    t dinner order, a Long Island duck special, o tore. turned ween a church sermon and a swing band.

    Blount leaned over suddenly and smelled Biffs face.

    Perfume?’

    Sion, Biff said composedly.

    keep Blount longer. to go.

    er. It his.

    ed to dra out completely so t and certain questions concerning  Blount alk—only to te. It  peculiar thing.

    quot;t said. See you later.’

    So long.’

    Biff c o t. took up ties before ed on trimmings  to attract customers. It looked bad. Rigy.

    to tuck in t.ake tuff out of the window.

    And bring me t red pottery bo.’

    s  last tion pleased ed tcalk ed ts and sniffed t   for tter. Alice always had

    done t. . s scum of food bits at ttom. e do day. o leave tcake and by ter again.

    Lucile and Baby came for Sunday dinner. ttle Md  so good noill on or said it could not come off until next monthe yellow curls made her head look naked.

    Say o Uncle Biff, ed.

    Baby bridled fretfully. o Unca Biff hon, she gassed.

    S up a struggle o take off . No be saying. quot;You got to take it off or youll catc again.. No behave yourself.’

    Biff took tuation in c from  its set in truggle raig so t t ied o just t sted Baby on tle be some straoday, he said.

    Barty good mother.’

    ts a compliment’

    e just been to Sunday Sche Bible you learned for your Uncle Biff.’

    ted. Jesus , she said finally.

    t s in t sound like a terrible thing.

    ant to see Louis? Biff asked. chen.’

    I wanna see illie. I wanna he harp.’

    quot;No trying yourself, Lucile said im-patiently. You kno illies not here.

    illie  off to tentiary.’

    But Louis, Biff said. oo. Go tell o get tune.’

    Baby  toche floor.

    Lucile laid  on ter. tears in  clean and ty t c and smart. But if a cy and ugly t expect anyt Im trying to get at is t Baby is so s bandage on  it just seems like it makes  time. S practice ion—s do a t cant manage her.’

    If youd quit picking .’

    At last tled t of c up fine, cream of s for Baby. Stle frock.  il tarted. to be on  to keep thly.

    People eating. the food pushed in.

    ? t long ago. Life ter of intake and alimentation and reproduction. the radio.

    tered t, very straigailored Sunday suit.

    Blount follo be t struck  at table, and Blount talked and ate o er for a fees. t out iced again t toget made ion himself.

    could it be? te moron imes on to iced to t imes  te to neglect suc tzing

    eleps. But did it matter after all？

    Biff narroant. t mattered  and Mick made of  of o t e to give ies ted o  range t? And why？

    A one-armed man came reated o a alking to anyone.

    Sunday dinner le kids  in ten needed. It y and tables  over. Biff  for t four ired. o stand for fourteen or sixteen  notice any effects at all. But no it.

    Or maybe matured  aged—certainly not—yet. t ured. ed and it oo bright and sharp.

    o one of tresses: take over for me .’

    treet y because of Sunday. t and clear,   close to reet  out of pocket.

    turn back and stay in taurant  four Sundays  see Mick. And t it t  quite rige t Sunday s steps. But time as ly to t tilted t  down over his eyes. Perhaps she would come

    into ter. Often on Sunday after supper s cocoa and stopped for a able fit from t and ser sockings—ed to set o someto give to  only a sundae or some s to eat—but somet o h hardened.

    in  a strange guilt.

    in all men, unreck-oned and  a name.

    On tter. tily  up, cleaned t into t purse,  . Business agnant. t a single customer in the place.

    Business picked up around five. tly o  time sz. s  o be best bet. . Biff iced teetalking to ervieeetion. e.  t  matter in ten dollars a ailor doreet, and harry was an only child.

    ell, Biff said. Youve been o like it? Sure, sir. Sure I like it.’

    Biff turned ts see.  time do you get off from sc;t gives you a couple of udy and recreation. to ten. Does t leave you enougime for plenty of sleep?’

    Plenty. I dont need near t much.’

    You need about nine and a  your age, son. Pure, wholesome sleep.’

    suddenly embarrassed. Maybe   anyed to turn aside and t of something.

    ?You go to Vocational?’

    sleeve.

    Lets see. I kno of girls and boys t as t afire. o be a fool. ed to turn and  ood tly.

    Sure, I live rig door to  in school Im a senior while shes a freshman.’

    Biff stored tion neatly in o be t over later  o  comers drinking beer and remember  o ask t take your time making crack of w goes on.’

    Biff s airs. t  on ty and cold. acks of neo table laid ionary, and a mandolin. Because of t o take more teps in any direction. Biff rocked rings of to sing in a doleful voice:II  to the animal fair.

    ts  of the moonas combing his auburn hair.

    rings and t sounds so silence in the cold air.

    to adopt a couple of little c ttle girl like Mick (or Baby?) at t age. Round cy smocking at te buckskin stle red-velvet coat and cap and muff for er. ttle boy tage on ts and guide to to ions and hem.

    ？

    Biff took up um-ti-tim-ti-tee, ti-tee, ted doll t to time. tie, and Loves Old S Song. t year  kno all time  an extra dime. And t er .  at first it seemed everything was gone.

    Lucile alood t-up. S oo. Lucile o get a divorce. And so try to straig their messes.

    Biff  a p tense in ly to   y-ninto drop by ment  at tists. ed from ttle remembrance—a plate of carts or a good s. S  tered. t room ened to steps and ed. t once  alone. titter and soon great rolling  minute Lucile came back and undid ter. t bunced to craood t, burning  all over. t  as bad as took it.

    Later t nig ofherogod！

    Biff carted a rollicking corated to  ism.  .

    At last  a in to and fro in t did and? Not did ? to know. ? A mean-ing. hy? A riddle.

    Broken pictures lay like a scattered jigsaw puzzle in his head.

    Alice soaping in t turkey on display. Blounts mout -

    fing. tely dark. From tchen he could hear Louis singing.

    Biff stood up and touco still its rocking. side was very warm and brig perraighed back his hair.

    A urned to aurant led er. ook in th a glance like a lasso.

    t in teel, artistic display. cinued to examine ticed eye.  and intently ing. Singer came finally and e  ed only soup and  come.

    i o  poor. Money ime it o pay te room and private nurse. But even t  one bill. By time one t a  of t take over tgage. ty dollars and Mister Singer  on te h him.

    Aftero  rent every montead of taxes. ty near as poor as factory folks. Only nobody could look dohem.

    Bill tling plant and made ten dollars a week.

    y parlor for eight dollars.

    Etta sold tickets at a movie for five dollars. Eac t five dollars a er Singer, who paid

    very prompt. it t all came to about t to feed tty good and feed t for ts on ture.

    George and  get any lunco stop tia saved tovers from to eat after scime tcta sat e in tccs and grease and side meat and coffee for breakfast. For supper tever could be spared from to eat in tcimes s hree days.

    But tside room. It o do ries and ter   nig by to ers and a pair of Bills outgros. Excitement kept  e box from under t on to work.

    In tures sed at t free art class. Saken t of Bills room. Also in t tery books , a box of cs, a rone necklace, a ebooks. One notebook op E. KEEP OUt.

    PRIVAtE—and tied ring.

    Sebook all ter. S studying sc nigime to spend on music. Mostly sten just little tunes—songs  any  even any bass notes to t. But even if tunes his book was a real piece

    or a composition. t songs in ed to remember. Sorm.’

    S e t like it sounded in her mind.

    So t doo only a fees; ot too mixed up to go furt kno o e music. But maybe after so e tunes fairly quick so put dohe whole music in her mind.

    In January sain very , I Kno  It iful and marvelous song—very slo. At first sarted to e a poem along , but s to fit t  a o r. ted and  once. Music beautiful as to e. Sometes meant a ebook—after sime and every note.

    So concentrate  many times. o get up and   ttle h a poker and sing Dixie.’

    Somac. Later on—y—s  all of and up on tform in front of to conduct tra s or else a red dress spangled ones. tains of tage  and M.K. ed on ter Singer er and eat fried chicken. he would admire her and

    count  friend. George o tage. It y or else in a foreign country. Famous people  at uro toscanini and Admiral Byrd.

 Part Two-11

    And sime sed to. It  t autumn. tayed inside tle by little. t o be. Se, and some as it  so bring it all out again. Except  and be ready for times o  for it to groree.

    In ter Singer.

    Every afternoon as soon as sreet past tore er Singer. ain. But s tore  sed on t porco come imes sairs. S on tc aton on bis collar and brus  togeted to tell eac had never been said before.

    ime ago t back and remembered  raigurned-up nose and freckles. Se blouse. Soed. Every day s an orange for little recess and a blue tin box of lunc at little recess and ter—but not Celeste. Ss of her sandwiches and

    ate only t middle part. Al of  there.

    Celeste never talked to alked to Celeste.

    Alt hing else.

    At nig  Celeste. S t friends and t time  supper and spend t. But t never happened.

    t about Celeste  er a year Celeste moved to anot of to to another school.

    tood by o marc eigy c ted  about  about Celeste. ttery tickets for a turkey raffle. And Miss Anglin, waugh grade.

    And Carole Lombard in them.

    But er Singer t about  t   Mister Singer  t day o ask about a room sime into  back in tco tell Portia and Bubber about airs and ctress on to see if t on t porcers and c out of ten-cent taxi case and er sened to   came in a gradual  no feeling betalked to alked to a person before. And if alked he

    eace  teac nig er Singer—just ter it tle Szerland toains all around. op of all teep and pointed.

    Or in France  its being ry of Norer ocean.

    In t t on  day. Stas perfume or a drop of vanilla so t if s  to sce so sairs on o ernoon and nig there.

    Eac ant.  ootoote in a glass on able. So instead of leaving oot it in a glass, also.  like cabbage. er Brannon, mentioned t to  eat cabbage eits about o e a feo be off by ime to t over.  in o store up everyt later s over and remember.

    But in ter Singer  all. Many tside room. Sairs and broke off one of  teeter in a vacant lot, and alted for t ternoon sudying for an Englisest out on teps. o co ences for her. his eyes were quick behind his horn-

    rimmed glasses. After o ood up and jerked  ts of o be talking or doing somete.

    You see, t things nowadays, he said.

    o surprise people and sometimes s know o answer him.

    Its trut things ahead nowadays.’

    ??’

    Militant Democracy or Fascism.’

    Dont you like Republicans?’

    Ss not w I mean.’

    ts one afternoon. old tle Je grass from told about o assassinate ler.  all  told about  any justice or freedom e deliberate lies and people didnt knohe world.

    terrible—everybody kne. Sted o kill ler. It ter to  if one missed  to be a  like being a great musician.

    Eit believe in o fig I kno’

    Me too, so figs. I could dress up like a boy and nobody could ever telL Cut my hair off and all.’

    It ernoon. trees in t t to be doing someten-penny nail and drove it into teps  in o stand around aers horses, and

    little Ralpting a rock on top of one and t over to t to balance o ing marbles. Because  hin.

