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

71/260“Over dere in Maitland, ’ceptin’ when he go visitin’ or somethin’.”“Lemme speak to mah wife a minute and Ah’m goin’ see de man.You cannot have no town without some land to build it on. Y’all ain’tgot enough here to cuss a cat on without gittin’ yo’ mouf full of hair.”“He ain’t got no mo’ land tuh give away. Yuh needs plenty money ifyuh wants any mo’.”“Ah specks to pay him.”The idea was funny to them and they wanted to laugh. They triedhard to hold it in, but enough incredulous laughter burst out of theireyes and leaked from the corners of their mouths to inform anyone oftheir thoughts. So Joe walked off abruptly. Most of them went along toshow him the way and to be there when his bluff was called.Hicks didn’t go far. He turned back to the house as soon as he felthe wouldn’t be missed from the crowd and mounted the porch.“Evenin’, Miz Starks.”“Good evenin’.”“You reckon you gointuh like round here?”“Ah reckon so.”“Anything Ah kin do tuh help out, why you kin call on me.”“Much obliged.”