Strange Fruit by Lillian Smith

Author:Lillian Smith
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 2023-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

THIRTEEN

Dessie sat on the back porch of the Anderson home. Inside, one of the Livingston twins was playing the piano. Folks were still dancing, or walking in the yard to cool off. Dr. Perry had been there all evening and was helping Miss Nonnie and Miss Bess with the drinks. They’d tried out some new records Mr. Eddie had brought home, and everybody had had a good time. Even the Reverend Livingston and Mrs. Livingston had dropped in for a little while to watch the fun. And the freckled gentleman who sold insurance was there—he’d sold her some too, twenty-five cents’ worth a week—and the schoolteacher, and a man whose name she didn’t catch, a friend of Dr. Perry’s, from Valdosta. It was a fine party. They had little cakes iced in colors, and punch and Coca-Cola, and there were some bottles out of which Mr. Eddie and the other men poured something into their glasses. Miss Nonnie had smiled when she came and had whispered, “Dessie, you’re so pretty!” And Miss Bess had exclaimed, “Why, Dessie! Aren’t you dressed up! Where in the world did you—” and had stopped and said, “I’m so glad you could come. Be careful not to spill anything on that pretty new dress,” and had looked at Miss Nonnie as if mighty surprised, and then Mr. Ed had asked her to dance.

Now she waited for him to bring her some more refreshments. He had been real nice to her. She’d been afraid he wouldn’t remember he’d seen her before—the time they ran into each other on the street. But he had. Hardly any of them dichties ever noticed her or remembered her, or bothered to speak to her even at church, cept Miss Nonnie and Miz Lowe. They and Miz Harris was the finest ladies on earth. Miz Lowe so smart and, when she was feeling good, always dancing around crazy, like they used to do out in the kentry. And Miss Nonnie, pretty and sweet and holdin her head so high; and Miz Harris. Miz Harris sho was good. She prayed ever morning a long time before she dressed, and she talked about having a clean heart and about the blessed Lord and made you feel like you was gwine die or some’in right solemn inside. And now here she was—But she hadn’t stole it, she’d git it right back before Miss Harriet could miss it. The prettiest dress in the world! Harriet had brought it home from Atlanta and when they lifted it out of its box to show Mrs. Harris, she had caught her breath and pressed her hands together until the knuckles cracked. Red silk organdie, they said it was, and it had white specks in it and fitted Harriet tight to the waist with yards in the skirt aflouncin around in the air, and it had a square neck cut low and little sleeves like butterflies blowin about, and when Harriet went to a party she wore white satin pumps with it and a white flower in her hair.

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