betsy baron
Remember when what’s-his-name Tentini almost drowned? Then, when Colonel B. revived him, first thing Tentini did was ask for his f—–ing mug of punch?
eddie baron
Perhaps that is enough, the Reverend said coldly.
roger bevins iii
Remember that time we left little Eddie at the Parade Ground?
betsy baron
After the Polk whatdoyoucallit.
eddie baron
We’d had a few.
betsy baron
Didn’t hurt him.
eddie baron
Might’ve helped him.
betsy baron
Made him tougher.
eddie baron
If a horse steps on you, you do not die.
betsy baron
You might limp a bit.
eddie baron
And after that be scared of horses.
betsy baron
And dogs.
eddie baron
But wandering around in a crowd for five hours? Does not kill you.
betsy baron
What I think? It helps you. Because then you know how to wander around in a crowd for five hours without crying or panicking.
eddie baron
Well, he cried and panicked a little. Once he got home.
betsy baron
Ah, sweet C—–, you protect the G——ed little f—–ers from everything, next thing they’re calling you to the privy to wipe their a—–holes.
One thing I’ll say for Eddie Jr. and Mary Mag? They always wiped their own a—–holes.
eddie baron
And we didn’t have no privy.
betsy baron
Just s—– wherever.
eddie baron
Why don’t they ever come see us? That’s what I want to know. How long we been here? A pretty f—–ing long time. And they never once— betsy baron
F—– them! Those f—–ing ingrate snakes have no G——ed right to blame us for a f—–ing thing until they walk a f—–ing mile in our G——ed shoes and neither f—–ing one of the little s—–heads has walked even a s—–ing half-mile in our f—–ing shoes.
eddie baron
Enough, said the Reverend.
hans vollman
These were the Barons.
roger bevins iii
Drunk and insensate, lying in the road, run over by the same carriage, they had been left to recover from their injuries in an unmarked disreputable common sick-pit just beyond the dreaded iron fence, the only white people therein, thrown in with several members of the dark race, not one among them, pale or dark, with a sick-box in which to properly recover.
hans vollman
It was not quite comme il faut that the Barons should presume to speak to the boy.
the reverend everly thomas
Or be on this side of the fence.
hans vollman
It is not about wealth.
the reverend everly thomas
I was not wealthy.
hans vollman
It is about comportment. It is about, let us say, being “wealthy in spirit.”
the reverend everly thomas
The Barons, however, came and went as they pleased. The fence not being an impediment to them.
hans vollman
As in that previous place, they remained unconstrained.
the reverend everly thomas
Ha.
roger bevins iii
Ha ha.
hans vollman
The Barons were followed in rapid succession by Mr. Bunting (“I certainly have nothing of which to be ashamed”), Mr. Ellenby (“I came to this here town with seven dolers stitched in of my panse and do not intend to go any damn plase until someone tell me where in Hel is my dolers”), and Mrs. Proper Fessbitt (“I request one last Hour during which the terrible pain be not Upon me, so that I may bid Farewell to my Dear Ones in a more Genial spirit”), who inched up to the doorway frozen in the same crabbed, fetal posture in which she had spent her last bedridden year in that previous place.
roger bevins iii
Dozens more still excitedly waited to speak with the lad, buoyant with new hope.
hans vollman
But alas, it was not to be.
the reverend everly thomas
XXVIII.
Presently we became aware, by way of certain familiar signs, that trouble was brewing.
roger bevins iii It happened as it always happens.
the reverend everly thomas A hush fell across the premises.
roger bevins iii The scraping of winter branches against winter branches could be heard.
hans vollman A warm breeze arose, fragrant with all manner of things that give comfort: grass, sun, beer, bread, quilts, cream—this list being different for each of us, each being differently comforted.
roger bevins iii Flowers of extraordinary color, size, shape, and fragrance sprang forth fully formed from the earth.
the reverend everly thomas The gray February trees began to blossom.
hans vollman Then yielded fruit.
the reverend everly thomas