" But Mama said "devil" is an ugly word for
ladies to use, so she always said "the Bad Man." No matter what
his name, I didn't want him to get me and burn me up, so I quit
talking about Mister Ward.
Soon we came to the main road, where we turned into what Mama
said was the left fork. She told me if we were to go the other
way, and kept on riding eight or ten miles, we'd wind up down in
Louisiana.
I never had been to Louisiana.
A few minutes later we met Old Mister Hawk in his narrow
wagon. Mama said he was the only man for miles who had a
one-horse wagon. He didn't have a horse, though, just a mule.
Mister Hawk made his old, bony, gray mule go over in the
weeds and grass so there would be lots of room in the road for
our buggy. When he said "'Evenin', Miss Nannie," he took one hand
and lifted his hat clean off his head.
Next, we came to the Baileys' house. Miss Lida Belle was
sitting on the front porch, and she waved and called out for Mama
to stop. Mama drew up the reins, slowing Dale to a walk.
"'Evening, Lida Belle.
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