and Lank Tatum made little paddles of cane, and began to scrape off the fine scum rising on the surface of the syrup, and eat it with relish. Sweet potatoes, tucked under the edge of the syrup kettle, had baked quickly, and now found their way into the children's hands.
The men refilled the kettle on the furnace with fresh cane juice for the next boiling. Mrs. Tatum went into the kitchen and Mrs. Dorsey came out to take her place.
It was when the grinding and boiling were at their height that Semina took it into her head to balk. She stopped in her tracks and refused to move another step. Mr. Dorsey beat her with a stick, but she did not appear to feel it.
The feeding of the cane stopped. No more juice poured into the trough. The kettle on the furnace was empty. Every- thing stopped because of Semina.
Birdie stepped up. "Likely I can get her started."
She tried everything.
She whispered in her ear. She whacked her on the back. She tickled her ticklish spot. She held brown sugar in her hand to tempt her sweet tooth. She offered her a chew of sugar cane. But the white mule turned away with cool indifference.
"Honey," said Pa, "you can't do nothing with her."
The men stood around and laughed at Birdie. She got red in the face and redder. At last she spoke to Pa.
"Likely her teeth need filing again," said Birdie. "The tooth dentist said that would stop her from balking!"
The men roared with laughter. Embarrassed, Birdie fled. She took refuge behind the big umbrella tree. Then she heard the rollers creak again, and saw that somebody's horse had been put in Semina's place. The cane grinding went on.
At dusk-dark the real fun began.
Sam Slater and Gus and Joe appeared. No frolic was complete without them. Sam brought his fiddle into the house and struck up a lively tune, while Shoestring stood at his side and picked on the violin strings with knitting needles, for an accompaniment. The men and women formed into lines and Sam Slater called the dance steps in a loud voice. Soon the rooms and porches were a flurry of movement, music and laughter. Joe Slater danced fancy steps, and made the people laugh.
"He shore can cut the fool!" they said.
Outdoors, the children and young people began their yard-plays. Gus Slater played his mouth organ with gay abandon. They took partners, formed a circle and sang:
"How happy was the miller when he lived by himself,
The wheel rolls round and he gathers in his wealth;
One hand in the hopper and the other in the sack,
The wheel rolls round and he hollers out grab!"
Whereupon each boy grabbed the girl in front of him, and kept on whirling. Gus Slater happened to be next to Birdie. He caught her up and swung her so high, her feet did not touch the ground till she got round the circle.
"You put me down, Gus Slater!" she cried indignantly.
They played and sang Get on Girls and Go to Boston. After that came King William was King Joseph’s Son, Go Forth and Face Your Lover and Green Grows the Willow Tree. They played the games until their voices were hoarse and they were ready to drop.
Meanwhile Mr. Boyer had set fire to a pine stump near by. When darkness came down, he had a great bonfire burning to light up the yard. The boys ran to pile on more Lightwood knots whenever it burned low. It hissed and crackled and popped, bathing the dancing figures in a pattern of light and shadow.
Mr. Boyer made the candy himself. He boiled the syrup down to just the right temperature, then poured the thickening mixture out on many plates to cool. A brisk rush followed, as each boy hurried to get a plate for his girl.
Birdie took plates to the little Slater girls and Dovey and showed them how to pull. By the time she got back, most of the boys and girls had teamed up. Shad Harden was pulling candy with Olema Dorsey, and Lank Tatum with Rofelia Marsh. She stood around for a while, wondering who would pull with her.
She hoped it would not be Shoestring Slater. She was getting sick of the
The men refilled the kettle on the furnace with fresh cane juice for the next boiling. Mrs. Tatum went into the kitchen and Mrs. Dorsey came out to take her place.
It was when the grinding and boiling were at their height that Semina took it into her head to balk. She stopped in her tracks and refused to move another step. Mr. Dorsey beat her with a stick, but she did not appear to feel it.
The feeding of the cane stopped. No more juice poured into the trough. The kettle on the furnace was empty. Every- thing stopped because of Semina.
Birdie stepped up. "Likely I can get her started."
She tried everything.
She whispered in her ear. She whacked her on the back. She tickled her ticklish spot. She held brown sugar in her hand to tempt her sweet tooth. She offered her a chew of sugar cane. But the white mule turned away with cool indifference.
"Honey," said Pa, "you can't do nothing with her."
The men stood around and laughed at Birdie. She got red in the face and redder. At last she spoke to Pa.
"Likely her teeth need filing again," said Birdie. "The tooth dentist said that would stop her from balking!"
The men roared with laughter. Embarrassed, Birdie fled. She took refuge behind the big umbrella tree. Then she heard the rollers creak again, and saw that somebody's horse had been put in Semina's place. The cane grinding went on.
At dusk-dark the real fun began.
Sam Slater and Gus and Joe appeared. No frolic was complete without them. Sam brought his fiddle into the house and struck up a lively tune, while Shoestring stood at his side and picked on the violin strings with knitting needles, for an accompaniment. The men and women formed into lines and Sam Slater called the dance steps in a loud voice. Soon the rooms and porches were a flurry of movement, music and laughter. Joe Slater danced fancy steps, and made the people laugh.
"He shore can cut the fool!" they said.
Outdoors, the children and young people began their yard-plays. Gus Slater played his mouth organ with gay abandon. They took partners, formed a circle and sang:
"How happy was the miller when he lived by himself,
The wheel rolls round and he gathers in his wealth;
One hand in the hopper and the other in the sack,
The wheel rolls round and he hollers out grab!"
Whereupon each boy grabbed the girl in front of him, and kept on whirling. Gus Slater happened to be next to Birdie. He caught her up and swung her so high, her feet did not touch the ground till she got round the circle.
"You put me down, Gus Slater!" she cried indignantly.
They played and sang Get on Girls and Go to Boston. After that came King William was King Joseph’s Son, Go Forth and Face Your Lover and Green Grows the Willow Tree. They played the games until their voices were hoarse and they were ready to drop.
Meanwhile Mr. Boyer had set fire to a pine stump near by. When darkness came down, he had a great bonfire burning to light up the yard. The boys ran to pile on more Lightwood knots whenever it burned low. It hissed and crackled and popped, bathing the dancing figures in a pattern of light and shadow.
Mr. Boyer made the candy himself. He boiled the syrup down to just the right temperature, then poured the thickening mixture out on many plates to cool. A brisk rush followed, as each boy hurried to get a plate for his girl.
Birdie took plates to the little Slater girls and Dovey and showed them how to pull. By the time she got back, most of the boys and girls had teamed up. Shad Harden was pulling candy with Olema Dorsey, and Lank Tatum with Rofelia Marsh. She stood around for a while, wondering who would pull with her.
She hoped it would not be Shoestring Slater. She was getting sick of the
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