Their-Eyes-Were-Watching-God-rmrju9

158 40 Zora Neale Hurstonweather watching them throw. It was art. A thousand dollars athrow in Madison Square Garden wouldn't have gotten anymore breathless suspense. It would have just been more peopleholding in.After a while somebody looked out and said, "It ain't gittingno fairer out dere. B'lieve Ah'll git on over tub mah shack."Motor Boat and Tea Cake were still playing so everybody leftthem at it.Sometime that night the winds came back. Everything in theworld had a strong rattle, sharp and short like Stew Beef vibratingthe drum head near the edge with his fingers. By morningGabriel was playing the deep tones in the center of the drum. Sowhen Janie looked out of her door she saw the drifting mistsgathered in the west—that cloud field of the sky—to arm themselveswith thunders and march forth against the world. Louderand higher and lower and wider the sound and motion spread,mounting, sinking, darking.It woke up old Okechobee and the monster began to roll inhis bed. Began to roll and complain like a peevish world on agrumble. The folks in the quarters and the people in the bighouses further around the shore heard the big lake and wondered.The people felt uncomfortable but safe because there werethe seawalls to chain the senseless monster in his bed. The folkslet the people do the thinking. If the castles thought themselvessecure, the cabins needn't worry. Their decision was alreadymade as always. Chink up your cracks, shiver in your wet bedsand wait on the mercy of the Lord. The bossman might have thething stopped before morning anyway. It is so easy to be hopefulin the day time when you can see the things you wish on. But itwas night, it stayed night. Night was striding across nothingnesswith the whole round world in his hands.A big burst of thunder and lightning that trampled over the