SISTER TAYLOR Oh they been puttin out they brags ever since Sat'day night bout whut they gointer do to Jim. They thinks they runs this town. They tell me Rev. Singleton preached a sermon on it yesterday. SISTER THOMAS Lawd help us! He can't preach and he look like 10c worth of have-mercy, let lone gittin' up dare tryin' to throw slams at us. Now all Elder Sims done was to explain to us our rights--Whut you think bout Joe Clarke running round here takin' up for those ole Baptist niggers? SISTER TAYLOR De puzzle-gut rascal--we oughter have him up in conference and put him out de Meth'dis' faith. He don't blong in there--Wanta run dat boy outa town for nothin'. SISTER THOMAS But we all know how come he so hot to law Jim outa town--hits to dig de foundation out from under Elder Sims-- SISTER TAYLOR What he wanta do dat for? SISTER THOMAS Cause he wants to be a God-knows-it-all an' a God-do-it-all and Simms is de onliest one in this town whut will buck up to him. (Enter Sister Jones, walking leisurely) SISTER JONES Hello Hoyt, Hello Lucy. SISTER TAYLOR Goin' to de meetin'? SISTER JONES Done got my clothes on de line and I'm bound to be dere-- SISTER THOMAS Gointer testify for Jim? SISTER JONES Naw. I reckon--Don't make much difference to me which way de drop fall--Taint neither one of 'em much good. SISTER TAYLOR I know it. I know it, Ida. But dat ain't de point. De crow we wants to pick is, is we gointer set still and let dese Baptist tell us when to plant and when to pluck up? SISTER JONES Dat _is_ something to think about when you come to think about it. (starts to move on) Guess I better go ahead--See y'all later and tell you straighter. (Enter Elder Simms right, walking fast, Bible under his arm, almost collides with Mrs. Jones. She nods and smiles and exits.) ELDER SIMMS How you do, Sister Taylor, Sister Thomas. BOTH Good evenin', Elder SIMMS Sho is a hot day SISTER TAYLOR Yeah, de bear is walkin' de earth lak a natural man. SISTER THOMAS Reverend, look like you headed de wrong way. It's almost time for de trial and youse all de dependence we got. ELDER SIMMS I know it. I'm trying to find de Marshall so we kin go after Jim. I wants a chance to talk wid him a minute before court sits. SISTER TAYLOR Y'think he'll come clear? ELDER SIMMS (proudly) I _know_ it! (shakes the Bible) I'm going to law 'em from Genesis to Revelation. SISTER THOMAS Give it to 'em, Elder. Wear 'em out! ELDER SIMMS We'se liable to have a new Mayor when all dis dust settle. Well, I better scuffle on down de road. (Exit Sims left) SISTER THOMAS Lord, lemme gwan home and put dese greens on. (looks off stage left) Here come Mayor Clark now, wid his belly settin' out in front of him like a cow-catcher. His name oughter be Mayor Belly. SISTER TAYLOR (akimbo) Jus' look at him! Trying to look like a jigadier Breneral. (Enter Clarke hot and perspiring. They look at him coldly.)