Birthright (1939)

[bunniefuu]

You ought to see me

when I had my bayonet,

and I bop that, and I boop that,

and then with my butt end

I went like...

Oh, I sure put it

to 'em, black boy.

Four white men, four.

Oh, you ought to see me,

I was going, go...

Excuse me, fellas.

- What you want?

- What's the matter, Tump?

Ain't nothin' the matter.

You puffed up because cissie

put you down for a ten?

Has she done stuck me for a ten?

Yeah, it's on that school

subscription.

Is that what you two was

talking about all that time

over at your house?

Exactly.

Now the proposition is this.

Yeah?

I've made a deal with

Henry hooker, the banker,

to buy the tomwit place

south of town

to build a school on.

So I've raised a hundred

dollars, that is,

when you kick in with that ten

cissie put you down to pay.

So if you'll come across,

you can come with me

down to the bank

to make a payment

and get the contract.

Well, uh, let me see

how I can fix you.

Get myself together and see

how near I can get to it

because I'm a little

short anyway.

Oh, hello boys.

Hi, how you doing, Mr. Hooker?

I just listened to a sermon

on christianizing Africa

by the reverend Blackwater,

a preacher who is truly

a man of god.

We must help men like

reverend Blackwater,

bring these heathen savages

into the path of god.

Amen.

Very true and very fine,

Mr. Hooker,

but what about the black

heathens of the south?

They're both civilized

and christianized,

yet live a life of misery

in many places.

Hooker's bend included

until it's pitiful to behold.

What about it, Mr. Hooker?

That may not be your burden,

you're an American citizen,

but it's somebody's burden

to try to improve

this condition.

And I have therefore dedicated

my life to the task.

Accordingly, I'm here

to see about that deal.

You came to see me

about that land, Peter?

Well, I'm very sorry

to tell you, Peter,

but you're too late

for the tomwit place.

How's that? Why,

I bought the land.

Yeah, but you paid nothing

for your option on it, siner.

Well, I had a clear-cut

understanding with Mr. Tomwit.

I'll go see Mr. Tomwit.

It's no use, Peter.

I'll explain, now, uh...

Mr. Tomwit surprised

me too, Peter,

but no use talking about it.

In the meantime, I don't

like to see anything

so important as the education

of our colored people held up,

so I've been trying

to do something about it.

So then rather than let

your project be delayed,

I'm going to offer you

the old Dillihay place

at exactly the same

price, Peter, 800.

95, 96, 97,

98, 99, 100.

Oh, well, thank you, Peter.

I like a man of decision.

Here's your deed

to the Dillihay place

and the deal is closed.

- Good morning.

- Goodbye, sir.

Well, that was done proper

and to the point, Tump,

like a business proposition

should be consummated.

Uh, should be what, brother?

Well, it was quick, all right.

Don't suppose nobody

could put a deed

over on you with stoppers

in it, does ya?

We don't know any

such word as “stop," Tump.

Now, Peter, I know

what's the matter.

I didn't do you right.

Why did you turn down

my proposition, Mr. Tomwit,

after we'd agreed

and drawn up the papers?

- Well, I had to do it, Peter.

- Why, Mr. Tomwit?

A white neighbor of mine

wanted me to.

Who, Mr. Tomwit?

Henry hooker talked me

into it, Peter.

It was a mean trick,

and I done you wrong.

Henry hooker?

You don't mean the cashier

at the bank?

Yep, there ain't

but one Henry hooker.

He's the one and only.

He told me if I sold

you any of my land

that you all would

put up a n*gro school

and bring in so many blackbirds,

you'd run me clean off my farm.

Well, he said it would

ruin the whole town,

a n*gro school would.

He didn't talk that way to me.

Naturally, naturally.

Henry has a different way of

talking to every man, Peter.

In fact, he just sold me

the old Dillihay place

in lieu of the deal

I missed with you.

The hell he did!

Is that your deed?

Let me see it.

Well, I'll be danged!

That little old Henry hooker

always was a snake in the grass.

He abused his position of trust.

Why do you suppose he bought

him the tomwit place

and sold me the Dillihay tract?

I wonder is that little old

gimlet-headed white man

clone put some stoppers

in that deed he gave you.

He might've.

- Pitiful.

- T'aint pitiful,

I's talkin' sense, high-hat.

Stoppers, what do you

mean by stoppers?

I mean n*gro-stoppers, you fool.

n*gro-stoppers?

Listen to me, high-hat,

I's bettin' I's right.

Let me take a look at that deed.

Oh, go on.

I faded that deed

with a ten spot,

and I reckon I got

a once-over comin'

for my money.

"This agreement is made

today of the..."

Something's up.

I saw Henry hooker

give siner a paper

and met tomwit up the street

who took the paper,

looked at it and said something,

then handed it back

and walked away.