    Some of  teet ting blackberries. aake aim for t  back to cer a o t Baby  buddy h a single person.

    I got to go,  to be at  at t good to eat free?’

    Sure. And all kinds of folks come in t better t pays more.’

    I e Mister Brannon, Mick said. It rue t even to   t time. And ter Singers room? Maybe  took t. tainly did not. Only once a little er-color set from ten-cent store. And a nickel pencil-sharpener.

    I cant stand Mister Brarmon.’

    , imes  queer kind of person, but  crabby.  to know him.’

    One t about, Mick said. A boy ter advantage like t t some part-time job t dont take  of scime for ot t jobs like t for girls. s a job so quit scime. Id sure like to earn a couple of bucks a  t not any way.’

    on teps and untied rings.  til one broke. A man comes to the caf named Mr.

    Blount. Mr. Jake Blount. I like to listen to

    from things he says when he drinks beer. hes given me some new ideas.’

    I know him good. he comes here every Sunday.’

    ring to even lengtie it in a boen— mention to  I said. I mean I doubt if  talk to me.  talks to Mr. Singer.

    t was funny if you —you know w I mean.’

    O.K. S er Blount and s. I  mention it.’

    Dark came on. te like milk, sia in tcove made tche smell of smoke and supper.

    You knoold anybody, e to realize about it myself.’&lt;bdo&gt;ｈttｐ://ｗｗｗ?９９ｌiｂ?ｎｅｔ&lt;/bdo&gt;

    ??’

    You remember o read t things you read?’

    Sure.’

    I used to be a Fascist. I used to t his way.

    You knoures of tep togeto t o eacep toget ies because I didnt  to t it. And because at time I didnt  to t kno looked at tures and read  said underneat understand. I never kne  I . Of course later on I found out different.’

    ter against  co a young boys.

    ell, you didnt realize then------ she said.

    It errible transgression. A moral wrong.’

    t  or very  y to toucte. It errible sin for a person to c on a test, but not a sin to copy  o ick or sun-backed dresses. It errible sin to buy anytter if it cost only a nickel.

    So time whey were kids.

    Once  crossed and stayed crossed for a year.  out on  steps  at Vocational  ook  of scayed out for a whole year.

    aller and very fat. Every time so eat in cimes tle. o fig real fig just in play. Sion jujitsu and boxing. Sometimes  imes s tle kids ever broke any toy to ook time to fix it.  o fix tric lig een arted back   at Vocational and began to study urdays and read. For a long time s see mucil after t party she gave. he was very changed.

    ILike t used to be I ion for myself all time. A great engineer or a great doctor or la no  t  is errible ther hand

    Democracy. I mean I cant t I mean to be in life because I too muc t killing ler every nigy and scared of some- ■ t know w’

    S ig t trembled.  look old enougo be fifteen. itrees on t treet Mrs. ells was calling Sucker home.

    te afternoon made t a piano—I  to take music lessons, so  oget s him.

    made  like s imes  anyo your Grandmoto him.

    t o say in t ood up and looked surprised. tled co the alley.

    trong as Samson. , quick ected  a  on led allest but rong.  fig opped moving and sopped too. ill. S   on  up toget laug. As t funny. to feel queer about, but suddenly it  tle pus all right.

    So long, oo old to climb to t of his house.

    Goss ! sher in here.’

    Portia ylittle s ed in a fara and gravy and grits and a feogete. Se tes of te until all ts  still s full.

    S about Mister Singer all t upstairs. But w y feeling.

    Doairs s sit still and study for test.

    It  on a c s big as a giant.

    Finally s out e box from under tomacebook. t ty songs no s feel satisfied e a sympra—e t? Sometimes several instruments played one note, so taff est paper—t an inc. e e se trument to se toget top of te SYMPters. And under t MICK KELLY. t go any further.

    If she could only have music lessons！

    If only she could have a real piano！

    A long time passed before s started. tunes e t looked like t play in t s on figuring until Etta and o the room and

    got into bed and said so turn t off because it was eleven oclock.

    -t OR six ia ed to o tor Copeland tion: You seen anybody ter from illie yet? And every nigo tell  hing.

    At last sion no more. So t  a oned and rings loose.

    February came. turned milder, t. trees and c of doors barefoot and naked to t. ts orrid as in midsummer. ter a feer ourned dank and bitterly cold. In toed and truggle everyreets, and for a or Copeland slept at odd ill no ia ten four times and Doctor Copeland twice.

    During most of t ime to t occasionally o rest for a moment at home.

    of coffee by tcove and a deep uneasiness s had died.

    And one of tus Benedict Mady Letle deaf-mute. o speak at t as it o attend funerals o accept tation. tients  been lost because of any negligence on . t o a single room. ty. o stay aen o ly a sligremor in teadily wired.

    tia came to t ting by tc. Soxicated. isrils .  look at  busied .   milk. able.

    ted before   Portia sternly. have you had your morning meal?’

    I not going to eat breakfast, she said.

    You . If you intend to get to oday;’

    I not going to work.’

    A dread came in  ion her.

    eady in  tongue-tied?’

    I going to tell you. You going to  it. Just as soon as I able to say it I going to tell you.’

    Portia sat motionless in to ted loosely about eacher.

    urned from  a perilous sense of ease and freedom,  o be stered. te. tcate of spotless order and cleanliness. t of tove and behere was a round, black shadow.

    It about illie.’

    I knoe gingerly between his palms.

    s pleasures.

    Once I mentioned to you ter Jo t iddy. So?’

    Buster been crippled for life.’

    o o steady  tinate trembling  to control.

 Part Two-12

    Last nigo my  Buster ellme about illie. I run all t he said.’

    Yes.’

    ter and trouble come up. Portia ed. S ongue and tened  o do e guard picked on time. t on roader ry to run off in taken all taken all to t this here ice-cold room.’

    tle in .

    It  six ia said. You remember t cold spell t illie and this room like ice.’

    Portia spoke in a loen. It and. tinct in  t  and ter t broke on .  o look beo find the words already said.

    . . . and ts sruggle on t. And nobody come. ts and nobody come.’

    I am deaf, said Doctor Copeland. I cannot understand.’

    t our illie and this here ice-cold room.

    taken tied ts to ts in ts sruggle on t. It s froze. ts ss and three days. And nobody come.

    Doctor Copeland pressed  still teady trembling  stop. I cannot  you say.’

    t last to get taken illie and to t.

    Buster Jo one foot and t  our illie— sawed off.’

    tia leaned over and struck able. S cry or moan, but sruck op of table. ttled and o ttered in   try to assemble t to somewhere.

    Crippled? he asked. illiam?’

    Portia knocked able and t of a drum and  took up tly tted to tood.

    hey send him home?’

    Portia leaned er dont kno. Soon aftere all t places. t Buster to anoto be home soon now.’

    t for a long time, looking into eactled against eeto a saucer and some of it dripped down on her lap.

    illiam------ Doctor Copeland said. As eet deeply into ongue and  for a long wia held his hand.

    t made tside it ill raining.

    If I means to get to ter go on noia said.

    opped at t-rack to put on  and s in a gust of , cold air.  out on treet curb  neion. Along the

    sideia leaned against tor Copeland folloer ouco steady railed behem.

    ed for terrible anger as t out of t. But it did not come to ed  fences and t  into til at last touctom of despair and took ease.

    In tain strong and ed laugo raged soul beneat  music but only ted do rong, true purpose t  rest tom of utmost ion and for a ？

    But  onward.

    ?Uncle, said Mick. You t coffee ter?’

    Doctor Copeland looked into  gave no sign t o last to tia ered first and teps outside. Mick and tle brotcia told of illiam. Doctor Copeland did not listen to t art, a middle, and an end. to to hear.

    Doctor Copeland sat on a stool in t and seamed over tove.  on  t occesionally h a handkerchief.

    rembled, and all of iff  to make it be still.Mr. Singer came into tor Copeland raised up his

    face to y or e. Of all t express tions. For ood thing.

    Mick ia, quot;s your fathers name?’

    Mady Copeland.’

    Mick leaned over close to Doctor Copeland and sed in , dont you t coffee tle better?’

    Doctor Copeland started.

    Quit t ia said. he can hear well as you can.’

    Oied t and put tove to boil again.

    te still lingered in tor Copeland still looked into his face. You heard?’

    ll to those prison guards? Mick asked.

    dont knoia said. I just dont know.’

    Id do somet it.’

    Not t’

    quot;t to be treated just like them.

    orse. I wishose men myself.’

    quot;t aint no Cian o talk, Portia said. Js can just rest back and knoo be ccing by Satan.’

    Anyill play his harp.’

    its sa about all he can do.’

    t. In tcure about. t table to tc in a baggy pair of trousers and a bathrobe.

    te greedily in tcs of the house.

    Mick or Copeland a cup of coffee mixed ery milk. to the saucer,

    so first  ed coffee at all.

    I wishem, Mick said.

    ted. t out to  for sc into one of t rooms. Mrs. Kelly oairs.

    te still stood in tor Copeland gazed up into  sound—t—but ion all te was gone.

    Doctor Copeland and Portia ime on tool in t last o go.

    *You sit back doo stay togeto fry some fisatoes for tay on o serve you a good  meal.’

    You know I have calls.’

    Less us just to really bust loose. Besides, I dont  you messing around in treets by yourself.’

    ated and felt t. It was very damp. Daugs.’

    Portia ove until t.

    Stoned  and turned up t his neck.

    and spat into one of t  tove. On t opped and spoke to eps. ed t ay ia if o get leave from work.

    teadily. to t refuse. As  he ground.

    rictly necessary visits. ttended to office patients from noon until ter s clencig it o try to cogitate on thing.

    o see a  at time  sit alone in ty room.  on  and  out again into t, cold street. In  ions to be left at the pharmacy.

    But   into tore and laid tions upon ter. t turned from t bot before he gained his poise.

    Doctor, ;You must be a I and all our colleagues and t in our minds and end to you our deepest sympathy.’

    Doctor Copeland turned sly and left  a  oo little. Sometrong, true purpose, to justice. iffly, o oreet. ated  success. e person of poo t of eace men ter in . At last .  ate but entered quickly, determined to see t afternoon.

    t y except for a feher side.

    kno t last o a narrow passage.

    e men stood talking togeto to pass, but one of turned to stop him.

    you ?’

    quot;ill you please tell me wed?’

    te man jerked oor Copeland recognized y sheriff.

    times but ty did not remember e people looked

    similar to Negroes but Negroes took care to differentiate beto   usually boto fix te man said,  you , Reverend?’

    title nettled  a minister, or. My name is Benedict Mady Copeland and I ely on urgent business.’

    ty e men in t a clearly enunciated speec so?  y ser ilson and I tell you ther day.’

    It is imperative t I see tor Copeland said. I .’

    t trance of t doe men continued to talk, but  tcermined not to leave.

    More te men  freely back and fort ty c rigid, urn later in ternoon here.

    All of  in  no let hdraw.

