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wild and evil feeling of destruction。 At times he drank strong
liquor and beat his head against the floor。 In his heart there
was a savage violence； and once he grasped the poker from the
hearth and struck down his wife。 She took Hamilton； Karl
Marx； William； and Portia with her to her father's home。 He
wrestled in his spirit and fought down the evil blackness。 But
Daisy did not come back to him。 And eight years later when
she died his sons were not children any more and they did not
return to him。 He was left an old man in an empty house。
Promptly at five o'clock the next afternoon he arrived at the
house where Portia and Highboy lived。 They resided in the
part of town called Sugar Hill； and the house was a narrow
cottage with a porch and two rooms。 From inside there was a
babble of mixed voices。 Doctor Copeland approached stiffly
and stood in the doorway holding his shabby felt hat in his
hand。
The room was crowded and at first he was not noticed。 He
sought the faces of Karl Marx and Hamilton。 Besides them
there was Grandpapa and two children who sat together on the
floor。 He was still looking into the faces of his sons when
Portia perceived him standing in the door。 'Here Father；' she
said。
The voices stopped。 Grandpapa turned around in his chair。 He
was thin and bent and very wrinkled。 He was wearing the
same greenish…black suit that he had worn thirty years before
at his daughter's wedding。 Across his vest there was a
tarnished brass watch chain。 Karl Marx and Hamilton looked
at each other； then down at the floor； and finally at their
father。
'Benedict Mady' said the old man。 'Been a long
time。 A real long time。'
'Ain't it； though！' Portia said。 'This here the first reunion us is
all had in many a year。 Highboy； you get a chair from the
kitchen。 Father； here Buddy and Hamilton。' Doctor Copeland
shook hands with his sons。 They were both tall and strong and
awkward。 Against their blue shirts and overalls their skin had
the same rich brown color as did Portia's。 They did not look
him in the eye； and in their faces there was neither love nor
hate。
123
It sure is a pity everybody couldn't come—Aunt Sara and Jim
and all the rest；' said Highboy。 'But this here is a real pleasure
to us。'
'Wagon too full；' said one of the children。 'Us had to walk a
long piece 'cause the wagon too full anyways。'
Grandpapa scratched Ms ear with a matchstick。 'Somebody
got to stay home。'
Nervously Portia licked her dark； thin lips。 'It our Willie I
thinking about。 He were always a big one for any kind of party
or to…do。 My mind just won't stay off our Willie。'
Through the room there was a quiet murmur of agreement。
The old man leaned back in bis chair and waggled his head up
and down。 'Portia； Hon； supposing you reads to us a little
while。 The word of God sure do mean a lot in a time of
trouble。'
Portia took up the Bible from the table in the center of the
room。 'What part you want to hear now； Grandpapa？'
'It all the book of the Holy Lord。 Just any place your eye fall
on will do。'
Portia read from the Book of Luke。 She read slowly； tracing
the words with her long； limp finger。 The room was still。
Doctor Copeland sat on the edge of the group； cracking his
knuckles； his eyes wandering from one point to another。 The
room was very small； the air close and stuffy。 The four walls
were cluttered with calendars and crudely painted
advertisements from magazines。 On the mantel there was a
vase of red paper roses。 The fire on the hearth burned slowly
and the wavering light from the oil lamp made shadows on the
wall。 Portia read with such slow rhythm that the words slept in
Doctor Copeland's ears and he was drowsy。 Karl Marx lay
sprawled upon the floor beside the children。 Hamilton and
Highboy dozed。 Only the old man seemed to study the
meaning of the words。
Portia finished the chapter and closed the book。
'I done pondered over this thing a many a time/ said
Grandpapa。
The people in the room came out of their drowsiness。 'What？
'
asked Portia。
'It this way。 You recall them parts Jesus raising the dead and
curing the sick？
'
'Course we does； sir；' said Highboy deferentially。124
CARSON Me CULLERS
I
'Many a day when I be plowing or working；' Grandpapa said
slowly； 'I done thought and reasoned about the time when
Jesus going to descend again to this earth。 'Cause I done
always wanted it so much it seem to me like it will be while I
am living。 I done studied about it many a time。 And this here
the way I done planned it。 I reason I will get to stand before
Jesus with all my childrens and grandchil…drens and great
grandchildrens and kinfolks and friends and I say to him；
〃Jesus Christ； us is all sad colored peoples。〃 And then he will
place His holy hand upon our heads and straightway us will be
white as cotton。 That the plan and reasoning that been in my
heart a many and a many a time。'
A hush fell on the room。 Doctor Copeland jerked the cuff of
his sleeves and cleared his throat。 His pulse beat too fast and
his throat was tight Sitting in the corner of the room he felt
isolated and angry and alone。
'Has any of you ever had a sign from Heaven？' asked
Grandpapa。
'I has； sir；' said Highboy。 'Once when I were sick with the
pneumonia I seen God's face looking out the fireplace at me。 It
were a large white man's face with a white beard and blue
eyes。'
'I seen a ghost；' said one of the children—the girL
'Once I seen' began the little boy。
Grandpapa held up his hand。 'You childrens hush。 You； 。 I
Celia—and you； Whitman—it now the time for you to * listen
but not be heard；' he said。 'Only one time has I had a real sign。
And this here the way it come about。 It were in the summer of
last year； and hot。 I were trying to dig up the roots of that big
oak stump near the hogpen and when I leaned down a kind of
catch； a misery； come suddenly in the small of my back。 I
straightened up and then aU around went dark。 I were holding
my hand to my back and looking up at the sky when suddenly
I seen this little angel。 It were a little white girl angel—look to
me about the size of a field pea—with yellow hair and a white
robe。 Just flying around near the sun。 After that I come in the
house and prayed。 I studied the Bible for three days before I
went out in the field again。'
Doctor Copeland felt the old evil anger in him。 The words
rose inchoately to his throat and he could not speak
125
them。 They would listen to the old man。 Yet to words of
reason they would not attend。 These are my people； he tried to
tell himself—but because he was dumb this thought did not
help him now。 He sat tense and sullen。
'It a queer thing；' said Grandpapa suddenly。 'Benedict Mady；
you a fine doctor。 How come I get them miseries sometime in
the small of my back after I been digging and planting for a
good while？ How come that misery bother me？'
'How old are you now？'
'I somewhere between seventy and eighty year old。'
The old man loved medicine and treatment Always when he
used to come in with his family to see Daisy he would h