Page:Scarlet Sister Mary (1928).pdf/265

 a-struttin wid dey hats pure cocked on one side. You don' treat dat one man you got half-way decent. You got em all worried in his mind an' fretted half to death right now. Is you call dat bein a Christian?"

"What you got to say 'bout dem poor nameless chillen you got?"

Mary leaned back and laughed.

"Do fo Gawd's sake, Doll, don' talk so fool. My chillen come into dis world by de same road as you own. You know dat good as me. You own don' travel a bit easier road 'n my own either. Not a bit."

"Well, I can say dis much, Si May-e, July done right when e left you. You is pure slippery as okra."

"Ki, Doll," Mary said scornfully, "you's a fool." She sucked her teeth and all the women straightened up.

Maum Hannah took her hand. "You ain' to talk such a talk, Si May-e. De Book say if we call nobody a fool, Gawd would burn we in Hell-fire. Fool is a awful sinful word. Honey, do don' say em no more."

The women began murmuring, nodding their heads.

"Dat's de Gawd's truth, Auntie."

"You's right to talk to Si May-e."