    Come y said finally.

    rembled, and eady on . Yes?’

    you say you ed to see t?’

    I did not say, said Doctor Copeland. I merely said t my business .’

    ?You cant stand up straig you? I smell it on your breath.’

    quot;t is a lie, said Doctor Copeland slowly.  ——’

    truck  the wall.

    to t resist.

    ts trouble ry, these

    damn biggity niggers like  ted for terrible anger and felt it arise in  umbled. t o took o tation and to t  trengto ruck rengt  time. .  s and even struck at tc so t  move. t by foot to a cell was opened. Someone beo he floor.

    In te men ce prisoner  more teen years of age. tor Copeland lay on to them.

    you Doctor Copeland?’

    he said yes.

    *My name Dary e. You taken out my sisters tonsils last year.’

    ted ten odor. A pail brimming ely  , for in plates he floor. his dinner of cabbage and cornbread was beside him.

    on tly several times. hen

    tled in . After a o sneeze also. Doctor Copeland ran out of squares of paper and o use ss from a notebook in . te boyleaned over t ter run from o t of . ed, he edge of a bunk and groaned.

    Soon t to tory, and on turn to occupy four bunks. to a bunk together.

    t in t.  keep tered and  up y blanket e boy,   t tate upon trong, true purpose and drarengt. he misery in him.

    tide of urned. A  seemed o a place .

    t morning t. trange Souter  its end. Doctor Copeland tle group ed outside there.

    Portia and  also.

    t see them clearly.

    t.

    Fat you kno aint no o  a  t and .’

    o a ten-cent taxicab, and to te pillow.

    M

    ICK could not sleep all nigta oo narro illie. Nearly a montia old about o  still s forget it. t s on  six oclock so tc. It  t queer  like it. t ed around  up and opened to tairs. Sgoo the back room.

    Move over, George. Kter of t s iged like  someto figure out. tle  spot on the pillow. She pushed him.

    ait------ he said in his sleep.

    Move over on your side. ?ait------Lemme just finishishere------’

    So  e, because the back window. George was gone.

    From ter running. Etta and alking in tion came to ened at t it o surprise them.

    tta ill in bed.

    Sure of an actor. From  you t boy e h------’

    ta? Mick asked. Se box ill in t place

    A lot you care, Etta said.

    You neednt try to pick a fight’

    Ettas face errible pain in omac o do or said to cut out  a to . t any money.

    ? me to act, anye question and tart to nag at me. I feel like I ougo be sorry for you because youre sick, but you  let me be decent. turally get mad. So t! I bet my  last nig seemed to me like I  t table by t sleep in t sofa cramps me so muc stay in it’

    talking so loud,hazel said.

    Mick knelt do t tring t ied around it. Say, his?’

    S! Etta said.   to mess h your junk for?’

    You just better not. Id kill anybody t tried to mess e things.’

    Listen to t, ;Mick Kelly, I t selfis care a t anybody but------’

    A! Sed bothem.

    t errible to t it rue.

    cia. es of tled against cable.

    time is it? er Singer gone yet?’

    ?ia said. It near about ten oclock.’

    ten oclock! Golly! I never  t late before.*

    * you keep in t big box you tote around h you?’

    Mick reaco tove and broug s. Ask me no questions and til tell you no lies. A bad

    end comes to a person who pries.*

    If ttle extra milk I til just  poured over some crumbled bread,  le my stomac open ts and put slices of fried  inside t doeps to eat . t. Spare-ribs and Sucker  and t ts. ting eacream of er sparkled brighe sun.

    t sprays of it like mist and in t te ss, Ralpgo and fres in different s like summer-time. Fuzy little yellos buzzed around the alley fence.

    quot;atc up over my cer runs down.’

    Soo full of energy to sit still. George  and  to a limb of tree for a punco  t it in time to t  and it bruised her knuckles.

    Aooed ter rigs busted my eardrum. I cant even  me skeet some. Sprays of ter bleo urned t , so s o t porcting on eps reading the newspaper.

    S out tebook. But it tle ed to e down.

    ion and s think.

    Salked about so many tely. Nearly every day togetalked about God. Sometimes s and s t.

    t ist or Catholic or Jew.

    after you s and fire and dirt and clouds and er. It took t of all tI t ter t ter thing.

    o hen came over.

    Its  like summer, he said. And only March.’

    Yeah. I wish we could go swimming.’

    e here was any place.’

    t any place. Except t country club pool.’

    I sure o do someto get out and go somewhere.’

    quot;Me too, s! I knos out in try about fifteen miles. Its a deep, s ime. Mrs. ells took me and George and Pete and Sucker sime last year.’

    If you  to I can get bicycles and omorrow. I h.’

    ell ride out and take a picnic dinner, Mick said.

    O.K. Itl borrohe bikes.’

    It ime for o go to . ree ook a running jump, caug rue they were real good friends.

    Also omorrocil urned t rue t o be a very good-looking fellow.

    ry  from ting on the

    back steps reading t ler.

    t early in trapped ts to t and sunny. it of to and ereen and trees alked in a very excited o th was very dry and she was hungry.

 Part Two-13

    See t op and get some er.’

    No, ter . ell er gives you typhoid.’

    I already yped foot.’

    I remember.’

    Yeaayed in t room  on t t so I was bald-headed.’

    I bet  least ten miles from tooo.’

    I sure am ty, Mick said. And  you got in t sack for lunch?’

    Cold liver pudding and chicken salad sandwiches and pie.’

    ts a good picnic dinner. S s. I got te little packages of salt and pepper. And sander. Everything wrapped in oil paper.

    And paper napkins.’

    I didnt intend for you to bring anyt o a store soon and get cold drinks.’

    to tation store.  in aer t glare tore seemed dark. tacked e meat, cans of oil, and sacks of meal. Flies buzzed over a big, sticky jar of

    loose candy on ter.

    ? kind of drinks you got? harry asked.

    toreman started to name t good in ter.

    I  a ce Ne any of them?’

    Ditto,  two.’

    No,  a minute.  a bottle of beer if you can treat as   it y to drink beer—but maybe  suddenly ed to be a sport. After t ser face. t on teps in front of tore.

    Micks legs ired t them jumped.

    Stle ook a long, cold pull. Across ty field of grass, and beyond t a fringe of pine rees   black. t blue.

    I like beer, so sop bread do. I like to lick salt out my tle to myself Ive ever had.’

    t s t tastes good.’

    toreman said it oo go.  in t sun again. alking loud and  laug any reason.

    Gos sun makes me dizzy. But I sure do feel good, he said.

    I cant  to get in swimming.’

    to t on to keep from bogging.  uck to . ill kept talking. to red clay and tias broto play on ime to it.

    the place she had been looking for.

    quot;t! See t sign t says PRIVAtE? e got to climb take t pathere—see!’

    t. Slick pine needles covered tes ter . Cool. t from ter and a breeze singing rees.

    It  imid, and tly along the creek.

    Dont it look pretty.’

    makes you s jump in ter and cool off.’

    Arent you hungry?’

    O.K. t first. ell eat er on w’

    Sly and stuffed to a ree stump. took s and  doh.

    Sruggled into  t oo small and cut he legs.

    quot;You ready? harry hollered.

    Ser and  until I find out if tumps or s looked at er. Sended to dive, anyayed out of parts t  o tell old a tale:I dont dive any more. I used to dive, ime.

    But once I busted my  dive any more. S for a minute. It was a double jack-knife dive I was doing. And wer.

    But I didnt t it and just began to do sricks. t me. t wer was coming from.

    And I never have swam good since.’

    t.’

    S to add on to tale to make it sound more reasonable, but instead s looked at  broer made it s and legs. In tigrunks   and blue.

    embarrassed.

    ters about ten feet deep except over on ts s going. I bet t cold er feels good.’

    S scared. S t caug top of a very ree and to do but just climb do  until it broke in o swim.

    Once s under, but s going and didnt lose any face. Souctom. t good.

    Ser s and called out crazy o make echoes.

    atch here!’

    all, ttle tree. trunk  so ter.

    Me too! atc!’

    quot;ts a sapling.’

    Sly er oo. Now she could swim O.K.

    ter. t eac seem to be anyto do. Suddenly she said:have you ever swam naked?’

    t and for a minute  answer.

    itties urned eettered. I—I dont think so.’

    tement o say. I o.’

    bangs of his hair. O.K.’

    took off ts. o umbled and urned to more man a minute.ree and tore it to pieces. e better get dressed.’

    All t, sleepy feeling of a summer afternoon.

    In t ter and tuffed egg and mas did t make he.

    t;Listen ty, Mick. I never did t mean I t you  mean t------’

    Ser. Maybe ter start back if  to be home before dark.’

    No, s lie do for a minute.’

    cs ig was like sense all over.

    Now we can sleep and be fresrip home.’

    t bed and looked up at t te like an oboe —and t sank doones and called again. tion  words.

    I love t bird, s a vireo.’

    I c on ter. You  to tly  like?’

    he waves.

    Sometimes blue and sometimes green, and in t sun ttle s back in a cigar box. And over

    ter are te gulls. e  time and ts never baking  like it is here. Always------’

    Snos  to see. Cold, s of snoures. Blizzards. e, cold sno keeps falling soft and falls on and on and on ter. Snow like in Alaska.’

    turned at time. t eac rembling and s igo crack. O saying over and over. It ed somethe way.

    t was.

    t. ty road, for it e afternoon.

    Listen here, he said.

    Yeah.’

    quot;e got to understand t to. Do you—any?’

    I dont kno.’

    Listen  to do somets sit down.’

    t by a ditche road.

    t far apart from eace sun burned do beds all around them.

    e got to understand this, harry said.

    very still and tears rolled do t made him cry.

    An ant stung  up in  it very close.

    Its this way, he said.  never had even kissed a girl before.’

    Me neit of the family.*

    ts all I used to t—o kiss tain girl. I used to plan about it during sc it at night.

    And te. And I could tell s for me to kiss  looked at he dark and I

    couldnt t —to kiss ime came I couldnt.’

    S.

    It . Adultery is a terrible sin any  it. And you  a kid.quot;No, I . I  any kid. But now I wishough.’

    listen  to  married—secretly or any other way.’

    Mick s like t. I never h any boy.’

    I never  And Im not just saying so—its true.’

    tom lip tled and bloody .  and  and scourned her head from him.

    tter if only  quit talking.  treaked red-and-c a broken  a pine tree across from tising for a man for county sed to sit quiet for a long time and not t say a word.

    Im leaving toayed his in my eyes.’

    tell me. Can you look at me and see the difference?’

    cime and nodded t he could.

    t one more t send you my address and you e and tell me for sure w.’

    ?how you mean? she asked slowly.

    o o e is quot;O.K.quot; and tO know.’

    tretc giant-sized on t

    over like an old beggar and kept wiping his nose on his sleeve.

    For a minute t, golden glorees and t very old, and it ed to be or not.

    teen miles and   from tchen.

    come ailor in a sreet.

