"
Mama sounded like she was talking to herself, not me, but I
didn't stop her.
"I've got a quilt in the frame that's simply got to be
finished and put away. I always did hate to see a half-finished
quilt hanging up against the ceiling. That makes me think; I'd
better set up another bed in the far side room. That floor's got
to be scrubbed first, though. This porch and all these old floors
need a good going over with sand and lye."
"Mama, what's for me to do?"
"I'll think of something." Mama looked out across the yard
toward the grove of black walnut trees in front of our house and
at the ones growing by the barns and wagon shelter. The trees
were nearly naked. They still had a handful of brown and yellow
leaves flipping in the wind, but all their walnuts were lying on
the ground, their thick green hulls already shriveling up and
turning from green to black.
"I know the very thing, Bandershanks. You can pick up
walnuts. We'll make some chocolate candy with-"
"Mama, look coming! Yonder's Mierd and Wiley! What're they
running for?"
"My sakes! Mister Shepherd must've turned school out early!"
"Mama! Guess what! School's out! We're getting a holiday!"
Wiley yelled, long before he and Mierd got to the gate.
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