Page:Scarlet Sister Mary (1928).pdf/171

 in Gawd knows when; you don' half tend to you cow. If you nanny goat didn' scuffle for rations, Unex wouldn't have a Gawd's drop o milk."

Budda's face looked drawn, his eyes were sorrowful, his breath was quick and short, but his words fell stern and firm.

"Why, gal, you done fretted so you is pure old an' ugly."

"I wish I was dead," Mary faltered.

"No, you don't, neither. You don' wish no such a thing. It's a sin to say so, too. Sposen you was to die, who'd raise Unex? Cinder? Is dat what you want?" Budda stuck his pipe between his teeth and his eyes glared fiercely at her.

"Le me tell you dis, Si May-e; you may as well not wish to die. Nobody can' die not till de times comes. I know. One time when I was so mizzable I couldn't stand to live no longer, I dressed mysef up in my Sunday clothes an' went away down yonder in dem thickest pine woods. I stretched my length on de ground an' I folded my hands across my breast an' I tried to die. I held my breat'. I tried to hinder my heart from beatin. But I couldn' die. I looked straight up at de sun an' I begged Gawd to strike me dead. Den I wallowed all over de ground, an' I prayed to Jedus to take me. I pure sweated, but it didn' do me no good. I couldn' die. I got