    Sometimes even on Sunday. c nighodox dishes for harry and her.

    Listen here------ he said.

    Sed in t  finisurned and looked back over  s was we and hen he was gone.

    this here is a riddle, George said.

    I listening.’

    trail. t  t her.

    kin hey?’

    Less see. epfather.’

    George grinned at Portia tle square, blue teeth.

    hen.’

    You cant guess. It  you dont t a Indian being a lady.’

    Sood outside tccure. Inside it urned on and t table c t t tia owel. She looked

    t. Ralp quietly on trying a little  of old Cmas tinsel.

    tia. If ts to  two------’

    S into t o move back  t glanced at  do table and ed.

    raipsing in after everbody done finiso me like I never  off from work.’

    Nobody noticed e a big plateful of cabbage and salmon and finis. It old Portia t Miss Bro out the gasoline.

    Quit fro, Mick. Youre coming to t to fix up and try to look t you can.

    And  barge out like t wo give Ralpo bed. Clean his nose and ears good.’

    Ralp icky meal. S  table as ook up tco bed. Sia chen.

    Listen! Look at me. Do you notice anyt? Sure I notice, hon.’

    Portia put on  and changed her shoes. ell—?’

    Just you take a little grease and rub it on your face. Your nose already done peeled very bad. t thing for bad sunburn.’

    Sood by ree   ter if t ell. If they knew.

    eps. quot;Mick! Oelep;

    George croried to listen in, but sz talked very loud and excited.

    My harry should be home by now. You know where he is?’

    *No, maam.’

    on bicycles. here should he be now? You know where he is? No, maam, Mick said again.

    N.

    o t again ted. trees ronger. try.

    Jake Blount ed t dizzily of t feel ly a o trouble antly.  so t omactle pouco leave top button of rousers undone.  t, but  on drinking. Liquor o take one small glass to make it better. Noo . It  t t gave  tion of t so all turated  mont a quart of w make him drunk.

    out liquor entirely. For several days er and Orange Crusernoons and evenings.  sleep and it o try to read.

    tink in ed less in t last  had come.

    A dream ed   come to error—but trange point  never could ents of time  aical t  doubt but o dreams,

    tesque nig led o a madmans region of disorder, but al scattered ts of t them.

    tealt nature.  t lingered in er. t  remembrance of t o save some possession? as ed by all t tudied tand. time after return.

    ter of signs  day of ting to er cold   in t on treets all day.

    e  and ragged on book full of c and crazy. Simms tried to convert him.

    Cy, I smell tink of beer on ttes. If ted us to smoke cigarettes an is on t. Repent. Let me s.quot;Jake rolled up he air.

    tained o you, age voice. Simms looked do them.’

    Simms backed against ture ed a lock of silver  back on ongue licked th. Jake laughed.

 Part Two-14

    Blasp you. You and all

    your crecer me. God c c. Like ells me t.

    God  you.’

    ook Simms doo a corner store for Coca-Colas and peanut-butter crackers. Simms began to work on him again.

    for the show Simms ran along behind him.

    Come to tonig seven oclock. Jesus  for you.’

    t days of April railed across town.

    ternoon until midnigoug an undertone of trouble.

    One nig by til e girl figicket boot, but still truggled to get at eacook sides and te girl  in her hand.

    seen you, t t oo.’

    h, you black nigger!’

    Loory tag. I done paid my money and I ghy ride.

    e man, you make icket.’

    Black nigger slut!’

    Jake looked from one to the crowd pressed close.

    there were mumbled opinions on every side.

    I seen Lurie drop icket and I ce lady pick it up. t truth, a colored boy said.

    quot;No nigger going to put e girl while------？

    quot;You quit t puso  back even if your skin do be we.’

    Rougo t!

    ;Move on—break it up. Every damnone of you. t ts t made t sullenly aurned back to two girls.

    t is, said t I one of ty cents till Friday nig ticket so ride.Jake settled trouble quickly.  ted ticket and issued anoto t of t evening t Jake moved alertly troubled and uneasy.

    In addition to  to operate take tickets and to manage t count Patterson.

    t most of ime playing cards railer. he skin of his neck hung in yellow, pulpy folds.

    During t fe midnig  to Patterson and akings of times Patterson did not notice il railer for several minutes; aring at tupor. trailer terson omacecting it from somets very thoroughly.

    Jake and tors  one of t first ried to talk to to see truted to a pool room for a drink. But t er tion bet caused trouble. It  tterson. epped out of trailer ty. t.

    wo oper-

    Iators ogetened.

    If te s a Red.’

    ickles me. I dont pay ruts around. I never seen suc. all is he, you reckon?’

    Around five foot But  to tell everybody so muca be in jail. ts whe Red Bolshivik.’

    tickles me. I cant look at  laughing.’

    act biggity h me.’

    Jake co o rus and confront t a certain shrinking held him back. For several days he fumed in silence.

    t after urned a corner  in front of them.

    I  so  Saturday nig least I reckon I am. But ood beneatreet ligepped back from ed. You pasty-faced, sted, ricket-ridden little rats! I could reac and cringy necks—one to eac or no, I could lay you on to scrape you up h shovels.’

    t eacried to  Jake  let t step hem, walking backward, a furious sneer on his face.

    All I got to say is ture I suggest you come to me  my ,  last is not ake a leak  kno together.’

    Afterreated tempt.

    Be ernoon  tely damaged and o ime to fix it. Alogetraigo e joke.t . to drink again. As soon as , for teen lessness t o sob and bite o  beneatia Jake felt tension. Of all t to  Singer. Only ood trut get t-knoo see. It rying to fig or a stink in tared morosely out of unted, smoked-blackened tree at t out neoes from a fetid stream t ran t of tohe room.

    tc and greased  seemed t tc ting alone for many   morning.  of t t street.  of all the people around him.

    Sleeping. t-kno;trutards dont knohing.

    You dont kno knoreet aled furiously on -reet stuck t of the windows.

    You dumb dumb dumb dumb bastards. You dumb dumb dumb dumb------’

    S t dumber h you.’

    ty bottle on ttle you t a time.’

    ts right, honey, a whore called.

    ted and sless. An er umbled into Singers room. o sleep.

    On an April morning c ty yards from t  t a crazy angle. t on  covered . tassel like t t tared gloomily do time. ter t the morgue.

    At t fights and quarrels.

    Sometimes to t truggling togeting rage. Jake .

    Beneaty of t liger,  something sullen and dangerous.

    ted eps constantly. to come ake a stand in to preacalked of t.  t ober , . he

    out certain drunks and scream at tement made er so t , gurgling sound. Once  up and no arguments could make  of a Gideon Bible, and told o pray on  and to te t was offered him.

    to carry cs, also. e brief sentences.

    ried to  a passerby op and ponder over t a man  a man e s pamps and distributed treets.

    If it  been for Singer, Jake kne  toimes toget more often t tly in Singers room. If o talk Singer tentive. If  morosely te understood  surprised. It seemed to  only Singer could help him now.

    tairs  Singers door y.  alone for more t steps on tairs.

    I  you. here you been?*

    Singer smiled.   it aely ook  and leaned over telpiece to e a note.

    you mean? Jake asked e ten.  off?’

    Singer took back te and e a feional sentences.

    dont surprise me.’

    in lessness of t montense and uneasy. huh! he said again.

    Singer put on a pot of coffee and got out ore te to pieces and rolled ts between his

    sing palms.

    But somet ter a while.

    You kno?’

    Singer nodded uncertainly.

    I  to see tory. ake me around there?’

    Singer deliberated. te on a pad of paper, tonight.’

    Jake o o lessly around thing.’

    J AKE and Singer ed on t porciently and pressed  tood s of color on tle of gin toget and dark. Jake c s softly tia opened them.

    I certainly trust you not been ing long. So many folks been coming t us t it o untaclemens just let me take you s—Faty sick.’

    Jake tiptoed he bare, narrow hall.

    At tcopped s t. A fire burned in tove and tigain Negro smell. tove  in t.

    quot;tlemens come to inquire about Fatia said. I to see you but I better go on in first and prepare him.’

    Jake fingered ticed impression from t screen door. ts not it, o talk her.’

    tanding. Singer motioned to to be seated again. t doto lounged against

    t in a corner  legs umpy thighs.

    Good evening, Jake said awkwardly. Your name Copeland?’

    t umps of o the wall. My name illie.’

    you ia. this here is Mr.

    Singer t you . And te gentleman is Mr. Blount and he a very close friend of Mr.

    Singer. t kindly come to inquireabout us in our trouble. Surned to Jake and motioned to too. Named Buddy. And tove is ther. Named Mr.

    Marss. I t a good idea to understand wh you.’

    turned to illie again. I just  you to tell me about it so I can get it straight in my mind.’

    t is, illie said. I feel like my feets is still ing. I got terrible misery dooes. Yet t in my feets is do a o understand. My feets  me so bad all time and I dont know wo me.

    than a hundred m-miles from here.’

    I mean about  all happened, Jake said.

    Uneasily illie looked up at er. I dont remember—very good.’

    Course you remember, old us over and over.’

    ell------ timid and sullen. *Us on ter say someto te man taken a stick to ries to run off. And I follo so quick I dont remember good just  aken us back to the camp and------’

    I kno, Jake said. But give me tell me the guards.’

    Listen e man. It seem to me like you meaning to get me into trouble.’

    trouble! Jake said rudely. quot; in t do you think youre in now?’

    Less us quiet doia said nervously. quot;t is, Mr. Blount. t illie off at time  t on  to—I believe you understand urally illie urally us means tobe careful—cause t t t enougrouble as is.’

    o the guards?’

    te men  old me.’

    And where are your friends now?’

    quot; friends?’

    ?wo boys.’

    t my friends, illie said. Us all ’

    how you mean?’

    Portia pulled  tretc like rubber. quot;t illie means. You see, during t so bad to quarrel. illie dont ever  to see any of t one t already. ter------’

    quot;Buster got a reet today.’

    ter dont  o  to round up all toget know.’

    t aint a good idea. And besides us  tumps of rong   tor never given to me. I sure do wishey are.’

    Jake looked around h dazed, gin-clouded eyes.

    Everytrange. t in the

    kitc voices ec urned on but, as to dim its strengt of t came from bet stove. t uneasy and alone. Singer  to visit Portias fated o come back so t t doween Marss.

    ias fator Copeland is in t room, sir, said Roberts.

    Is or?’

    quot;Yes, sir. or.’

    teps outside and tened t a tall boy dressed  and gilded sered t seventeen.

    you all brought me?’

    ely to Jake and placed on table t jars of  beside te covered e napkin.

    t from ty, highboy said.

    And Lancys mot some peach puffs.’

    or, Miss Portia? Lancy asked.

    ?y sick t  a bad sign rong. Portia turned to Jake. Dont you t a bad sign, Mr. Blount?’

    Jake stared at  know.’

    Lancy glanced sullenly at Jake and pulled dogroor my familys regards.’

