Janie saw her life like a great tree in leaf with the things suffered

148/260Janie hung over the newel post thinking so long that she all butwent to sleep there. However, before she went to bed she took a goodlook at her mouth, eyes and hair.All next day in the house and store she thought resisting thoughtsabout Tea Cake. She even ridiculed him in her mind and was a littleashamed of the association. But every hour or two the battle had to befought all over again. She couldn’t make him look just like any otherman to her. He looked like the love thoughts of women. He could be abee to a blossom—a pear tree blossom in the spring. He seemed to becrushing scent out of the world with his footsteps. Crushing aromaticherbs with every step he took. Spices hung about him. He was a glancefrom God.So he didn’t come that night and she laid in bed and pretended tothink scornfully of him. “Bet he’s hangin’ round some jook or ’nother.Glad Ah treated him cold. Whut do Ah want wid some trashy niggerout de streets? Bet he’s livin’ wid some woman or ’nother and takin’me for uh fool. Glad Ah caught mahself in time.” She tried to consoleherself that way.The next morning she awoke hearing a knocking on the front doorand found Tea Cake there.“Hello, Mis’ Janie, Ah hope Ah woke you up.”“You sho did, Tea Cake. Come in and rest yo’ hat. Whut you doin’out so soon dis mornin’?”“Thought Ah’d try tuh git heah soon enough tuh tell yuh mah daytimethoughts. Ah see yuh needs tuh know mah daytime feelings. Ahcan’t sense yuh intuh it at night.”“You crazy thing! Is dat whut you come here for at daybreak?”