(Enter Lum by front door with gavel in one hand and mule bone in the other. He walks importantly up the aisles and hands Clarke the gavel and lays the bone atop the pulpit.) CLARKE (rapping sharply with gavel) Here! You moufy wimmen shut up. (to Lum) Lum, go on back there and shut dem wimmen up or put 'em outa here. (Lum starts walking importantly down the aisle towards Sister Taylor. she almost rises to meet him.) SISTER TAYLOR Lum Boger, you fresh little snot you! Don't you dast to come here trying to put _me_ out--Many diapers as I done pinned on _you_! Git way from me befo' I knock every nap off of yo' head, one by one. (Lum hurries away from her apologetically. He turns towards Mrs. Lewis.) MRS. LEWIS Deed Godknows you better not lay de weight of yo' hand on _me_, Lum. Here you ain't dry behind de ears yert and come telling _me_ what to do. Gwan way from here before I kick yo' clothes up round you' neck like a horse collar. (Lum goes on back and takes his seat beside the prisoner.) CLARKE (glaring ferociously) This court is set and I'm bound to have some order or else. (The talking ceases. Absolute quiet) CLARKE Now less git down to business. We got folks in dis town dat's just like a snake in de grass. SISTER BOGER Brother Mayor! We ain't got no business going into no trial nor northin' else 'thout a word of prayer--to be sure de right spirit is wid us. VOICE ON METHODIST SIDE Thass right,--Elder Simms, give us a word of prayer. (He rises hurriedly.) VOICE ON BAPTIST SIDE This is a Baptist Church and de pastor is settin' right here--how come he can't pray in his own church? VOICE ON METHODIST SIDE Y'all done started all dis mess--how you going to git de right spirit here? Go head, Rev. Simms. VOICE ON BAPTIST SIDE He can't pray over me. Dis Church says one Lord, one faith, one Baptism--and a man that ain't never been baptised atall ain't got no business praying over nobody. CLARKE (rapping with gavel) Less sing! Somebody raise a tune. (VOICE ON BAPTIST SIDE begins "Onward Christian Soldiers" and the others join in.) (VOICE ON METHODIST SIDE begins "All hail the power of Jesus name" and the Methodists join in. Both shout as loud as they can to the end of the verse.) (Mayor Clarke raps loudly for order at the end of the verse and lifts his hands as if to bless a table) CLARKE (praying) Lord be withus and bless these few remarks we are about to receive, Amen. Now this court is open for business. All of us know we came here on serious business. This town is bout to be tore up by back-biting and malice. Now everybody that's a witness in this case stand up. I wants the witness to take the front seat. (Nearly everybody in the room rises. Brother Hambo frowns across the aisle at Mrs. McDuffy, who is standing.) BROTHER HAMBO Whut _you_ doing standin' up for a witness? I know you wasn't there. You don't know one thing about it.