SISTER LEWIS Just come on out dis church, Lucy Taylor. I'll beat you on everything you got but yo' tongue and I'll bit dat a lick if you stick it out. (to the men holding her) Turn me go! I'm going to fix her so her own mammy won't know her. She ain't going to slip _me_ into de dozens and laugh about it. SISTER TAYLOR (Trying to free herself) Why don't y'all turn dat ole twist mouth 'oman loose. All I wants to do is hit her one lick. I betcha I'll take her 'way from here faster than de word of God. SISTER LEWIS (to men holding Mrs. Taylor) I don't see how come y'all want let ole flat-behind Lucy Taylor aloose--make out she so bad, now. She may be red hot but I kin cool her. I'll ride her just like Jesus rode a jackass. (They have subsided into their seats again, but are glaring at each other. Enter Mayor Clarke thru the pulpit door and is annoyed at the clamor going on. He tries to quell the noise with a frown.) SISTER TAYLOR Dat ain't nothin' but talk--You looks lak de Devil before day, but you ain't so bad--not half as bad as you smell. CLARKE Order, please. Court is set. SISTER LEWIS You looks like all hell and de devil's doll baby, but all I want _you_ to do is to hit de ground and I'll crawl you. Put it where I kin git it and I'll sho use it. MAYOR CLARKE (feeling everywhere for the gavel) Lum Boger! Where's dat gavel I told you to put here? LUM (from beside prisoner) You said _you_ were going to git it yo'self. CLARKE I God, Lum, you gointer stand there like a bump on a log and see I ain't got nothin' to open court wid? Go head--fetch me dat gavel. Make haste quick before dese wimmen folks tote off dis church house. (Lum exits by front door) SISTER TAYLOR (to Lewis) Aw, shut up, you big old he-looking rascal you! Nobody don't know whether you'se a man or a woman. CLARKE You wimmen, shut up! SISTER LEWIS (to Taylor) Air Lawd! Dat ain't _yo_ trouble. They all _knows_ whut _you_ is--eg-zackly! LINDSAY Aw, why don't you wimmen cut dat out in de church-house! Jus' jawin' and chewin' de rag! SISTER TAYLOR Joe Lindsay, if you'd go home and feed dat raw-boned horse of yourn you wouldn't have so much time to stick yo' bill in business that ain't yourn. LINDSAY You ain't got nairn to feed--You better go hunt another dead dog and git some mo' teeth. Great big ole empty mouf, and no cheers in de parlar. SISTER TAYLOR I kin git all de teeth I wants--I'd ruther not have no cheers in my parlor than to have them ole snags you got in yo' mouf. I'd ruther gum it out. LINDSAY You don't _ruther_ gum it out, you _hafta_ gum it out. You ain't got no teeth. Dey better send out to dat ole mule and git you some teethes. SISTER LEWIS Joe Lindsay, don't you know no better than to strain wid folks ain't got sense enough to tote guts to a bean? If they ain't born wid no sense you cna't learn 'em none. LINDSAY You sho done tole whut God love now. (Glaring across the aisle) Ain't got enough gumption to kill a buzzard.