Then siner and Tump

had an argument,

and now Tump's

a-readin' the paper.

Wonder what it's all about.

A dollar to a donut,

that Henry hooker's

pulled a fast one on him.

Well, let's have a Coca-Cola.

"It is hereby agreed that..."

There she am, there she am,

a n*gro-stopper

as sure as you is born.

Let me see your mare's nest.

It's there, now I reckon

you'll understand

what a stopper is.

"Be it further understood

and agreed that no n*gro,

black man, Afro-American,

mulatto, quadroon, octoroon,

or any person whatsoever

of colored blood or lineage,

shall enter upon, serve,

hold, occupy, reside upon,

till, cultivate said property,

or garner, cut,

or harvest therefrom

any of the usufruct timber,

or emblements thereof,

but shall by these

presents be estopped

from so doing forever."

Why, that can't be legal.

Legal?

Legal, hell, anything

a white man wants

to put over on a n*gro

on hooker's bend is legal.

Through all the schools

clean up to Harvard,

and then you let a poor

white man like Henry hooker

put a fast one over on you.

Well, ya fool.

Hey, where you goin'?

Look here, Peter,

I advise you against

anything you fix to do

unless you rather

cash in your checks.

Hello, Peter, hear you been

investin' in real estate.

Peter,

I advise you against

anything you fixin' to do.

Said, Peter!

Wait a minute, man!

- M r. Hooker.

- Very busy now, Peter.

I want to know about this deed.

No time to talk

about deeds now, Peter.

But, there's a clause that's

stoppin' colored people

from occupyin' the place.

Precisely, what about it?

According to this, I can't

establish a school on it.

You cannot.

Then what can I do with it?

Sell it, I'll give you

$10 for the option

you hold in it, I...

You mean you're willing

to give me only $10

of the $100 I paid you

not an hour ago?

I'm not willing to give

you anything, Peter,

but I'll do so just

to wipe the cloud

the deed I gave you

holds over it.

I won't trade, you cheated me,

here's your deed.

Stop there, Peter!

What's the matter?

Oh, Peter there won't

stick to his bargain

and is walking away

with a hundred dollars

of the bank's money.

Sick of your deal, Peter?

Well, what you want done, Henry?

Oh, nothing, I suppose...

Siner was excited.

You know how a n*gro is.

We can't afford to put

every one of them in jail

that breaks the law.

And let me give you

a little friendly advice.

I'd just run an ordinary

school for Negroes,

if I was you.

This higher education

that you have

don't seem to make

you any smarter

when you come back than you were

before you went away.

Bobbs?

That was a great sermon

the reverend Blackwater

preached.

It made me want to help

according to the lord

who's blessed me,

couldn't you spare $5

to go along

with my contribution?

Thanks, Bobbs.

I've got the envelope ready,

I'm dropping your five

in with mine.

$10 more for the great work.

The salvation of the black

heathens of Africa.

Amen.

Here, you better have

this registered

at the post office

as you pass by, Bobbs.

Good morning, Bobbs.

It brings out what most

of we southerners argue,

that you can't educate a n*gro.

He can be taught lines

like an actor in a play,

but he seldom understands

what they mean,

and siner is the best

sample of it.

Hooker sure pulled

a fast one on him.

He'll have a hard time

living that down

in hooker's bend.

Negroes ain't got

much confidence

in each other no how.

And this'll about wash

educated Negroes

up as leaders with them.

It'll limit them

to preaching and teaching.

And I'll reckon

this'll about finish

siner's theory

of higher education.

After all I done done to keep

you up there in school,

you come back yellin'

at a poor white man,

make a fool of ya.

Now everybody's iaughin' at us,

both of us.

Hello?

- Hello, cissie.

- Hello.

Won't you come in?

Here's some cookies, Mr. Siner.

I thought you

and aunt Caroline...

Yeah? I imagine they's for me.

Might like them.

Certainly don't want

no light-fingered hussy

runnin' after my son

and the whole deldine

family'll bear watchin'.

Won't you come in?

Why, no, I just came by to...

To fling herself

in a pretty boy's face

'cause he's done been north

and got made a fool of.

- I'd better go now.

- Wait, oh wait, cissie,

until I get my hat,

I'll go with you.

Poor dear, I'm so sorry.

Your mother certainly

hates me, Peter.

No, it's me.

She's terribly let down

about that deal.

Your own mother

turned against you.

I don't blame her in a way.

It seems so... stupid of me.

The man seemed so sympathetic

that I wasn't expecting a trick.

Of course, you wasn't.

The whole thing proved

that you're a gentleman

used to dealing with gentlemen.

But, of course,

these hooker's bend Negroes

will never be able to see it

or try to understand

it that way.

