Zora Neale Hurston

“ But Bertha nullified this to a degree, by coming to Delia’s house to call Sykes out to her at the gate.
Delia and Sykes fought all the time now with no peaceful interludes. They slept and ate in silence. Two or three times Delia had attempted a timid friendliness, but she was repulsed each time, It was plain that the breaches must remain agape.
The sun had burned July to August. The heat streamed down like a million hot arrows, smiting all things living upon the earth. Grass withered, leaves browned, snakes went blind in shedding and men and dogs went mad. Dog days! ”

“ The people are laughing and talking for the most part and pay no attention. Effie is laughing and talking to those around her and does not hear the tirade. The eating is over and everyone is going behind the curtain. John and Emma put away their basket like the others, and sit glum. Voice of Master-of-ceremonies can be heard from beyond curtain announcing the pas-me-la contest. The contestants, mostly girls, take the floor. There is no music except the clapping of hands and the shouts of "Parse-me-lah" in time with the hand-clapping. ”

“ So she collected the soiled clothes on Saturday when she returned the clean things. Sunday night after church, she sorted them and put the white things to soak. It saved her almost a half day's start. A great hamper in the bedroom held the clothes that she brought home. It was so much neater than a number of bundles lying around.
She squatted in the kitchen floor beside the great pile of clothes, sorting them into small heaps according to color, and humming a song in a mournful key, but wondering through it all where Sykes, her husband, had gone with her horse and buckboard. ”

“ She seats herself and rocks monotonously and stares out of the door. A dry sob now and then. The wind from the open door blows out the lamp and she is seen by the little light from the window rocking in an even, monotonous gait, and sobbing. ”

“ John (applauding loudly) . If dat Effie can't step nobody can.
Emma. Course you'd say so cause it's her. Everything she do is pretty to you.
John (caressing her) . Now don't say that, Honey. Dancing is dancing no matter who is doing it. But nobody can hold a candle to you in nothing.
(Some men are heard tuning up—getting pitch to sing. Four of them crowd together in one seat and begin the chorus of "Daisies Won't Tell" John and Emma grow quite affectionate.)
John (kisses her) . Emma, what makes you always picking a fuss with me over some yaller girl. ”

“ Delia never looked up from her work, and her thin, stooped shoulders sagged further.
"Ah aint for no fuss t'night Sykes. Ah just come from taking sacrament at the church house."
He snorted scornfully. "Yeah, you just come from de church house on a Sunday night, but heah you is gone to work on them clothes. You ain't nothing but a hypocrite. One of them amen-corner Christians—sing, whoop, and shout, then come home and wash white folks clothes on the Sabbath." ”

“ Come on Jawn! (Everybody crowds the windows, encouraging them by gesture and calls. As the whistle blows twice, and the train begins to move, they enter panting and laughing at left. The only seat left is the one directly in front of Effie.)
Dinky (standing) . Don't y'all skeer us no mo' lake dat! There couldn't be no cake walk thout y'all. Dem shad-mouf St. Augustine coons would win dat cake and we would have tuh kill 'em all bodaciously.
John. It was Emmaline nearly made us get left. She says I wuz smiling at Effie on the street car and she had to get off and wait for another one. ”

“ Now we kin start off with a family. Girl or boy?
Emma (slowly) . A girl. Comin' tuh see me agin soon, John?
John. Comin' agin? Ah aint gone yet! We aint talked, you aint kissed me an' nothin', and you aint showed me our girl. (Another groan, more prolonged.) She must be pretty sick—let's see. (He turns in his chair and Emma rushes over to the bed and covers the girl securely, tucking her long hair under the covers, too—before he arises. He goes over to the bed and looks down into her face. She is mulatto. Turns to Emma teasingly.) ”

“ Sweat, sweat, sweat! Work and sweat, cry and sweat, pray and sweat!" ”

“ The Man (visibly relieved) . Then lemme scorch you to a seat. (He takes her basket and leads her to a seat center of the car, puts the basket in the rack and seats himself beside her with his hat at a rakish angle.)
Man (sliding his arm along the back of the seat) . How come Sam ain't heah—y'll on a bust?
Effie (angrily) . A man dat don't buy me nothin tuh put in mah basket, ain't goin' wid me tuh no cake walk. (The hand on the seat touches her shoulder and she thrusts it away) . ”

