6

Alabama 6

He was speaking slowly and profoundly, searching himself for an honest
opinion. His brother was talking to another fellow about the Bible, and
Mason was talking politics. Sometimes Bony's brother would raise his voice
and wave his arms, and they knew he was preaching.

"I believe in giving a boy a education," said Bony. The visitor knew
that he was sending a nephew to Auburn. "A feller needs all the chances he
can get."

"Back in my day boys didn't have no hanging-out places. We had tuh work
all the week, and Sunday after church was all the time we had. We'd played
townball. We couldn't git into meanness like they do today."

Bony's brother wanted to know: "Do people sleep?"

Nobody ventured to know, and he accepted the ignorance of all by saying:
"A Baptist preacher said that people don't sleep, but that sleep comes to
people." Bony's brother resumed his talk with the other fellow.

Bony pointed across the road, between the two knolls. On one had once
stood his home. Between the hills there was land laying out, but beyond
could be seen a corn patch. Tall graceful corn grew there. "There's fifty
acres in that of the best land in this country."

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