Page:Scarlet Sister Mary (1928).pdf/251

 is an unnatural thing, and it might have gone to Seraphine's head fo-true.

Andrew plunged the piece of steel into a tub of water and the sigh he made was almost as deep as its hissing. Women have got to be strange things these days. They don't need book reading to make them act crazy. All they want is enough money to buy themselves cake and candy and bottle-drinks and stuff to sweeten their mouths and rot out their teeth. They were not satisfied to ruin their feet wearing shoes every day, but they wanted irons to straighten their hair and grease to lighten their skins.

"Seraphine ain' like dat, Cousin. Seraphine is a sensible gal. E do wear shoes lately fo-true, by e got such a awful splinter in e heel de last time e danced barefeeted. But e skin is black an' e teeth is solid as my own. Soon as e gits a depluma e's comin straight home to stay."

"Wha dat you call a depluma, Si May-e?"

"Gawd knows what e is, Cousin. I ain' never see one in my life, but Seraphine craves to get one, I know dat."

"If dat is what Seraphine craves, I hope e won' be disappoint."

The big boat was coming up the river, bellowing and splashing water like a great vexed alligator. The day was passing. Mary must go.