Still, cissie, I should've

used the greatest care.

I'm not talkin' about

what you ought

to have done, Peter.

I'm talkin' about what you are.

Well, one thing is sure,

I've lost my friendship,

whatever it was worth.

With the others maybe.

What are you going to do now?

Find a way to get another

hundred, I suppose,

and read the deed before I do

any paying this time.

Bravo, Peter, bravo.

I'm not the first man

to make a mistake

and get beat.

That one mistake

is not going to stop me.

But my fist will, you yellow...

Ah!

I 'Clare fo' god,

you ain't home a week

before you're fightin'

over a yellow hussy

like a roustabout.

- But, mother, I...

- Me sweatin' over the wash-tub

so you can go north

and learn a little sense,

only to see you come back

home and start chasin'

a dirty yellow hussy.

Oh, mother, I was

only walking home

with miss Deldine.

Miss Deldine, miss Deldine,

if you mean that stuck-up

yellow fly-by-night hussy,

then say so, don't stand

there mouthin' miss Deldine,

miss Deldine.

Oh, my boy.

My son.

Now, take a horse, sir.

A horse can be trained to add

and put his name together

out of the alphabet.

But no horse could ever

write a promissory note

or figure the interest

on it, sir.

I can't see no need to go

into school like that

then comin' back

and iettin' a white man

cheat you out

your hide and tallow

then let a black man

beat you till you got

to kick him in the spirit.

Peter just ain't got it,

Peter just ain't got it, man.

The lord almighty

has set his limit

on dogs, horses,

and Negroes, Mr. Tomwit.

Thus far and no further.

Now it seemed if education

any good at all,

you're bound to beat

the white man at one end

and the black man at the other.

And if Peter can't be

found at either end,

then why is it?

I don't know.

Hold on, now, hold on.

I've known as an intelligent

a stallion as any.

Now, what about siner

and this gal?

What you raisin'

so much dust about?

Did you think

it was Henry hooker

delivering that land you bought?

What are you talking about?

Dust thou art,

to dust returnest?

By the way, Peter,

you haven't happened

to see Tump pack, has you?

Has he borrowed a g*n from you?

Huh, that's funny.

What's funny?

I mean about Tump.

Oh, yes, Tump.

I thought he must've

borrowed a g*n from you

'cause he left Hobbett's

corner a while ago

with a great big .45

inquirin' where you went.

Maybe that's Tump now.

But I guess I was mistooken.

Tump did start over this way

with a g*n sure enough.

He met Dawson Bobbs

on the way, and, uh...

Where is he now, locked up?

No, not just exactly.

All right, all right,

now exactly what did happen?

This, throgmartin had been

trying to hire Tump

to pick cotton.

Offered him $3 a day,

but Tump had just thrown

four natchels and wouldn't go.

So then he gets arrested

for carryin'

concealed squidjulums.

Now throgmartin have got him

workin' out his fine

and pickin' cotton for nothin'.

So long.

Psst

cissie!

Cissie!

Oh, Peter, come around here.

Oh, Peter,

I'm so glad to see you,

although I didn't expect to.

Thanks.

I came by with news.

Bad news, I'm sorry to say.

Oh, Peter, what is it?

You haven't been...

Not that, not that again, Peter.

Oh, no, cissie, not that,

of course not that.

But it's about Tump.

Oh... Tump.

Well, what about him?

He's been arrested.

What, again?

But that's not fair.

Please, come in.

Then you can tell me

all about it.

What did they arrest him for?

Carrying a p*stol.

To sh**t you with.

Oh, this is sickening,

Peter, sickening.

Peter, it's hard to be

nice in this place.

I just happen to think how folks

would gossip about you.

Comin' here so soon

after Tump was arrested.

Perhaps I'd better go.

H no, I'm really glad you came.

I didn't mean it that way.

I've been uneasy about you.

I'm not so easy k*lled.

I've completely recovered

my equilibrium.

I'm determined to see

what I have started through.

In a way, Peter, we, uh...

You and I don't belong here

and we'll never get anywhere

as long as we stay here.

Why don't you go away, Peter?

Away up north, where most

of our educated

people have gone.

Up north where you can be free.

You can't grow up

and develop here.

They simply won't let you.

And especially now,

when everyone doubts you.

- If you go north...

- What about you, cissie?

Oh, I'm a woman.

We haven't the chance

to do as we want to.

Then you're going to stay

here and marry Tump?

I don't know what

I'm going to do.

God help me.

You, you don't care for Tump?

North, dear, and soon.

Just you and I, cissie,

you and I.

Oh, I'll be so glad!

So glad.

So glad!

- Well, mother.

- Where you goin', son?

For a walk, mother.

