Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-03

AI/ with a cold, wet cloth. They
~ were in the little room at the
end of the car; the floor was
shaking like the skin of horse that tries to
get rid of fly, and underneath the floor the
wheels were talking. Clickety-clack! they said,
clickety-clackI
wake up baby" mother said. wen be
there in a few minutes" She turned Mary
Alice around and began buttoning up.
STAND still, dear!" mother said. The best,
beautiful pink dress came jerkily down over
Mary Alices head and was buttoned. Then
mother turned her around again and pushed
into place the thin, curved red comb that held
her hair tight. Mothers eyes were clear, like
water, and full of happiness. Her two hands
gave Mary Alice's face an excited little squeeze.
Were going to see father and Uncle Charley
again. Aren't you glad?" she said.
will there be pickaninnies?" Mary Alice
asked, anxiously. Pickaninnies were children
as black as coal; mother had promised that she
would see them in Florida. Mother said yes,
there would be pickaninnieS.
Mary Alice sat on the chair while mother
dressed. When she sat on the edge of the chair
her legs disappeared when she pulled herself
back two feet popped up in front of her. That
was because her legs bent; her legs had hinges
in them like doors. Mothers hair was very
long, and no one could see at once all the
lights that scampered through it. Mothers
hands were going so fast that they were out
of breath, and duttered. When they came to
a snarl they jerked at it, but mother never
cried. Her face in the glass smiled at Mary
Alice.
"You remember Uncle Charley, don't you?"
she said
Mary Alice remembered Uncle Charley
When they lived at grandfather's he used to
put her high on the big backs of the horses at
the watering trough. She remembered his legs
going into the pile of hay in the car that had
taken father and him down south to Florida
First his arms and head went in and then one
leg and then the other, and that was the last
of Uncle Charley. Then there was nothing but
hay. She must not tell any one that Uncle
Charley was in the hay, because they were
poor, and If people knew that Uncle Charley
was going to Florida with father and the
horses and the cow they would not let him go.
For long time Mary Alice had not spoken of
Uncle Charley, but she remembered him. He
was big and strong and always laughing.
q
WHEN the train stopped they got down the
high car steps and were alone in a gray
light. Mother looked anxiously this way and
that, and her hand hurt Mary Alice's Then
she dropped it, and father was there. "Hellol
Here you are!' he said. He and mother looked
at each other. and it was as though they we're
together in warm little space. Mary Alice
was outside. She tugged at mothers sleeve
and said, Where are the pickaninnies?" Then
they laughed and took her into the warmth
Didn't Charley Gomez" said mother, and
father swung Mary Alice into the air and
kissed her. His face was suddenly close and
big, brown prickly face with deep creaSes
in the cheeks.
The horses and wagon waited by the plat
form. Mary Alice was swung high over the
wheel into the seat father and mother climbed
up beside her, and father CLICKED to the
horses. The horses walked quickly jerking
their heads, and little plops of white dust rose
from their feet They passed store and some
low implanted houses with wide porches
Strange trees grew in the yards. Their
branches grew as though they meant something
strange and frightening; their leaves were like
fiat green hands with wide fingers and their
fruit was black In one of these trees was a
black boy. He sat on a branch and dangled
black legs and with one hand he picked a
black fruit His large mouth was very full of
white teeth, and he bit the black fruit with
them; he bit it through and laughed. Mary
Alice could not look away from him; her head
turned slowly and her eyes stayed fixed on him
for long time
Here we are, in the piney woodsl" said
father The white road went curving between
straight, tall gray trees that had no branches.
Far overhead their green-black tops whispered
breathlessly, without stopping, telling some
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