    Us certainly do appreciate tia said. quot;Fat ts to give you. ait just one minute  and rinc te to return to your Motainly a kindly to do.’

    Marso to speak to riped trousers and a morning coat ton and said: Pardon me, sir—but unavoidably ion rouble ably  course to take.’

    You one of ives or the preacher in his church?’

    ?No, I am a p. And Jos on your left is employed in tal department of t.’

    A postman, repeated Jos.

    itook a yelloer extensively.

    And  doubt as members of try of America o do our part toending amicable relationships.’

    e  ts.

    And it beo strive  endanger tionsablister condition .’

    Jake turned from one to t seem to follo ing ed to get out. A film seemed to tled over  all the faces around him were blurred.

    Across tening. t of . I so y t out tune. I certainly o taste some of t boogie-o o drink is t t knowed ws are now and could drink a glass of gin ever nig mind so much.’

    Dont fret, o ia said.

    Mr. Blount, o take a peach puff and a glass of wine?’

    t would be good.’

    Quickly Portia laid a clotable and set doe and a fork. Sumblerful of t make yourself comfortable  mind I going to serve thers.’

    t jars o mouto illie ias lipstick and dreo set ter. Jake finiso rong as brandy.

    illie started a loune on ia snapped he room.

    Jake turned to Marsias fator?’

    quot;Yes, sir. Yes, indeed. A skilled doctor.s tter h him?’

    t eacher.

    , said Jos.

    kind of an accident?’

    A bad one. A deplorable one.’

    Marshall Nicolls folded and unfolded his silk handkerchief.

    As ant not to impair tions but to promote tly possible. e members of t strive in all o uplift our citizens. tor in yonder rived in every  sometimes it o me like  recognized fully enougain elements of t races and tuation.’

    Impatiently Jake gulped do swallows of his wine.

    C sake, man, speak out plain, because I cant understand a thing you say.’

    Marss exc look.

    Across till sat playing music. , puckered caterpillars. rong.

    tumps of ime to tia clapped out thm.

    Jake stood up, and once on   aggered and tively around

    no one seemed to iced. ia thickly.

    topped. , I t you knoing at table o t co s ime for o go. You looked straig  you kno.’

    Maybe I  someturned to illie and said angrily to  to tell you o ask you to do anything.

    All I ed—all I ed o testify  t ory and afterhing.

    Maybe it------’

    t o forget o say. trange faces and too to breataggered across to it.  smelling of medicine. turning another doorknob.

 Part Two-15

    ood on te room furnis, and tairs at Singers  te, stiff pillows.

    t red but tionless as a black mask except for tters of rils h.

    Get out, the Negro said.

    ait------ Jake said ?’

    this is my house.’

    Jake could not dra why?’

    You are a ranger.’

    Jake did not leave. ion to

    one of traige ced erpane. tered ced. In tense as conspiracy or as t before an explosion.

    It  midnigy bottle of gin. Scattered aserpane. Doctor Copeland pressed ensely into te cotton nig o tie  ed  ting dialogue. And now a pause had come.

    So time is ready for------ Jake began.But Doctor Copeland interrupted  is per ed. I beg your pardon, Doctor Copeland said.

    Sorry, said Jake. Go on.’

    No, you continue.’

    ell------ Jake said. I  say arted to say.

    Instead  trangled Souted South.’

    And the Negro people.’

    to steady  from ttle on tely o t and picked up a small, c served as a paperate of ed and ted and  defense. But! But if you o ask me to point out t uncivilized area on t here------’

    atcor Copeland. Youre out in the ocean.’

    Jake turned t, grimy ted spot. een

    states. I knoalking about. I read books and I go around. I been in every damn one of teen states. Ive  country in ty and to spare for no man, . And in addition to try rue principle—ty, and rig  start? tions  get to eat. And een states tation of —t its a t to take in  would make a man go cray.

    At least one tter off t peasant in any European Fasciststate. tenant farm is only seventy-ts ty-five to ninety dollars per person. And ty-five dollars a year means just about ten cents for a full days arvation. But! Jake nibbed y fist. S stood out on ! ed.

    toucalking about t trutold so t see trut alloo know.’

    And tor Copeland. to understand w is o us you o------’

    Jake interrupted ions in th.

    t, t. But s one place. eats s one spot ton mills, our pulp mills, our ories, our mattress factories.

    t ache

    quivered angrily. o t paternal system of American industry.

    Absentee o fit for o live in. Moreover, t to be not slums in t place. ties are not t  to tle. Built tention to needs ties for pigs. For under tem pigs are valuable and men are not. You cant make pork c of skinny little mill kids. You cant sell but  a pig------’

    or Copeland. You are getting off on a tangent. And besides, you are giving no attention to te question of t get a is impossible to see tuation  including us Negroes.’

    Back to our mill village, Jake said. A young lint t or ten dollars a  sucimes as  er t c o say eig ed store. tore overcem. it is t  to t so  t. But its taken a  of lies to keep them from knowing.’

    t------ said Doctor Cbpeland.

    time   t period has gone—and gone for good.

    Less tions  a feries he blood

    and softened tem of capitalistic democracy is—rotten and corrupt. t revolutionary and permanent kind.’

    And t forget t now and always has been.’

    Yeah.’

    quot;tural life. ic robbery of money and goods  taken place  is simply because to accrue  place.’

    ts tem, Jake said.

    tor Copeland bitter-ry. tory of my people e erminable ory of t. Like a certain species of sea gull. If you capture one of tie a red string of to death.’

    Doctor Copeland took off acles and rebound a ion. Mr. Singer is a Jew.’

    No, youre here.’

    But I am positive t  time I saw old me so.’

    ed. quot;. Irish and Anglo-Saxon.’

    ?But------’

    Im certain. Absolutely.’

    Very or Copeland. e  quarrel.’

    Outside t t  daurned from silver to ill. the clear, lonely song of a

    spring bird in tside. t breeze bleenseness and exion.

    Doctor Copeland leaned for and cerpane. ts  itude. Deep black circles . t eaced.

    As tenseness betrained.

    At last Doctor Copeland cleared  and said: I am certain you did not come  discussed ts all t to no purpose. e alked of everyt t vital subject of all—t.  must be done.’

    till ced. In tation. Doctor Copeland sat bolt uprig ted inued. And tantly to speak at time.

    Excuse me, Jake said. Go ahead.’

    No, you. You started first.’

    Go on.’

    Psor Copeland. Continue.’

    Jake stared at ical eyes. Its this way.

    t. tion is for to knorut  is won.’

    Yes, once tand ty. But o tell them?’

    Listen, Jake said. t cters. If one person sends a letter to ten people and ten people sends letters to ten more—you get it? ered. Not t I e letters, but t go around telling.

    And if in one too just ten of t-knohen I feel like some good has been done. See?’

    Doctor Copeland looked at Jake in surprise. ted.

    Do not be c just go about talking. Cters indeed! Kno-knows!’

    Jakes lips trembled and h quick anger.

    O.K.   to offer?’

    I  t I used to feel someion. But I  a mistake t attitude is.

    For ury I t it o be patient.’

    I didnt say be patient.’

    In tality I . Before injustice I ical ead of t.

    As an armor against oppression I taugience and faitraitor to myself and to my people. All t is rot. Noime to act and to act quickly. Fig ’

    But how? Jake asked. how?’

    ting out and doing togetting to demonstrate.’

    last p;getting to demonstrate.quot;  good  do if you get to demonstrate against a t knorying to stuff the hog by way of his ass.’

    Sucor Copeland said prudishly.

    For C sake! I dont care if t’

    Doctor Copeland  us not get so overed,  us attempt to see eye to eye her.’

    Suits me. I dont  to figh you.’

    t. Doctor Copeland moved o times  o speak and eacime t in  last o you is t attempt to stand alone.’

    But------’

    But, notor Copeland didactically. quot;t fatal try to stand alone.’

    I see ting at.’

    Doctor Copeland pulled ts up over  gatigo . You believe in truggle of my people for ts?’

    tors agitation and ion made Jakes eyes brim suddenly ears. A quick, serpane and  fast. Sure, he said.

    quot;tremity of our need?’

    Yes.’

    quot;tice? tter inequality?’

    Doctor Copeland coug into one of t beneat is a very simple, concentrated plan. I mean to focus on only one objective. In August of to lead more ty on a marco ason. All of us toget yonder you ack of letters or Copeland slid he narrow bed.

    You remember o you a s o you  attempt to stand alone.’

    I get it, Jake said.

    *But once you enter t must be all. First and foremost.

    Your  give of your int,  urn,  rest or .’

    For ts of th.’

    In ty. And it must be either yes or no.’

    Doctor Copeland leaned back on tly purple. Jake scorembling mouto side t pale ligric bulb suspended from the dawn.

    Jake rose to  and stood stiffly at t of the bed. he

    said flatly: No. ts not t angle at all. Im dead sure its not. In t place, youd never get out of to up by saying its a menace to public rumped-up reason. t you and not. But even if by some miracle you got to ason it  do a bit of good. ion is crazy.’

    ttle of por Cope-lands t. o sneer and condemn, ead?’

    I didnt sneer, Jake said. I only remarked t your plan is crazy. I come onigter t. I ed your son, illie, and to let me puso tell ero tell alk on tics of capitalism—and ss lies. I  everyone and w off. And make everyone whem know.’

    Psor Copeland furious-ly.  do not believe you  it o laug t.

    Never unity to  hand.’

    tared at eacter disappointment and anger.

    ttle of a reet outside. Jake s  everytly backward.

    to solve talism is to geld every one of teen million black men in tates.’

    So t is ting about justice.’

    I didnt say it s see t for trees. Jake spoke h slow and painful care.

    to start at ttom. traditions smased. to forge a o make man a social creature for the

    first time, living in an orderly and controlled society o be unjust in order to survive. A social tradition in which------’

    Doctor Copeland clapped ironically. Very good,  tton must be picked before t do-notheories can------’

    raggle up to t stinking cesspool of a place called ason?  difference does it make?  do a feter—a fee, good or bad? y is built on a foundation of black lies.’

    Everytor Copeland panted. Everything！

    Nothing!’

    quot;t and most evil of us on t of justice than------’

    O! Jake said. Balls!’

    Blaspor Copeland. Foul blasphemer!’

    Jake so t of bursting and -sig!e------ Doctor Copelands voice failed ruggled and no sound  last o bring forth a choked whisper: Fiend.’

    t yello tor Copelands ed at a broken angle, a fleck of bloody foam on  he room.

    Nlt;oay in to be around somebody all time. Doing somete. And if sed or figured ed all t ted every blade of grass in the back yard and every leaf on a

    certain bus errible afraidness came in ernoons and suddenly so t a p a boor te bery to to time s about good t last. tes and tte smoked. t er t? And time a here？

    Just Mister Singer. Sed to folloeps to ernoon as soon as sc tore  to drink a Coca-Cola. Screet and go into tore and finally come out again.

    Simes even wook walks. S know.

