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went to church every Sunday and she talked sorrowfully to the
preacher of her own husband。 And with her stubbornness she
always took the children to the church； too； and they listened。
The whole Negro race was sick； and he was busy all the day
and sometimes half the night。 After the long day a great
weariness would come in him； but when he opened Sie front
gate of his home the weariness would go away。 Yet when he
went into the house William would be playing music on a
comb wrapped in toilet paper； Hamilton and Karl Marx would
be shooting craps for their lunch money； Portia would be
laughing with her mother。70
He would start all over with them； but in a different way。 He
would bring out their lessons and talk with them。 They would
sit close together and look at their mother。 He would talk and
talk； but none of them wanted to understand。
The feeling that would come on him was a black； terrible；
Negro feeling。 He would try to sit in his office and read and
meditate until he could be calm and start again。 He would pull
down the shades of the room so that there would be only the
bright light and the books and the feeling of meditation。 But
sometimes this calmness would not come。 He was young； and
the terrible feeling would not go away with study。
Hamilton； Karl Marx； William； and Portia would be afraid of
him and look at their mother—and sometimes when he
realized this the black feeling would conquer him and he knew
not what he did。
He could not stop those terrible things； and afterward he could
never understand。
'This here supper sure smells good to me；' said Portia。 1 expect
us better eat now because Highboy and Willie liable to come
trooping in any minute。'
Doctor Copeland settled his spectacles and pulled his chair up
to the table。 'Where have your husband and William been
spending the evening？'
They been throwing horseshoes。 This here Raymond Jones
haves a horseshoe place in his back yard。 This Raymond and
his sister； Love Jones； plays ever night。 Love is such a ugly
girl I don't mind about Highboy or Willie going around to
their house any time they wishes。 But they said they would
come back for me at quarter to ten and I expecting them now
any minute。'
'Before I forget；' said Doctor Copeland。 'I suppose you hear
frequently from Hamilton and Karl Marx。'
'I does from Hamilton。 He practically taken over all the work
on our Grandpapa's place。 But Buddy； he in Mobile —and you
know he were never a big hand at writing letters。 However；
Buddy always haves such a sweet way with peoples that I
don't ever worry concerning him。 He the kind to always get
along right well。'
They sat silently at the table before the supper。 Portia kept
looking up at the clock on the cupboard because it
71
was time for Highboy and Willie to come。 Doctor Copeland
bent his head over the plate。 He held the fork in his hand as
though it were heavy； and his fingers trembled。 He only tasted
the food and with each mouthful he swallowed hard。 There
was a feeling of strain； and it seemed as though both of them
wanted to keep up some conversation。
Doctor Copeland did not know how to begin。 Sometimes he
thought that he had talked so much in the years before to his
children and they had understood so little that now there was
nothing at all to say。 After a while he wiped his mouth with
his handkerchief and spoke in an uncertain voice。
'You have hardly mentioned yourself。 Tell me about your job
and what you have been doing lately。'
'Course I still with the Kellys；' said Portia。 'But I tells you；
Father； I don't know how long I going to be able to keep on
with them。 The work is hard and it always take me a long time
to get through。 However； that don't bother me none。 It about
the pay I worries about。 I suppose to get three dollars a week
—but sometimes Mrs。 Kelly likes a dollar or fifty cents of
paying me the full amount。 Course she always catches up on it
soon as she able。 But it haves a way of leaving me in a pinch。'
〃That is not right；' said Doctor Copeland。 'Why do you stand
for it？'
'It ain't her fault。 She can't help it；' said Portia。 'Half the folks
in that house don't pay the rent； and it a big expense to keep
everthing up。 I tell you the truth—the Kellys is just barely
keeping one jump ahead of the sheriff。 They having a mighty
hard time。'
'There ought to be some other job you can get' 'I know。 But the
Kellys is really grand white peoples to work for。 I really fond
of them as I can be。 Them three little children is just like some
of my own kinfolks。 I feel like I done really raised Bubber and
the baby。 And although Mick and me is always getting into
some kind of quarrel together； I haves a real close fondness
for her； too。' 'But you must think of yourself；' said Doctor
Copeland。
'Mick； now' said Portia。 'She a real case。 Not a
soul know how to manage that child。 She just as biggity and
headstrong as she can be。 Something going on in her72
all the time。 I haves a funny feeling about that child。 It seem to
me that one of these days she going to really surprise
somebody。 But whether that going to be a good surprise or a
bad surprise I just don't know。 Mick puzzle me sometimes。
But still I really fond of her。'
*You must look out for your own livelihood first。'
'As I say； it ain't Mrs。 Kelly's fault It cost so much to run that
big old house and the rent just don't be paid。 Ain't but one
person in the house who pay a decent amount for his room and
pay it on the dot without fail。 And that man only been living
there a short while。 He one of these here deaf…and…dumb folks。
He the first one of them I ever seen close up—but he a mighty
fine white man。9
'Tall； thin； with gray and green eyes？' asked Doctor Copeland
suddenly。 'And always polite to everyone and very well
dressed？ Not like someone from this town— more like a
Northerner or maybe a Jew？'
'That him；' said Portia。
Eagerness came into Doctor Copeland's face。 He crumbled his
hoecake into the collard juice in his plate and began to eat
with a new appetite。 'I have a deaf…mute patient；' he said。
'How come you acquainted with Mr。 Singer？' asked Portia。
Doctor Copeland coughed and covered his mouth with his
handkerchief。 'I have just seen him several times。'
'I better clean up now；' said Portia。 'It sure enough time for
Willie and my Highboy。 But with this here real sink and grand
running water these little dishes won't take me two winks。'
The quiet insolence of the white race was one thing he had
tried to keep out of his mind for years。 When the resentment
would come to him he would cogitate and study。 In the streets
and around white people he would keep the dignity on his face
and always be silent。 When he was younger it was 'Boy'—but
now it was 'Uncle。' 'Uncle； run down to that filling station on
the corner and send me a 4 mechanic' A white man in a car
had called out those words to him not long ago。 'Boy； give me
a hand with this。' —'Uncle； do that。' And he would not listen；
but would walk； on with the dignity in him and be silent
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