You go out of that

Cissie Deldine's, Peter.

No, I'm going to walk by myself.

I'm tired, played out.

Tired? Played out?

You ain't done nothin'

but sit and turn

through some books and write

on a little piece of paper.

Even that gets tiresome

after a while.

Peter, you knows

if Tump pack sees ya,

he's gonna sh**t you, sure.

Oh, no he won't,

that's Tump's talk.

Talk? That ape done got

crowned for k*lling

four men already.

Come in the house, son,

and eat some supper.

I just made some salmon

croquettes for you

that'll spoil if you

don't eat 'em now.

I didn't know you were

making croquettes.

Yes, I got a can of salmon

from miss Cromwell

that she opened

and couldn't quite use.

Look here, mother, you're

not using old canned goods

that have been left over?

I've told and told you

about using any tainted

or impure foods that

the white people can't eat.

It's too bad for them,

it's too bad for you.

You must absolutely quit

eating leftovers.

Don't be so hasty, Peter,

'cause you done been

brought up on leftovers.

Is that you, son?

Yes, it's me, mother.

What's the matter,

dear, are you sick?

I ain't feelin' so well.

It's my stomach.

Well, mother, you are sick.

What can I do?

Here... fill it,

from the kettle.

You need a doctor and quickly.

I'll go for Jallup.

Sorry we ain't a telephone

to maybe get him quicker.

I'll go now, I'll run.

Meantime, I'll go by nan Berry

and send her here

to look after you

till I get back.

If Dr. Jallup should argue,

then go see captain Renfrew.

You know where he lives,

the big house on the hill.

- My mother's sick, doctor.

- Who is it?

Caroline siner, she's been

taken suddenly with...

The fat n*gro who live

in the three-room house

on 12th street, isn't she?

- I'll show you the way.

- No, Caroline siner owes me

a $5 doctor bill already.

Our county medical

association has made a rule

that no n*gro should...

But, great heavens, doctor,

she's dangerously ill,

she might die, I'll pay you.

Have you got the money

there in your pocket?

No, but I can get it.

Yes, you can all get it.

I'm tired of you Negroes

running up doctor bills

nobody can collect.

You never have any money,

your wages are never

large enough to garnishee.

No, I'm not going.

If you want me to visit her,

go get $10,

five for the old debt,

the balance of this visit,

and I'll...

If Dr. Jallup should argue,

go see captain Renfrew.

Uh, well, who is it?

My name is siner, Peter siner.

My mother has been

taken suddenly "I.

I visited Dr. Jallup

but he won't go.

Peter siner,

and Caroline is sick,

well, now that's too bad.

Step inside, I'll call up

Jallup and have him stop here

and pick us up,

and we can go and see

what's wrong with Caroline.

Now won't you step in, please?

She's mighty bad, doctor

Well, well, Caroline,

what's this all about?

I'm sick, doctor, awful sick.

Now, now, Caroline,

don't talk that way.

I'm going to fix you up quickly.

Quickly.

So that's, that's why

I cannot marry you, Peter.

You mean, morals?

I see.

I was stupid.

Well, I'm glad it's over.

I'm glad you know.

You see, Peter, if you had

been like Tump pack,

or wince, or any of the other

boys around here,

it wouldn't make

much difference.

But you went off

and learned to feel

and think like a white man.

I... you changed your code, Peter.

I don't think that was fair

for you to go away

and change your code,

then come back and judge us

according to your new code.

You see, Peter,

we couldn't change ours.

We had to stay here

and we couldn't change ours.

If you didn't know

anything about my code,

how do you know what I feel now?

I found out the other night

when you kissed me.

It was too late then.

Her confession has

destroyed all my plans.

It has left me as adynamic

as my mother's death.

It seems there are

certain similarities

between the two events.

Both were sudden and desolating.

And yet, as my mother

had vanished

utterly from my reach,

so now it seems

that cissie is no more.

Cissie the clear-eyed,

cissie the ambitious,

cissie the refined

has vanished away.

And in her place stands a thief,

more than a thief.

Oh god, forgive me.

Forgive me!

Well, you were

deliberate in coming.

I sent you word by some

black rascal three days ago.

- I just got your message today.

- Well, won't you come in

and we can talk this over

if you don't mind?

- I don't mind, captain.

- Go right in.

I'm growing old.

And as a scholar and a thinker,

I feel that I should

give the fruits

of my leisure to the world.

That, in short, Peter,

is why I've sent for you.

- I'm deeply gratified.

- I asked you to come here

for another reason.

I need a man about this house,

now that is one phase

of the work.

The more important work

is that you will act

as sort of secretary.

I have a manuscript

in the house here.

My handwriting

is rather difficult.

I want you to copy

the matter in it

and get it ready

for the printer.