    So see  s some vanilla on t of  to visit  o get tired of  aling over tty ch him.

    Mister Singer,  snoer-time?’

    ilted  the wall and nodded.

    In some different country this one—in a foreign place?’

    e on raveled to Ontario, Canada—across troit Canada  te

    snoed up to t . Lareets speaking Frenco eacs and we ice igloos.

    tic region iful norts.

    quot; and get any fres it   t way.’

    urned o one side because  understand.

    S ask tion again because suddenly it sounded silly. S ed. A big, black sric fan cooled t air. All . It ed to tell eac old before.  so say errible and afraid. But  it . Maybe it  could not be spoken ing. Maybe o let and t  h him.

    I  asking you about Canada—but it didnt amount to anyter Singer.’

    Doairs in ty of trouble.

    Etta ill so sick t s sleepcrotas job  meant eigors bill.

    tc kitcove. tco cime else  ters. On Georges birt tle red bike  on to give it to

    pay, and after tallments  due tore sent a man out to take t c into t the door.

    It ime. to t payment on some furniture.

    And no too. taken, but nobody ever paid t on time.

    For a o  another job.

    do carpenter  made tery to be more ten feet off t nobody   tion.

    Its advertising, Mick, ve come to ts all in tter c no to sell myself. I got to get out and let people knochem good and cheap.

    You just mark my o build up to make a good living for t of my life. Just by advertising.’

    s of tin and some red paint. For t o  room.  do care over ting of eacter. As led and o calm  first c*Mick, I  to  you rigo stand out whem.’

    S first. t ted to add more and more t top and bottom. Before ered all over  Once and You Give Me Any atc Run.’

    You tried to e so muc nobody old him.

    in and left to ed t big block letters

    and a picture of a clock. Soon ack of t in try rees and fenceposts. At bot up a sign ing tohe house.

    And over t door ther sign.

 Part Two-16

    ter tising  room dressed in a clean s and a tie. Noto do at  in a couple of clocks. t   go out to look for ot every minute o be busy around took do or not. ia and scrubbed tairs.  a contraption ciful alp blocks for Ralped a little needle-tc o  pains.

    Mick still folloer Singer. But s  to. It  er   to er Brannons s into t a nickel for a sack of peanuts.

    t nigayed on te side of treet from  a block beopped, sopped also—and   sometimes to  sried o keep busy at home.

    S noo be fooling  up   on in ter y dollars at a movie bank nig  s

    like a boys. S dance in took o see it Baby began to yell and cut up during one of to drag  of to wo make oo. George ed Baby. op up e ells ran away from ed and very  o New Orleans.

    Because of Etta, Mick still slept in t sofa cramped  so make up sleep in study  sc Bill s hem.

    A fello room.

    Bill o irely by  like a little ty and breat.

    S-time again. But not t summer o t a different o? Once t to be condemned. Did  maybe some niger and broken glass and smasure? So t t move or breatiff. In t t somebody walking —somebody else awake besides er Singer？

    S about o forget  e t   seemed like a very long time  to together.

    During tside room. But at nig enough.

    Sed somebody. Sried to keep George a sure is fun to stay aalk in talk aher.’

    he made a sleepy answer.

    See tars out to realize t every single one of ttle stars is a planet as large as th.’

    *?’

    t do. t s science.’

    I dont believe in it’

    Sried to egg o an argument so t  mad and stay a alk and didnt seem to pay attention. After a  it look like a pilgrim forefath a gun in his hand?’

    It sure does. ts exactly s like. And see over t t bottle look like a funny man  on?’

    ?Na dont look a bit like one to me.’

    Sook a drink from a glass of er on t if you  to.  tle fists up to , even way because he was falling asleep.

    ait, George! s;th an M. Guess who I am.’

    George sigired. Are you harpo Marx?’

    No, Fm not even in the movies.’

    I dont know.’

    Sure you do. My name begins ter M and I live in

    Italy. You ougo guess this.’

    George turned over on  answer.

    My name begins  sometimes Im called a  f name beginning aly. You can guess. It and dark and George ed  did not aed in close to   little naked s wh decimals.

    as Mister Singer aly up and do on table?  a terrible afraidness like this one? No.

    in ttime. Yet at time and.

    If only sell  t ter.

    S of o tell er Singer—I kno any older ter Singer, I dont kno—Mister Singer. Mister Singer. She said his name over and over.

    Ster tter even t  love. It  like anyt in her life before.

    In togetalk.

    Sometimes sed very muco be close to George. aller and le ears. ed so t rained look.  teet t like eeth had  .

    been. Often  of feeling out teetongue.

    Listen here, George, she said. Do you love me?’

    Sure. I love you O.K.’

    It  week of school.

    George tle fingers squeezed tig breaking t. hen he was finished she held him

    by to . A w.’

    Lemme go. Sure I love you. Aint you my sister?’

    I kno suppose I  your sister. ould you love me then?’

    George backed ay pullover ser. s er retc they hung loose and made his hands look very small.

    If you  my sister t not kno love you.’

    ?But if you did kno your sister.’

    *But  prove it.’

    ?ell, just take it for granted and pretend.’

    I reckon I ill say you cant prove-------’

    Prove! You got t ove and trick.

    Everytrick or its got to be proved. I cant stand you, George Kelly. I e you.’

    O.K. t like you none either.’

    hing.

    * you  under tter leave my things alone.

    If I ever cauge box Id bust your  tomp on your brains.’

    George came out from under ty little paress  ces to take oo little and too tough.

    t any sense in loving  than she did.

    Sc and s—some eet. Finally so e doe songs. Alo Mister Singers radio and  the programs she had heard.

    ? ails Mick? Portia asked.  kind of cat is it got ongue? S say a ing to be a regular lady these days.’

    It ing—but e- in treets. During t music or messed ed. Sometimes se June tant t it ching.

    t nig on t ready and ted to toget  come ta,  on ters. Bill eps  on treet a girl need up and doe. ts on t beginning to be turned on, and far away a man was calling someone.

    teps and sers. In t, soft e as s tta o  today.’

    kind of a job? asked t for girls?’

    Just for a girl. A clerk do oolo get married next week.’

    quot;ten-cent store------ Mick said.

    You interested?’

    tion took  beent a sack of ergreen candy s t  and tense. Sed t fears.

    tte doo t  Mick to take on too mucy at   . h, anyway.’

    I agree  would be a

    mistake for Mick to o  t .’

    Bill put Ralp on teps. Nobody ougo il teen.

    Mick sional—if .’

    Even if o home for a while.’

    For a minute sry to corner o taking t took ttitude touc excited. talking about  scared feeling t o ig.

    About ? she asked.

    ten dollars.’

    ten dollars a week?’

    Sure,  en a month?’

    Portia dont make but about t much.’

    Oh, colored people------ hazel said.

    Mick rubbed top of  ts a w of money. A good deal.’

    Its not to be grinned at, Bill said. quot;ts w I make.’

    Micks tongue  enougo talk. ten dollars a  fifteen fried callments on a radio. S about a piano, but s mention t aloud.It ide us over, t at time I rat ta------’

    ait! S  and reckless. I  to take t doen to little Mick, Bill said.

    teetcick and took  doers. Nos not ruso anytake ime and t. e can get along

    some o increase my cy per cent soon as------’

    I forgot, mas bonus every year.’

    Mick fro;But I  be   to ion and to school. Sure, hazel said quickly.

    quot;But tomorroake t it’

    It  ig to laugalk. trick for George cick and a y cents to go doo tore for Coca-Colas to be drunk after supper. tronger in tia called.

    ted at table. Mick e and s eat. cea over table.

    ter sed on t porcer Singer to come e o see ement of to tomaco en-cent store and s  to  o somet be just for t for a long time, as long as she could see ahead.

    Once to t o do  again. t hings were.

    Sood in tigo ters. A long time passed and Mister Singer still did not come. At eleven oclock s out to see if s suddenly s frighe dark and ran back home.

    thed and dressed very careful.

    ta loaned o ick and plucked  least sixteen years old whey were finished.

    It oo late to back do a year. And ta and Bill and t s o go. But s do it. S lose face like t. S up to see Mister Singer. ten—I believe I got t do you ts a good idea? Do you ts O.K. to drop out of scs good?’

    At first  understand. ood s. t ted to tell eac old before. to say no muc ell —and if ter about it. Sed ted.

    You ts good?’

    Mister Singer considered. then he nodded yes.

    S took o a little office and talked er ten cents e and a little modeling clay set for George. On June to start ore. tt CARSON Me CULLERS_l ime o go to Antonapoulos again.

    tance beto points far out of topped for long  certain stations during t. Singer oernoon and travel all t and until t day. As usual, o .  to t blocked, and s issue paper—and in

    addition t of fruits done up in cellope of late-sraure Singer cleaned  of left-over goose liver and took it out to t. On acked ted tating t  for several days on business. During all tions  leisurely s of color on his cheekbones. his face was very solemn.

    t last ture  ood on tform, burdened cases and gifts, and crain roll in on tation tracks.  in ted  part s y and rice t some recent bridal pair lay scattered on to ravelers and leaned back in .  For a o and Biff Brannon. t of t  smot of t and ture of t eac into a bitter tirade against t one. urn, t it ed o sanction  knoand in t. And t tcrangers reets and buttonurk at tongue to make he shape of which Singer had never imagined before.

    A certain mill foreman and an old black reet and an urced soldiers for a wrain

    rocked ion. o rest on  w.

    oten. Outside ty  midsummer countryside. ted in strong, bronze-colored rays over tton. tobacco, ts rous jungle  ures and tens of miles of ed, o train cut ts rees stretcall into tos of trees o ters, tered moss trailed from tropical er flo again into the indigo-blue sky.

    Singer sat solemn and timid, urned fully tohe window.

    t sal coloring almost blinded y of scene, ted ;. s onapoulos. t stifled  breatly open mouth.

    Antonapoulos o see s and ts. By noo go on an excursion to tero tel  visit. Singer ten many letters to Antonapoulos, but  posted to ts of his friend.

    t been  span of time. Be tonapoulos ogetimes  of Antonapoulos , sometimes icism, freed of will.  nighe face of his friend was

    alernally united.

    trees in tance and te full moon, and lorees, ted rural d intervals mild summer ligcently until at last t ed in the glass before him.

    Caggered up and doer. An old man in overalls o time from a Coca-Cola bottle. Betle carefully tle girl on t combed icky red lollipop. Srays of supper were broughe dining-car.

    Singer did not eat.  and kept desultory account of all t  on around  last ttled do,  they could.

    Singer did not sleep.  trained to see into t. ty. Sometimes tc or tern from t train urned from its souto.

    t  oo pinco breat.  t ty glass of t of t journey.

    train e, and t summer morning was well under way whey arrived.

    Singer  immediately to tel, a very good el o Antonapoulos on t ed a luxurious breakfast—broiled bluefisoast,

    and  black coffee. After breakfast ed before tric fan in  noon o dress.  fres seersucker suit At tal ing  uesday and teenth of July.

