Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1942-11-21

Come on, we got to get out OF
here"
Il don't care what happens"
Come on. You can't act like
that"
What could he do with her? She
would be a dangerous burden. 1t
would be impossible to take her if
she were going to act like this, and
yet he could not leave her here.
Calmly, he knew that he had to
take her with him, and then at
some future time settle things with
her. settle them IN a way that would
not leave him in any danger. He
thought of it calmly, as if the de-
cision were being handed down to
him by some logic not his own, over
which he had no control, but which
he had to obey.
you want me to leave you
here?"
Nav; nav Z. Bigger!"
well, come on. Get your hat
and coat"
She was facing him, then she
| sank TO her knees.
! "Oh, Lord" she moaned. whats
the use of running? They'll catch
us anywhere. I should've known
this would happen She clenched
her hands in front of her and
rocked to and fro with her eyes
/ closed upon gushing tears. "All my
| life'S been full of hard trouble. If
l want hungry, 1 was sick. And if
| wasn't sick, l was in trouble. |
/ amt never bothered nobody. 1
/ Just worked hard every day as long
as l can remember, till / was tired
enough to drop; then 1 had to
set drunk to forget it. / had to
get drunk to sleep. That's all !
ever did. And now I'm in this.
They're looking for me and when
they catch me they'll kill me-" She
bent her head to the floor. God
only knows why l ever let you treat
me this way"
L wish TO God never seen YOU.
| wish one of us had died before
We was born. God knows l dol All
you ever caused me was trouble.
just plain black trouble. All you
ever did since we been knowing
each other was to get me drunk
SOS you could have me. That was
all! 1 see it now. I amt drunk
now. [ see everything you ever did
to me. I didn't want to see it
before. / was too busy thinking
about how good I felt when 1 was
with you. I thought L was happy.
| but deep down in me I knew ]
wasn't. But you got me into this
murder and l see it all now. l
been fool, just a blind, dumb
black, drunk fool. Now I got to
run away and / know deep down
III your heart you really don't
care"
She stopped. choked. He had not
listened to what she. had said. Her
words had made leap to conscious
ness in him a thousand details OF
her life which he had long known
and they made him see that she
was in no condition to be taken
along and at the same time in nc
condition TO be left behind. 1t was
not with anger or regret that he
thought this, but as a man seeing
what he must do TO save himself
and feeling resolved to do it.
Come on, Bessie, We can't stay
here like this
He stopped and with one hand
caught hold of her arm with the
other he lifted the bundle of bed
clothes. He dragged her across the
threshold, and pulled the door
after him. He went down the
steps; she came stumbling behind,
Whimpering. When he reached the
veStibule, he got his gun from in
side his shirt and put it in the
pocket of his coat He might have
to use it any minute now. The
moment he stepped out of that door
he would have his life in his hands.
Whatever happened now depended
upon him; and when he felt it
| that way some of his fear left;
it was simple again. He opened the
door and an icy blast of wind
struck his face. He drew back and
| turned to Bessie.
where's the bottle?"
She held out her purse: he got
the bottle and took a deep drink.
Here" he said, You better take
one"
She drank and put the bottle
l. - L NH