Page:Zora Neale Hurston - Lawing and Jawing.pdf/4

 4.

BOY My girl wanted to see whut was goin' on, so I brought her in.

JUDGE Oh yeah! (Smiles at GIRL) She was usin' good sense to come see whut I'm doin', but how come you come in here? You gointer have a hard time gittin' out.

BOY I ain't done a thing. I ain't never done nothin'. I'm just as clean as a fish, and he been in bathin' all his life.

JUDGE You ain't done nothin', hunh? Well den youse guilty of vacancy. Grab 'im, Simpson, and search tim - and if he got any concealed weapons, I'm gointer give ‘im life- time and eight years mof,

(The OFFICER seizes the

boy and frisks him,

All he finds is a new

deck of cards. Thé JUDGE

looks at them in triumph.) Unh hunh! I knowed it, one of dese skin game jelly-beans. Robbin! hard workin' men out they money.

BOY Judge, I ain't used 'em at all. See, dey's brand new.

JUDGE d

Well, den youse charged wid totin' concealed cards and attempt to gamble. Ten years at hard labor. Put him in de dark, “impson, and throw de key away.

(He looks at the girl and

beams.) Don't you worry bout how you gointer git home. You gointer be took home right, ‘cause I'm gointer take you myself. Brirg on de next one, @lerk.

CLERK Jemima Flap-Cakes, charged with illegal possession and sale of alcoholic liquors.

JUDGE

(She is a fat, back, belli-

gerent looking woman.

JUDGE looks coldly at her.) Well, you heard whut he said. Is you guilty or unguilty? And I'm tellin' you right now dat when you come up befo! me it's just like youse in church. You better have a Btrong determination, and you better tell a good experience.