    At t Antonapoulos first in t at tely t  t o taken time before. ion already ten on one of t  t a boy, ure face and a lank mop of ood quietly,  resting on his heels.

    t ten and ts of color drained from antly.  te a long time, sideten t Antonapoulos was dead.

    On to tel  to crus  ook to o tted palm tree t maced a nickel but o pull t t  to-do. rated ears rolled doamped once ly s on t. Nor ed on c immediately. o ically to make it close again. For in addition to ticles  otle of ink, a roll of toilet paper, and a o the

    railation to put ody. train did not leave until nine in ty afternoon before him.

    toreets intersected to form tores rified look; tlessly along t felt so s o do so. to relieve trangled feeling  a drink in one of tores.

    rifles at ten-cent store. o one side like a sick animals.

    ternoon  ended o Singer. reet. t and t raise  as o disturbed opped in treet. Listlessly raced eps and stood before tes inside and talking ogetless. ts and brigies. Eac ain brothem.

    Singer  inside. For a moment rouble taking . ting.  out like pistons as tioned him.

    old o o tell about onapoulos. t knoh his hands dangling loose.

    ill inclined to one side and less and cold t tes in ts looked at er a w him

    out of tion. And  t suggest t hem.

    Alt on treets for  missed rain. It  clear to  tation tes before train pulled out, and barely ime to drag . t empty. tled e of strah finicky care.

    t size, large as s and in full-blo top of t iny bouquets. Singer put a berry in ness tle flavor of decay. e until e aste and te and placed it on t midnig.  pulled over ion upor of  twelve or o shey arrived.

    Singer left ation floor. to ted tless turn of  out again t For a s. But ted brilliance of t, oppressed urned to er resting te. tray and t out a pistol from  and put a bullet in .

 Part Three-1

    August 21,1939 Morning

    J. ILL not be or Copeland said. Just let me be. Kindly alloo sit .’

    Fat trying to rus it time noo get gone from here.’

    Doctor Copeland rocked stubbornly, ove. tchen was bare of all

    furniture except t. ty, too. Most of ture o Portias  ied to tomobile outside. All   ruts?  up o steady rembling inued to rock he creakingchair.

    Beermined to sit till o leave.’

    Buddy and me done es and------’

    Us s before t liable to catche road.’

    ted. Footsteps ecy   on top of tove.

    As eam. t truly be t. t Spinoza and of Karl Marx. t and to e te Singer, anding. ty. trengtrong, true purpose. And in ansrembled on  of all   said aloud: Almig! Utmost po not to  undone t to have done.

    So t truly be the end.’

    come into th her whom he loved.

    And Daisy . At nig  room to study alone. ried to cogitate and to

    discipline o study. But rong desire in   go audy. So sometimes o t ated  t.

    And ton and Karl Marx and illiam and Portia. All lost. No one remained.

    And Madyben and Benny Mae. And Benedine Madine and Mady Copeland. ted. But out of to  take ease?   ,All of  strongly.  because  lay ao alk to tiently explain. And t  t Daisy and on and Karl Marx and illiam and Portia  by tove alone and take joy from this knowledge.

    of turnip-green liquor and eat a pone of cornbread. A deep feeling of satisfaction would be in he day was good.

    times of satisfaction. But ing value.

    After a ia came in. I reckon I going to o dress you like a baby, she said.

    me take off your bedroom s t to get gone from ty soon.’

    o me? terly.

    I done to you now?’

    You kno I do not  to leave. You pressed me into saying yes ion to make a decision. I wiso remain w.’

    Listen to you carry on! Portia said angrily. You done grumbled so muc I nearly . You done fumed and fussed so t I right shamed for you.’

    Ps you . I knoered into doing t which is wrong.’

    Portia took off ton socks. Fat t. Us  irely t plan for you to go out on and Buddy.

    to take good care of you and you going to get well.’

    No, I , said Doctor Copeland. But I would .’

    e on take care you here?’

    I .’

    You just trying to be contrary.’

    Ps. And I ignore you.’

    t certainly is a nice o talk to me o put on your shoes and socks.’

    I am sorry. Forgive me, Daug afford to quarrel. And besides, once  you settled on to like it. t ttiest vegetable garden I ever seen. Make my mouto t it.

    And cwo breed sows and eigrees.

    Ypu just going to be crazy about it t  a co go.’

    I wisoo.’

    ermined to grieve?’

    I just feel t I have failed, he said.

    how you mean you done failed?’

    I do not kno leave me be, Daug let me sit .’

    O.K. But us got to get gone from ty soon.’

    .  quietly and rock in til trembled and his backbone ached.

    I certainly ia said. I certainly  when I dead and gone as many peoples grieves for me as grieves for

    Mr. Singer. I sure o knoo have as sad a funeral as he had and as many peoples------’

    or Copeland roug;You talk too much.’

    But truly  o o no ote man and rusted ery of   support. to tanding. Alo te man  or scornful but  be of all t not t t it from him now.

    For it errible feelings o le . tred t for days ruly let o ter th Mr.

    Blounti t visitor, t noe. Andt anger t came in umps of illies legs. tred —love for red for t left ed and sick in spiritDaug me my c. I am going.’

    er time in bed   he would fall.

    ood leaning against took from  one of to h.

    , Portia said. But it so  outside you not going to need it.’

    time ty . ed against tibule and t outside. t and  before and in the

    very early morning—but noed on tomobile  in treet.

    ell, Benedict Mady, ttle bit  fe  be long.’

    I do not  be homesick?*

    Portia   good and ready. Buddy o ride o to love to drive.’

    tomobile ied to t o top. But alted do empty. tood patiently, a brick tied to his reins.

    Karl Marx, Doctor Copeland said. I^ook s not. Bring t on the floor and my rocking-chair.’

    Less us get started. I anxious to be ime, on said.At last tomobile.

    Karl Marx sat at tia, oget.

    Fat on able ture.’

    *No, it is too crohe wagon.’

    But you not used to t going to be very bumpy and trip liable to take all day.’

    quot;t does not matter. I his.’

    tell on to come omobile.’

    Grandpapa o tohe day before.

    t urnips, for on to sell in to a sack of peaced.

    ell, Benedict Mady, I see you riding he old man said.

    Doctor Copeland climbed into trembled and a sudden spasm of nausea made  on the rough boards.

    I rigand I alo overlook and forget a good many things if a man be a scholar.

    I very glad to he fambly again.’

    turn soon, Doctor Copeland said. After only a monturn.’

    on  good schink he favors you some.

    man I t noo me. And do number work.

    Small a c for scholars.’

    tion of ted  to s  possible t t in rong, truepurpose. For forty years  all remained to be done and noted.

    *Yes, Benedict Mady, I rigo ing to ask you about t foot. A queer feeling like my foot gone to sleep. I taken  and rubbed it . I reatment.’

 Part Three-2

    I will do w I can.’

    ?Yes, I glad to icking togetruggling along and , and some day us will he Beyond.’

    Psor Copeland said bitterly. I believe in justice now.’

    t you say you believe in? You speak so

    able to hear you.’

    In justice for us. Justice for us Negroes.t right.’

    t be still. ed to sit up and speak in a loud voice—yet o raise  find trengt gre be silent But to listen and to hear him.

    ?Git, Lee Jackson. Git, s and quit t a long o go.’

    AfternoonJ AKE ran at a violent, clumsy pace.  t into a side alley, climbed a fence, and ened onaste of vomit in . A barking dog cil opped long enougo ten it h a rock.

    o h.

    C! So t. A fig tles. C! And tton candy and t all. Fig and sun. t of teet ! And t  loose a  stop. And to t knowing.

    Not even kno . C! Nobody could opped it.

    Jake slowed and jerked o look behind him.

    ty. ed and ere and felt better.  eig cuts t o go. t from all ts. arted off again, time at a steady jog.

    Nobody could opped it. All tamped t like sudden fires. All but this

    figopped. It seemed to blaze up out of notopped to get a glass of er. As e boy and a Negro ernoon, for it urday and time t  and tink in the air.

    t a big figime. And time to tood c five seconds before o t s time  of many t of Singer.  of ternoons and t nigs he quarrels he had hushed.

    tknife in t of people and jumped on t dooget on t inrampled on ime  to  again t ing te men and te men en to t sixteen years old and te duck trousers and fancy rayon polo ss.

    t back as best they could. Some had razors.

    o yell out   a breaking dam. terrible sound in errible because it  words.

    to a roar t deafened  on t see  on around s—s and we.

    an upraised fist.

    t and t in o get out and find a telepo call for help.

    But . And  kno  out s and felt t squs mout  and  of .  rength his head like a bull.

    Senseless  kno had changed and now each man was for himself.

    t  it may e or it may ill fig t up fast.  ripped over.   on t it  place it. ttered tles and trampled royed.

    ting up. arted to run. By no  rack.

    tened  s and lo. On one side  it, panting, too reaco cry. er dripped down from  ache.

    A ed back time  face h

    t.  stop trembling of  til asted blood.

    At t block o Simms. tting on a box all board fence be a message ten h purple chalk.

    o Save Youory of e . P.M.

    treet y. Jake tried to cross over to t Simms caughe arm.

    Come, all ye disconsolate and sore of . Lay doroubles before t of o save you.  t?’

    quot;o  to  t?’

    Sinner! transgressions. t.’

    Does t dollar I gave you last week?’

    Jesus  seven-fifteen tonigime to hear his ord.’

    Jake licked ac I cant get up close enougo hear.’

    quot;t soon ts me to build a  lot at teentreet. A tabernacle large enougo able before me in t-eth oil.

    My cup runneth------’

    I can round you up a croonight, Jake said.

    how?’

    Give me your pretty colored chalk. I promise a big crowd.’

    Ive seen your signs, Simms said.  quot;orkers! America Is t Country in t a tarving.

    e and Demand Our S;—all t.

    Your signs are radical. I  let you use my chalk.’

    But I dont plan to e signs.’

    Simms fingered ted suspiciously.

    til get you a fine cros at eaco point t, plump, bare-tailed------’

    Babylonian! this.’

    Jake crossed over to tarted toher.’

    Sinner, t seven-fifteen s h. Be saved.’

    Singer   s t old to Singer, and  seemed to  t. And o end  anyouco, and t so many ed to a girl . here no longer. he was alone.

    A wall, a fligairs, an open road.

    Jake locked to eat. y and only a feer  in tcable. ty fluff ed on the floor.

    Papers tered all about tly ten many s notices and distributed to..O.C. Is Your Best Friend. Some of tices consisted of only one sentence, oto entitled quot;ty Between Our Democracy and, Fascism.’

    For a montyping and making carbons on typeer at tributing them by hand.

    . But w good

    done? A tooo big for any one man. And now he was leaving.

    But ime? ties called to on, Gastonia, Ne out of tlessness and   time.  long for open space and freedom—just t to  attempt to stand alone. times .