Are you offering me a permanent

place, captain Renfrew?

I need a man with a certain

liberality of culture.

I may no doubt get you to look

over books and periodicals,

and make notes of any points

germane with my thesis.

This is very flattering,

captain, but the fact is,

I came by your house

at this time

because I'm just

in the act of leaving

on the steamboat tonight.

You're leaving hooker's bend?

- Yes, sir.

- Well, why?

Well, my mother's dead.

Well, I know, but Peter,

your work is still here.

A man's work, Peter,

a man's work.

You mean my school teaching?

Peter, I want you to remain

with me for another reason.

I'm an old man and anything

could happen to me

in this big house.

I don't like to think of it.

Then, you mean,

you want me to stay with you

until the end, captain?

That's my desires.

And in my death, you'll receive

a certain portion of my estate

because I have no other heir.

I am the last of the race

of the Renfrew, Peter, the last.

Well now, Rose, I have a guest

who has come to stay

with me permanently.

He will perhaps

wish his breakfast

served in his room.

- He's in the east room.

- Yes, sir.

Come in.

Well, for lord's sake!

Is I bringing

this breakfast to a n*gro?

I suppose it, ma'am.

Well, what for?

What for is you ain't

come to the kitchen

and eat off from the chef?

Is you sick?

I've never felt better

in my life.

Then, what the devil

has I got into?

I ain't wanna work

no such place.

Hand breakfast to a beef

of a n*gro, stout as a mule.

Say, what you

doing here, anyhow?

How come this?

Now, now, Rose, I'm here to do

some writing for the captain

and other things.

Well, poor lord,

when spooks get to write

for white folks,

heads'll be jumping

from bullfrogs

and having other Negroes

wait on them.

You's just as much

a spook as I is.

This is the last mouthful

I fetches to you

or any other jigwalk,

Peter Siner.

You ain't no black Jesus.

Even if you is a woods calf.

What did you say?

You heard me.

Yes, I did and since I can't

seem to get along with you

by trying to be nice

and considerate, I'll...

Well, it looks like Peter

put something over on Tump.

Maybe an education does help

a n*gro some after all.

There's telling around town

how Peter's gonna marry

Tump's girl while Tump

is working out his fine

up on your farm.

And talking about siner,

they say he's living up

at old captain Renfrew's now.

Yeah, old Rose Hobbett

says he's up there

doing some kind of writing

and living in one

of the captain's best rooms.

Yeah, that's true,

but she could hardly

make up a lie like that.

Old captain's getting old

and childish

and that educated n*gro's

taking advantage of him.

If old captain Renfrew wasn't

the richest man in this town,

we could make up some kind of

a charge and take that n*gro

out of there.

I'll tell ya, an educated n*gro

is a dangerous thing

to have around.

Get off of this line!

Just an officer of the law

discussing official business

with an important man.

Yeah, that's true.

I hope it chokes ya.

Come in.

Captain Renfrew wants

to see you in the library.

When? Right now?

Yeah, right now.

Everything he wants,

he wants it now.

Good evening, captain.

Oh, good evening, Peter.

By the way, I sent for you.

Yes, sir, I believe

you wanted me.

Oh, yes, Peter, I...

Downtown, I heard a rumor,

well, connected with you,

that I... I don't want to intrude

on your private affairs,

not at all, not in the least.

But... are you thinking

of leaving me?

Why no, not at all.

Who told you I was?

Well, to be exact, I heard

that you were going to marry.

Marry?

Whoever in the world

could've told you that?

Are you?

Indeed no.

I heard that you were

going to marry a Negress

here in town called

cissie Deldine.

But I'm not, that's settled.

You say that it's settled?

Yes.

You had thought of it,

maybe considered it?

Well, at least that eases

my mind, it eases my mind.

It's not only the thought

of losing you, Peter,

but this girl that you

are thinking of marrying

is... well, let me warn you,

she's a Negress.

A Negress?

I don't exactly mean

a Negress, I...

She's a thief.

And furthermore,

she's not a good girl.

I couldn't endure

seeing you married

to a thief.

Yes, yes, I've heard

that before.

Well, that's all, Peter.

Good night.

Good night, captain Renfrew.

No, he didn't

Because I asked him

and he said he didn't.

Well, I said I didn't, too.

He's a n*gro like I am.

We just two Negroes.

And lookit here,

if you was worried

to put one of us

ahead of the other,

it's 'Kay to lock

a door with me.

Well, what do you mean

lock a door with you?

You know what I mean.

I means I'd wanna

leave this place.

No, no, look here, Rose,

Peter siner occupies

almost a fiduciary

relation to me.

A relation to you?

Yes, Peter siner

occupies a position

of trust with me.

Yeah, I sees you trust him.