“ He crept an inch or two toward her—all that he was able, and she saw his horribly swollen neck and is one open eye shining with hope. A surge of pity too strong to support bore her away from that eye that must, could not, fail to see the tubs. ”

“ There is an ordinary oil lamp on the center table but it is not lighted when the curtain goes up. Some light enters through the window and falls on the woman seated in the low rocker. The door is center right. A cheap bed is against the upstage wall. Someone is on the bed but is lying so that the back is toward the audience.
Action—As the curtain rises, the woman is seen rocking to and fro in the low rocker. A dead silence except for the sound of the rocker and an occasional groan from the bed. ”

“ Whut wid you mullet-head Jacksonville Coons know whut to do wid a cake. It's gointer stay right here in Augustine where de good cake walkers grow.
Dinky. Taint no 'Walkers' never walked till John and Emmaline prance out—you mighty come a tootin'.
Great langhing and joshing as more people come in. John and Emma are encouraged, urged on to win.
Emma. Let's we git a seat, John, and set down.
John. Sho will—nice one right over there. (They push over to wall seat, place basket underneath, and sit. Newcomers shake hands with them and urge them on to win.) ”

“ Emma. Naw, youse jus' hog-wile ovah her cause she's half-white! No matter whut Ah say, you keep carryin' on wid her. Act polite? Naw Ah aint gonna be deceitful an' bust mah gizzard fuh nobody! Let her keep her dirty ole pie ovah there where she is!
John (looking around to see if they are overheard) . Sh-sh! Honey, you mustn't talk so loud.
Emma (louder) . Ah-Ah aint gonna bite mah tongue! If she don't like it she can lump it. Mah back is broad— (John tries to cover her mouth with his hand) . She calls herself a big cigar, but I kin smoke her! ”

“ A guitar, accordian, mouth organ, banjo, etc. Soon there is a rapping for order heard inside and the voice of Joe Clarke.)
Joe Clarke. Git yo' partners one an' all for de gran' march! Git yo' partners, gent-mens!
A Man (drawing basket from under bench) . Let's we all eat first.
(John and Emma go buy ice-cream. They coquettishly eat from each other's spoons. Old Man Lizzimore crosses to Effie and removes his hat and bows with a great flourish.)
Lizzimore. Sam ain't here t'night, is he, Effie.
Effie (embarrassed) . Naw suh, he aint.
Lizz. Well, you like chicken? (Extends arm to her.) ”

“ We'se all sufferin' wid de heat. De bear’s done got me!"
"Thass right, Joe, a watermelon is jes' whut Ah needs tuh cure de eppizudicks," Walter Thomas joined forces with Moseley. "Come on dere, Joe. We all is steady customers an' you aint set us up in a long time. Ah chooses dat long, bowlegged Floridy favorite."
"A god, an' be dough You all gimme twenty cents and slice away," Clarke retorted. "Ah needs a col' slice m'self. Heah, everybody chip in. Ah'll lend y'll mah meat knife.”
The money was quickly subscribed and the huge melon brought forth. At that moment, Sykes and Bertha arrived. ”

“ Orchestra consists of guitar, mandolin, banjo, accordian, church organ and drum.
Master (on platform) . Couples take yo' places! 'When de music starts, gentlemen parade yo' ladies once round de hall, den de walk begins. (The music begins. Four men come out from behind the platform bearing a huge chocolate cake. The couples are "prancing" in their tracks. The men lead off the procession with the cake—the contestants make a grand slam around the hall.) ”

“ Sykes took her frequently to Winter Park to "stomps." He still assured her that he was the swellest man in the state.
"Sho' you kin have dat lil' ole house soon's Ah kin git dat 'oman outa dere. Everything b'longs tuh me an' you sho' kin have it. Ah sho' 'bominates uh skinny 'oman. Lawdy, you sho' is got one portly shape on you! You kin git anything you wants. Dis is mah town an' you sho' kin have it."
Delia's work-worn knees crawled over the earth in Gethsemane and up the rocks of Calvary many, many times during these months. ”

“ The cake is set down in the center of the floor and the winning couple parade around it arm in arm. John and Effie circle the cake happily and triumphantly. The other contestants, and then the entire assembly fall in behind and circle the cake, singing and clapping. ”