    Jake moved t of tcase and a pile of books and dirty clotiently o pack. to ic, so t it o try to reason ill terrible anger t t t nigo understand. Copeland knetalion. And o quarrel her.

    Copeland s t be able to ogeter all. If t talk too muco  ter all. Maybe t ed.

    it pausing to  tside try and treet. Clouds mospill t trict  up in a straight, unbroken line.

    As Jake case bumped a en o look behind him.

    Copeland lived all too eadily denser, and foretold a fall.

    tters  tchen. A hollow,

    desperate disappointment made y and  lose ts beat  to t but no one  o do except to go to tion Portia.

    ed to be near t  stand to see track in t  of stairs imes. oia ctle boy h her.

    No, sir, Mr. Blount, Portia said. I kno of  aken Fat in try t no business telling you exactly  and not mincter.’

    You dont o minc why?’

    After time you come to see us Fated o die. It taken us a long time to get o sit up.   a lot stronger   bitter against  no. And besides, if you dont mindspeaking out,  her,  anyway?’

    Notand.’

    Us colored peoples  like anybody else. And I stand by . Fat a sick old colored man and rouble already. Us got to look after  anxious to see you—I kno.’

 Part Three-3

    Out in treet again  turned a deep, angry purple. In tagnant air torm smell.

    trees along to steal into tmosp trange greenisreet. All  Jake paused for a moment to sniff tcase under o run toreet. But  quick enough.

    tallic cras.

    An avalancer blinded he New

    York Cafe  and so er.

    Brannon puser. Nouition you er t you  just too late. il it . And a suitcase?’

    It looks like a suitcase, Jake said. And it feels like a suitcase.

    So if you believe in tuality of suitcases I reckon t.’

    You oug to stand around like tairs and t iron.’

    Jake sat at one of tables and rested   to rest  my wind again.’

    But your lips are turning blue. You look all knocked up.’

    Im all rig I  is some supper.’

    Supper  be ready for iently.

    Any old leftovers  put te. You dont even o boto  them.’

    tiness in . ed to look neitable. It  at table for t time. And  t   out on a limb. And no o o get out of it by art again. At t of it panic came in ired.  t  on t beside him.

    to .’

    doe of c, he

    steam and closed s in it?’

    Lemon rind rubbed on a lump of sugar and boiling er s a good drink.’

    how much do I owe you?’

    I dont kno out before you leave.’

    Jake took a deep draugoddy and   to pay you—and if I did I probably  anyway.’

    ell,  a bill and asked you to pay up?’

    No, Jake said. You been very reasonable. And since I t it youre a rig guy—from tive, t is.’

    Brannon sat across from  table. Somet-s smootriped blue s was very fresers.

    At last  in a ating ernoon paper just before you came. It seems you  of trouble at your place today.ts rig did it say?’

    quot;ait. Ill get it. Brannon fetcer and leaned against tition of t says on t page t at ted so and so, turbance. tally injured ed by knives. taken for treatment to ty al. te, of Central Mill City, Various ilson, Negro, and so forte: quot;A number of arrests  is alleged t turbance ation, as papers of a subversive nature  te of disturbance. Ots are expected sly.quot; Brannon clicked eetoget-up of ts s h only one r.’

    quot;t, all rig;Caused by labor agitation.quot; ts remarkable.’

    Anyunate.’

    Jake o  y plate.

    do you mean to do now?*

    tm leaving. Im getting out of ernoon.’

    Brannon polis;ell, of course its not necessary—but it migarting out time of day.’

    I just father.’

    I do not t beo make a neart. At v time ake my advice on tive and of course I think your opinions are radical.

    But at time I like to knoter.

    Any to see you straig. So tle down?’

    Jake puse irritably away from  know wired.’

    Brannon s back to ter.

    ired enoug rum and t felt good to be sitting safe in a booto  eaten a good meal. If ed to ake a nap—a s one. Already  s it  out of here.

    his rain keep on?’

    Brannons voice ones. You cant tell— a tropical cloudburst. Mig ttle and set in for t.’

    Jake laid ick and ttle of dishes. Gradually his hands relaxed.

    table.

    to errible dream was in mare. I looked over

    on to equal it.’

    till  terror t al o tell me I mare. I remember just  een times before.’

    ime o get traig cro t tern about terrible brig and sloarvation. t cro someo leave it And in t knohe burden he had carried in his arms so long.

    ? Brannon asked. as tood up and  to ter. y and sy. t ain faucet and  a pocket comb and neatly combed ache.

    t to be asleep to understand w was sucmare.’

    ted to five-ty. t stopped.

    Jake picked up case and  to t door. So long. Ill send you a postcard maybe.’

    ait, Brannon said. You cant go nos still raining a little.’

    Just dripping off t out of town before dark.’

    But o keep going for a week?’

    I dont need money. I been broke before. Brannon had an

    envelope ready and in it y-dollar bills. Jake looked at t t. God kno t forget. Good luck. And let me hear from you. Adios. Good-bye.’

    t tcil racks. On eited ted privies and lines of torn, smoky rags  to dry. For t one sig or space or cleanliness. Even tself seemed filt a vegetable roempted, but only a feless, smutty fig trees. Little younguns sark naked. t of ty was so cruel and  Jake snarled and clencs.

    ourned off on a highway.

    Cars passed oo  no one ed to take  maybe a truck opbefore long. te afternoon sun  again.  made team rise from t pavement. Jake eadily.

    As soon as to or  onslaugo begin anotime. to tly to t. But  go too far a line of ake form.

    Evening  good ? t ion so kno. All t came of it rap—tore, to sleep, and back at tore again. t of ter Singer used to ed to seven. And s getting off. henever

    time told o stay.

    Because sand longer on  and  t blue. Dark s urned on. Automobile reet and t t  to go   o te some ice cream s feel O.K. And smoke and be by tle while.

    t part of t to t boot  got so tired. tto o be Keep on your toes and smile. Once s of tore so froime to get ural again. Even ired. Sook off t t. At first ss and Pans, but noo Costume Jewelry.

    Good evening, Mick, Mister Brannon said. tom of a glass of er  it on table.

    I  me a ce sundae and a nickel glass of draw beer.’

    toget doed tle finger t le supper h me?’

    No, t is ty cold.’

    Mick raked   Mister Singer  so  oolhs.

    S t  until t day  t t in to play t of to t s. And t nigaker  rouge and lipstick on o make ural. But  look natural.  s stay in t ter and rung till. So e o table. Only at first o bed at nig sleep. But now s like so, also.

 Part Three-4

    Mick turned side so t socking. It arted  ter tuck a little piece of c even t didnt o go  ockings. S so fast Unless s ton stockings.

    Snt to toms of . S to y cents toanding on a s   needle. So stay home from work and be fired.

    And t would happen？

    er Brannon. But I never ion before.’

    table. Sended to clean icd art talking.

    ten about ted to talk to  sed to be quiet and by e

    and nuts and cter taste after t made  to music beer .

    But no  from times a quick little tune  s into to do. It ense. Or maybe because it ore took all ime. ool- the same as school.

    o come  good and o start  no  ate supper and slept and te breakfast and  off to tore again. A song sarted in e notebook till not finised to stay in t s knoo understand.

    Mick pus toot ser Singers radio. All tallments  been paid and sook on ty. It o  o  be able to set aside a little for a second- anybody touce piano but  teactle pieces. S in t every nig t make a payment. So to take it atle red bicycle? And suppose like s let them.

    Suppose s t t door. And fig on the hall floor.

    Mick frowned and rubbed  hard across her forehead.

    t   s mad quick so t soon it is all over—but in anoto be mad at.

    Unless tore. But tore  asked o take the job.

    So to be mad at. It was like she was

    ced. Only nobody ed o take it out on.  t feeling.

    Ced.

    But maybe it rue about turn out O.K.

    Maybe s a c t all been—t about music and t o be some good if anyt oo and it oo and it oo and it oo. It was some good.

    All right！

    O.K！

    Some good.

    Niginkled ts of ttle Japanese pagoda on table.  a and tle of Agua Florida oucopper to emples. led an old song, and as airs tune left a broken eco be on duty beer.

    But ed.

    t door stood open to ty street. ted to seventeen minutes before midnigalk about tler  back to tcaken off toned rousers. . A long  spot on  s raig   fall foro  one.

    Biff tiptoed across tco a s of tea olive and ter pitco t of taurant and removed tters of t special from the display window. he was sick of food. A window of fresh

    summer flo ion of tea olive stretom, cool and green. ttery tub filled  zinnias. Noto arrange t, a zinnia als and to save. tood in treet to regard ems of t to just t degree of restful looseness. tric ligracted, but s best advantage. Doic.

    tarlit sky seemed close to trolled along to knock an orange peel into tter . At t block tance and motionless, stood arm in arm togetore on all treet s inside.

    And   question and could never speak t in  money.Sometimes a party en dollars. But t ly t a time and ordered little and stayed long. And on some nig a customer er. t in it—t was plain.

    But —not as long as ayed in t ime. times a o turned.

    Biff folded  and walked more slowly.

    Inside treet lig settled in him.

    t and meditation. Maybe t airs and did not sleep. it quick

    glance y street and  inside.

    till talked on tc suddenly of poor illie and decided to send  of wime soon.

    urned to ture of a o identify in ter. e t spaces. Number one doters long. Mendicant. to remove afar off. A six-letter rial combinations of letters aloud. Eloign. But  interest t t ao it later.

    ended to save. As  in to t t sucer all. Not , brigals and t one came out on love. But reet to sit for an  no one person.  IS A LONELY NtERter or .

    And Mick. t montrangely in . as t love done oo? Yes. It ead te about   out. ts, and t do c only a sort of gentleness. In rangely. ioned it a imes and found no ansers in September, it was finishere was no one.

    Biff tapped  decide for certain  sounded like doom. It gave ters to listen to it. urned it off t t outside. Loneliness gripped   oo late to call Lucile on telepo Baby. Nor could  a customer to enter at t to treet. All y and dark.

    Louis! he called. Are you awake, Louis?’

    No answer.  er and o side and slowly his forehead lowered in a frown.

    tion t aken root in  let . t of them.

    More t arted. More t  long drunk and seen te for t time. Since Mick o folloill in   be tranquil.t natural about it all—somet of it  uneasy and in some unknown way afraid.

    t all t to allments due on everyt enougo bury him.

    t noon. t as tood around turned bro so beat  sco t to oor, o poor illie, stood on to rangers nobody hey came from or why

    there.

    t itself. Biff stood transfixed, lost in ations. t a quickening in  turned and  ter for support. For in a s radiance of illumination ruggle and of valor.

    Of ty time. And of t for a moment only. For in  a error. Betened on emples and orted. One eye  eye delved narroo t ure of blackness, error, and ruin. And ter irony and faiturned away.

    Louis! he called. Louis! Louis!’

    Again t, mot? And error ttle  even kno? And and tery ninny or er all  er tap and patted ense face. Some t yet been raised. As  to teadiness. And  o a the morning sun.