Maggie Rose had expected a bigger town, but what surprised her more as the driver drove his mules down through what appeared to be the main street of the town, the only people about were colored. Panic clutched at her and she swung around, searching the street for a white face. At a chuckle from Hattie, she looked up at the usually somber-faced woman.
"Sure didn't 'pect to find this many coloreds 'round here," Hattie said.
Fear rose up drying Maggie Rose's mouth. She licked her lips and swallowed. What? Was this town full of colored people?"
**************
They stopped to eat at midday in their usual place beside a hill of limestone rock where a few trees grew along a stream bank providing shade. Here Mama still reminded Sass how to act in Prairie City.
"Remember," she said, "you don't look white folks in the eyes and you step clear down into the street if they's comin' by. Don't go to openin'your mouth less'n you're spoken to and don't be puttin' your fingers on nothing that's sittin' in a store to be for sale."
Sass who could repeat her warnings word for word, heard a squirrel chatter and looked up to see one jump from a tree limb.
"Evangeline!"
Her mother's use of her real name and the sharp edge to her voice made Sass's cheeks burn with embarrasment. "Sorry, Mama," she said.
