He try an’ try ter git anoder job--but could’n’ seem ter fin’ nuffin’. Times is bad, yo’ know. Neah walk his feet off jes’ seein’ ef he kain’t git somefin’ by de day. AUNT REBECCA Yo’ don’ say! LUCY BELLE Sam’s as steady as dey make ’em. Ef he ain’ wukkin he jes’ ’bout goes crazy. AUNT REBECCA Don’ I know it. LUCY BELLE So finally he up an’ gwine ter Baltimo’--an’ gits a job wid de Street Departmen’--diggin’ ditches fo’ wattah mains. AUNT REBECCA In Baltimo’--! LUCY BELLE Yas, indeedy! I been at him fo’ a long time ter go ovah dere. AUNT REBECCA Yo’ is--! LUCY BELLE Aun’ Becky, dey’s some niggahs ’roun’ dis town--dat jes’ watchin’ dere chanct ter blackguard him an me--git back at us any way dey kin. AUNT REBECCA (_with a little snort_) Go ’long, now--w’at yo’ talkin’ ’bout. LUCY BELLE Dey sho’ is--! An’ jes as soon as he git somefin’ steady--an’ dat pay a lil’ bettah we gwine ter move ovah dere. AUNT REBECCA (_with a wail_) Gawd-a-massy, w’at yo’ po’ ole Aun’ Becky gwine ter do! LUCY BELLE Be mighty sorry ter leave yo’, Aun’ Becky--! AUNT REBECCA (_with facetious fervor_) Why, chile, w’at yo’ ’spose I done come back ter Wash’nin’ fo’? LUCY BELLE I know yo’ gwine ter miss me--an’ I’se gwine ter miss yo’--but it tain’ so far away dat I kain’t git ovah--now an’ den. An’ yo’ kin come ovah an’ see me--! AUNT REBECCA (_shaking her head_) Lawsy, lawsy--dat’s de way. Jes’ as soon as yo’ git ter likin’ somebody--dey up an’ gwine ’way. LUCY BELLE It gwine ter be bes’ fo’ bof ob us, Aun’ Becky--! AUNT REBECCA I reckon yo’ know--but jes’ de same-- LUCY BELLE An’--an’ terday I feels mo’ like we got ter git ’way den evah. AUNT REBECCA How come dat--? LUCY BELLE Yo’ know Sam ain’ nevah had nuffin’ much ter do wid oder gals. AUNT REBECCA (_with a nod_) He don’ look like he ’ud chase ’em much. LUCY BELLE He don’! He ain’ dat kin’! But--but fo’ de las’ free weeks dey’s a gal dat he uster know--long time ago--keep comin’ ’roun’ yere. AUNT REBECCA Go ’long! LUCY BELLE Her name Lizzie Gibbs--an’ she de hardes’ ole yallow gal yo’ evah seen. AUNT REBECCA She come ’roun’ yere--! LUCY BELLE Sam only gits home onct or twict a week--mos’ly only onct. I allas goes ter de do’ w’en he’s yere--an’ ef she come--he duck upstairs fo’ she kin lay eyes on him. AUNT REBECCA Would’n’ stan’ fo’ nuffin’ like dat! LUCY BELLE W’at yo’ gwine ter do? She so hard she liable ter do anathin’. She--she was yere dis mawnin’. She say she gwine ter keep comin’ ’till she see Sam. AUNT REBECCA Gawd-a-massy! Put de _po_-lice on her--! LUCY BELLE (_shakes her head_) Ef I do dat, she liable ter make trouble-- AUNT REBECCA W’at trouble kin she make ef dey locks her up? LUCY BELLE She might make trouble ’tween me an’ Sam--ef she’s a min’ ter-- AUNT REBECCA ’Tween yo’ an’ Sam--! Go ’long! LUCY BELLE Sam don’ care no mo’ fo’ her den he do a rat--but she crazy jealous-- AUNT REBECCA ’Co’se she is--an’ dat’s de reason--