Someday, he's going

to be of service to me,

of great service to me.

You know better

than anybody else, Rose,

my dread of some

unmannerly death.

I... and Peter has promised

to remain with me until the end.

Which end?

- Which end?

- Yeah.

Your end or Peter's end?

By every law of probability,

Peter will outlive me.

Yeah, Peter'll come

to an end with you

when he marries

that stuck-up, yellow,

fly-by-night, cissie Deldine.

He's not going to marry her.

He told me he didn't

intend to marry her.

Good lord, what difference

does it make what Peter say?

Ain't you found out

when a he-n*gro and a she-n*gro

get to peep at each other?

What they say don't live

in the same neighborhood

with what they does.

No, that'll do, Rose,

that'll do.

That's all I need of you.

Pardon my intrusion, Peter,

but I'd like to have

a word with you.

I... I've mentioned

this subject before.

Yes, sir?

It's about cissie Deldine.

Yes, sir,

you mentioned that before.

Listen, Peter,

you don't want to do

what's on your mind.

What's on my mind?

Marry a Negress.

You don't want

to marry a Negress.

Not marry a Negress?

No, Peter, no.

For yourself,

it may make no difference,

but your children,

think of your children.

Your sons growing up

under a brown veil,

a veil that you can't tear off,

that god himself can't tear off.

Your children, Peter,

your children's children.

A terrible procession

stretching out, out,

marching on under a dark shroud,

unknowing, unknown.

And all you can see, Peter,

is their sad forms

beneath the shroud

marching away,

away to god knows where.

And yet, it's your own

flesh and blood.

But captain,

whom should I marry?

No one, Peter.

Let your seed

wither in your loin,

it is better that way.

It's better.

Peter?

Oh, Peter?

May I come in?

You don't seem to be

very glad to see me, Peter.

But I am, cissie.

Very glad, won't you sit down?

What a wonderful room.

It is very nice.

And what beautiful drapes.

Are they velour?

I wonder how they

would look spread.

Perhaps I better build a fire?

Oh, no, I'm just

gonna stay a few minutes.

I don't know what

you'll think of me, Peter.

I'm really glad you came.

Are you, Peter?

I really came by

to ask you to help me.

I want you to help me go away.

They have no feeling

for a colored girl, Peter.

No, not a speck.

When one of us even

walks past on the street,

they whistle and say

all kinds of things out loud,

just as if we weren't

there at all!

They... they don't care.

We're just...

Just colored women.

Oh... oh, they make

you feel naked.

Oh, cissie, please.

She's there, Mr. Bobbs.

I just now see'd her go'd in.

All right, come on.

All right, we'll wait here

till she comes out

and then nab her.

But I don't want

to travel alone, Peter.

I don't want to go away alone.

You... you mean you want me

to go with you, cissie?

Now, listen, you black rascal!

If that gal gets away

from me tonight,

there'll be a dead persimmon

in the morning.

Now, get on up there,

you baboon,

and see if he's still there!

Listen, Peter, I'm not

the kind of woman you think,

the whole town thinks.

If I hadn't accused myself,

we'd be married now.

I've done some things

that I regret and am ashamed of

because I've stolen.

I stole a Turkey roaster

and brought you something

nice to eat in.

And I stole a brooch

because you said I needed one

and I wanted to look nice

to please you.

But that is all

the sin I've committed.

I raise my hand

and swear that is all, Peter.

But I know all hooker's bend

is calling

and pointing me out

as the town's worst woman

and I can't stand it any longer.

I've got to go away!

There, there, darling,

cissie, darling,

don't cry anymore.

I love you, cissie.

I've loved you since

the first day I saw you.

If you hadn't told me

this before,

that you had only stolen,

we would've been married

and I would be helping you.

I'm going to help you now.

The dogs is after me,

the dogs is after me!

They were after you, dear.

But Providence

in the dog that saved you.

I believe anyone

would trust you now, cissie.

And, dear, I love you so much.

But you must go now, hurry.

Go somewhere and hide.

Send me word,

stay hidden until I can arrange

to slip you away.

And remember now and always,

cissie, that I love you.

Love you.

Turn around, fella, and beat it!

Beat it!

Hey, black man,

don't sh**t down this way

till I make my exit.

I needn't be scared you,

fool rabbit.

I been looking for you

for some time, Peter.

Didn't know you was back.

Why you been looking for me?

No you don't.

Turn around and march on

to darktown.

What for?

I'm gonna drop you

in the main street well,

the jigs that's been bragging

about you and cissie can see

that I ain't gonna take

no fumdingling from nobody.

Tump, you oughtn't sh**t Peter.

His mammy just died.

Then she won't worry none.

Turn around!

And when I say march, you march.

Attention!

Right, about face!

March!

