LUCY BELLE Mighty sorry I did’n’ git in ter see yo’ mo’ den I did. AUNT REBECCA Dat’s all right. I ain’ boderin’ ’bout dat at all. LUCY BELLE Yo’--yo’ see, I’se so busy wid mah wuk, an’ lookin’ aftah thin’s ’roun de house--an’--an’ de baby. AUNT REBECCA Yas, yas--honey. I knows how it is. LUCY BELLE Yo’ ’scuse me a minute, won’ yo’? AUNT REBECCA Sartainly, sartainly. LUCY BELLE Got ter run ’roun’ ter Miss Erminie’s wid dis yere washin’. AUNT REBECCA Sho’--sho’, honey! Yo’ go right ’long. Don’ yo’ boder ’bout me. LUCY BELLE Only jes’ ’roun’ de corner. Be right back. (_Rising and moving toward, Left._) Reckon I bettah bring dat baby out yere. No tellin’ w’at dem chillen liable ter do ter it while I’se gone. (_She goes out, Left, and returns immediately carrying a very young Negro baby._) AUNT REBECCA (_exclaiming_) Mah soul, dat’s a fine baby! Ain’ he dough? Yo’ wan’ me ter hol’ him? LUCY BELLE Ef yo’ don’ min’--till I gits back. AUNT REBECCA Sho’! Sho’! (_Lucy Belle places the baby in Aunt Rebecca’s arms and the old woman gazes down at him admiringly._) Gawd-a-massy! Bless yo’ heart! Ain’ yo’ mah lil’ honey-boy? Smile at me--dat’s it--smile! Ootchum-kootchum! Ootchum--kootchum! (_Fanny and Israel run in, Left. Both wear nightgowns._) FANNY Mamma! Whar yo’ all gwine? ISRAEL Mamma! Git me some candy! LUCY BELLE (_sharply_) Yo’ all hush! Git right back ter bed! Go ’long! FANNY (_whimpering_) I’se scar’t ob de night doctahs. LUCY BELLE Hush, child! Night doctahs ain’ gwine ter git yo’ in yere. Go ’long! (_Threateningly._) D’yo’ wan’ me ter knock yo’ haids off? ISRAEL Mamma! Git me--! (_Lucy Belle grabs them roughly and pushes them through the door, Left, and closes it after them. They cry for several moments and then gradually stop._) LUCY BELLE (_with a little sigh, as she comes back to Center_) Reckon I bettah be on mah way. (_Beginning to put on her hat and coat._) I ain’ nevah had no luck. Some gals gits by widout no trouble at all. I ain’ one-a dem kin’. Nuffin’ I evah done come out right--nuffin’ at all. Ef I starts anathin’ it’s boun’ ter go wrong. I--I’se conjuhed fo’ life. AUNT REBECCA Hush, chile! Don’ git down in de mouf like dat. Yo’ luck liable ter change any minute. Min’ did aftah I gits rid-a dem warts. LUCY BELLE I ain’ got no bus’ness wid all dese chillen. I’se a fool--Gawd knows I is. (_Wistfully._) Ain’ only one niggah evah treated me decent. Gawd knows, he treated me right! AUNT REBECCA Yo’ means Sam. (_Lucy Belle nods._) Still in jail, ain’ he? LUCY BELLE (_nodding_) Down in de penitentiary at Moun’sville. He kain’t write, so I don’ nevah yere from him. AUNT REBECCA Nevah min’, he gwine ter come back someday. LUCY BELLE Gawd, I hope so! AUNT REBECCA W’at come dat yallow--um--lessee--w’at’s his name--uster see him ’roun’ yere-- LUCY BELLE Chick Avery. AUNT REBECCA Yas--Chick Avery. Dat who I means. LUCY BELLE (_darkly_)