“ All have fried chicken. Very good humor prevails. Delicacies are swapped from one basket to the other. John and Emma offer the man next them some supper. He takes a chicken leg. Effie crosses to John and Emma with two pieces of pie on a plate.
Effie. Y'll have a piece uh mah blueberry pie—it's mighty nice! (She proffers it with a timid smile to Emma who "freezes" up instantly.)
Emma. Naw! We don't want no pie. We got cocoanut layer-cake.
John. Ah—Ah think ah'd choose a piece uh pie, Effie. (He takes it.) Will you set down an' have a snack wid us? ”

“ Delia pushed back her plate and got up from the table. "Ah hates you, Sykes," she said calmly. "Ah hates you tuh de same degree dat Ah useter love yuh. Ah done took an' took till mah belly is full up tuh mah neck. Dat's de reason Ah got mah letter fum de church an' moved mah membership tuh Woodbridge—so Ah don't haftuh take no sacrament wid yuh. Ah don't wantuh see yuh 'roun' me atall. Lay 'roun' wid dat 'oman all yuh wants tuh, but gwan 'way fum me an' mah house. At hates yuh lak uh suck-egg dog." ”

“ I can't, I just can't go in there and see all them girls—Effie hanging after you—.
John. I got to go in— (he removes her hand from his coat) —whether you come with me or not.
Emma. Oh—them yaller wenches! How I hate 'em! They gets everything they wants—.
Voice Inside. We are waiting for the couple from Jacksonville—Jacksonville! Where is the couple from—.
(Wesley parts the curtain and looks out.)
Wesley. Here they is out here spooning! You all can't even hear your names called. Come on John and Emma.
John. Coming. (He dashes inside. Wesley stands looking at Emma in surprise.) ”

“ Finally she grew quiet, and after that, coherent thought. With this, stalked through her a cold, bloody rage. Hours of this. A period of introspection, a space of retrospection, then a mixture of both. Out of this an awful calm. ”

“ The festivities continue. The Jacksonville quartet step upon the platform and sing a verse and chorus of "Daisies won't tell." Cries of "Hurrah for Jacksonville! Glory for the big town," "Hurrah for Big Jack.")
A Man (seeing Emma) . You're from Jacksonville, aint you? (He whirls her around and around.) Aint you happy? Whoopee! (He releases her and she drops upon a seat. She buries her face in the moss.)
(Quartet begins on chorus again. People are departing, laughing, humming, with quartet cheering. John, the cake, and Effie being borne away in triumph.)
Scene IV
Time—present. ”

“ Dat's de bes 'way tuh charm a rattlesnake."
"Naw, Walt, y'll jes' don't understand dese diamon' backs lak Ah do," said Sykes in a superior tone of voice.
The village agreed with Walter, but the snake stayed on. His box remained by the kitchen door with its screen wire covering. Two or three days later it had digested its meal of frogs and literally came to life. It rattled at every movement in the kitchen or the yard. One day as Delia came down the kitchen steps she saw his chalky-white fangs curved like scimitars hung in the wire meshes. ”

“ He's allus been crazy 'bout fat women," put in Merchant. "He'd a' been tied up wid one long time ago if he could a' found one tuh have him. Did Ah tell yuh 'bout him come sidlin' roun' mah wife—bringin' her a basket uh pee-cans outa his yard fuh a present? Yessir, mah wife! She tol' him tuh take 'em right straight back home, cause Delia works so hard ovah dat washtub she reckon everything on de place taste lak sweat an' soapsuds. ”

“ Joe Lindsay agreed. "Hot or col', rain or shine, jes ez reg'lar ez de weeks roll roun' Delia carries 'em an' fetches 'em on Sat'day."
"She better if she wanter eat," said Moss. "Syke Jones aint wuth de shot an' powder hit would tek tuh kill 'em. Not to huh he aint."
"He sho' aint," Walter Thomas chimed in. "It's too bad, too, cause she wuz a right pritty lil trick when he got huh. Ah'd uh mah'ied huh mahseff if he hadnter beat me to it."
Delia nodded briefly at the men as she drove past.
"Too much knockin' will ruin any 'oman. ”

“ Taint no law on earth dat kin make a man be decent if it aint in 'im. There's plenty men dat takes a wife lak dey do a joint uh sugar-cane. It's round, juicy an' sweet when dey gits it. But dey squeeze an' grind, squeeze an' grind an' wring tell dey wring every drop uh pleasure dat's in 'em out. ”