What are you doing

with the g*n, Tump?

I thought it was against

the law to carry one.

You can carry 'em

if you don't keep 'em hid.

Mr. Bobbs told me that

when he guve my g*n to me.

So, he gave it back, eh?

After giving you 30 days

for carrying it,

he frees you and gives it back.

What for?

How in the devil do I know?

And what's more, I don't care!

All I know I got it

and I's gonna drill

the daylights through you

as soon as we get to darktown.

Come on, let's go.

Wait a minute, Tump.

Bobbs don't like me.

I broke no laws and have

never done anything to him.

But he wants me out of the way,

so he gave you the g*n

figuring you'd sh**t me with it.

I don't care nothing

about woofer.

All I know,

you done stole my gal

and I'm gonna k*ll you for it.

Come on, let's go!

Come on!

Tump, I'm not gonna marry

cissie.

I know you ain't, Peter.

I mean, if you let me alone,

I don't intend to.

I'm... I ain't

gonna let you alone, Peter.

Do you think this is

the best thing to do, Tump?

Shut your black mouth!

What I care about what you said?

You done wean cissie

away from me.

She won't even speak to me,

she won't even look at me,

all on account of you.

I oughta drop you

right here and now.

Go on, shut up, march!

Go on!

Go ahead.

We's going on the town.

I mean, we going on, go on.

Now, none of that,

none of that, boys.

You'll probably

hit the gal if you sh**t

and I'll pick you off

one at a time

like three black crows.

You're going up

to the big house, gal.

Peter, has Mr. Bobbs

done arrested cissie?

I don't know, Tump,

it looks like it.

For goodness sakes,

cissie's arrested.

Mine and your

little deal's off, Peter.

We got to save cissie.

I wonder what she done done.

She don't sh**t crap

and she don't bootleg, no.

Let's go to her home.

Yeah.

I know she done something,

I know she done something.

You ain't never been in jail,

is you, yellow boy?

It sure ain't no place

for a woman,

it's no place for a woman.

I hear that she done

commit grand larceny

and they gonna take her

to the pen.

Grand larceny, what's that?

Dumbbell, that's taking more

from the white folks

in one time

than they expect you to take.

Mrs. Deldine.

She took a brooch.

They kept laying around

in her way.

It was that Sam Arkwright

who did it.

He wanted her to... oh, Peter.

It's too terrible to tell.

Give it time.

And last night,

they had that old persimmon

to watch her

when she went to see you.

They intended

arresting her then,

but cissie took the dog

with her and he run 'em away.

But when she stole home

a while ago

to get a bite to eat,

the persimmon was watching

and runs and gets Bobbs.

Oh, Peter, what'll we do?

What'll we do, Peter?

I'll save you, cissie.

Don't be afraid.

It's Tump and I's a coming!

Attention!

Right, about face!

Now.

Over the top!

Peter!

Action up at jonesboro

last night, Peter.

- Yeah?

- Yeah.

Tump pack got k*lled.

Jailed delivered.

Cissie Deldine escaped.

But I'll get her, Peter.

Dawson Bobbs always gets

his Negroes, Peter.

Yeah.

Always.

Now, me and the sheriff,

we knew Tump pretty well

and we know he'd never

figure out a scheme

to free that gal like that.

But we figured is how it might

have popped into the head

of an educated n*gro

like you, Peter, yeah.

If you're hinting at me,

I can assure you

I had nothing to do with it

or knew nothing

of any such plan.

I don't know the girl escaped

till you told me just now.

Maybe.

You know, I've been thinking

a lot about you lately, Peter,

and if I was you, yeah,

I'd just drift along quietly out

of this here town.

You know, white folks

and Negroes got along

pretty well around here

till you got back from school,

but since you got back,

a lot of unpleasant things

have been happening.

Now, for instance,

the report got around last night

it was you who got k*lled

instead of Tump pack,

and when old captain Renfrew

heard it,

he just up

and actually dropped dead.

Oh, no,

captain Renfrew's not dead!

You know, Peter, things continue

to happen around here

and we don't like it.

Now, there ain't room

in this here town

for the white folks

and an educated n*gro like you.

So, if I was you, I'd just

drift on away quietly, Peter.

Quietly.

J” down south the banjos cry to j"

j” deep blues the darkies

"hidey-hi" to j“

j“ while moonbeams dance

on the bayou j"

j' that's how rhythm was born j”

j” they praise

the mighty forgiver j”

j" they wash their sins

in the river j”

j” cold water

makes 'em all shiver j'

j' that's how rhythm was born j”

j” everybody talking

down around that Suwanee shore j”

j' caught the craze

and sang his praise j“

j' oh, don't you got rhythm j“

J” ...How rhythm was born j"

j" down south,

the banjos cry to j”

j” deep blues the darkies

"hidey-hi" to j“

j' while moonbeams

dance on the bayou j”

j' that's how rhythm was born j”

j” they praise

the mighty forgiver j”

j" cast those sins

in the river j”

j' cold water made 'em quiver j'

j” and that's how rhythm

was born j“

j' everybody

That Suwanee shore j“

j' caught the craze

and sang his praise j'j'

Ida may?

