Light the Lantern Daughter

Jim cleared his throat. "Mr. Thompson, there's a popcorn popping at Sutherlands tonight. And the girls go?"The form on the bed did not move. After a long moment pots voice broke the silence. "No, they ain't going." Jenny turned and left the room. There was no use in arguing, no help and crying.

Show More

Rising at 430 every morning, she had milked, made cornbread, and started dinner before going to the field. There she had picked up rocks. When her back retired, she had knelt. When her knees were sore, she had squatted. All week should Yourself going with the thought that, come Saturday night, there be popcorn popping – – and now she couldn't go.Anger filled her in the futility she sensed so often since Ma's death – – feeling that you did the same things over and over every week of your life for nothing but cornmeal to make cornbread and a few cents for a yard of dress material.Finally the girl wiped her eyes. A tiny flame flickered in her mind. It had been there before when, hoeing in the field, she had straightened and looked to the horizon.There's country beyond the hill, she had dreamed. Roads in cities and schools. Maybe a school where a cotton field girl could work her way…

Show Less