Ida may!

Oh, Ida May!

Cissie, my sister!

What on earth?

Oh, Ida May!

Come inside.

Cissie, my poor sister,

whatever happened?

How come you're here like this?

I'm... I'm a thief, Ida May.

I stole a brooch

at Mrs. Arkwright's house,

and when I failed to meet Sam

as he asked me to,

he swore out a warrant

and Bobbs arrested me.

They put me in jail.

Oh!

Tump pack held up the jail

and made them let me go

and I ran away.

When I'd gone about a block,

I heard a shot

and turning around

saw Tump fall dead.

The warfields took me

to the country

and kept me hidden

for three days.

Then, one night, I slipped out

and saw the persimmon

peeping through the bushes.

I didn't want to get

the warfields into trouble.

So, after midnight,

I slipped away.

It was nearly

sundown the next day

and almost starved, I went up

to a cabin in the woods

to ask for food.

Went about two miles

down the road,

I heard the dogs,

the bloodhounds

were on my trail.

It must've been around midnight.

I could tell

for the moon was shining.

I had run though creeks,

swamps, over mountains,

but I couldn't get rid

of those dogs

or the persimmon.

I decided to give up.

It seemed so hopeless.

But as I turned,

I saw the ugly face

of the persimmon rise up

behind a bush and turning,

he calls loudly,

"here she am, Mr. Bobbs!

I done caught up with her!"

I went suddenly crazy.

I decided to run

until I dropped dead,

and turning I flew.

I don't know how far

I'd gone when suddenly,

I found myself in the middle

of a wide, paved highway

where I stopped.

I heard a truck

and before persimmon

and the dogs could catch up,

I looked and the driver

was Tump's brother.

Cissie!

Why you dirty...!

A dirty son of a g*n.

Well, he'll never betray

another n*gro.

Well, cissie,

you poor little thing.

He dropped me off outside,

but there's no use, Ida May.

What you mean there's no use?

Honey, I'll have you

fixed up in a jiffy

and you'll be off to Chicago

before you can say...

I told you there was no use!

It's Bobbs and the law

and they're gonna take me

back to hooker's bend!

- Peter!

- Ida may.

I'm looking for cissie,

is she here?

Oh, cissie, my darling.

It's no use, Peter.

I'm a thief and no good.

So, let Mr. Bobbs take me

on back to hooker's bend

and hang me.

Mr. Bobbs won't be here.

No one's going to hang you.

Instead, cissie,

we're going to get married

and live happily till we die.

Here, Ida May, read this

telegram I just received.

"Peter siner,

care of western union,

Nashville, Tennessee.

Find cissie and bring her home.

Everything has been adjusted.

Mrs. Arkwright

canceled the warrant

Sam took out for her arrest

and sent Sam away

to a reform school.

They probated

captain Renfrew's will today

and a great surprise awaits you.

So, find cissie

and bring her home at once."

Wait, here's some more.

"They found the persimmon's body

on the road to Nashville.

He'd been shot three times.

Nobody knows who did it."

They're trucking!

Let's be happy again

for cissie, poor cissie.

Yes, Ida May,

let's celebrate for cissie

because she suffered so much.

And when they filed

old Renfrew's will for probate,

what do you reckon they found?

What?

That he left everything

that he owned

to that n*gro, Peter siner.

The devil, you say!

Every last dime.

Including the stock in the bank

and he owned 90 percent of it.

It looks like the end

of Henry hooker to me.

Well, I'll be jiggered.

And what's siner

gonna do with it?

Well, what's so funny about it?

He's gonna turn old Renfrew's

mansion on the hill

into a seminary for n*gro gals

and that 3,000 acre plantation

with all its buildings

and equipment

into an industrial school

for colored boys.

How does that strike you,

tomwit?

Well, dear,

now that we're married,

and you're mine forever,

we'll drive to Chicago

for a brief honeymoon,

then back here to begin

our life's work.

Yes, Peter, dear.

But listen to this, tomwit!

While you was away,

siner made a speech

right here in courthouse square.

Most of the audience was white,

the best people in town,

and some come over

from jonesboro

to hear him, mind you.

White people!

The best white people.

What'd they say?

Oh, plenty!

Among the many things he did say

was that he intended

to break up loafing

on Hobbett's corner,

that it was an eyesore

to the town and a bleeding stop

for.

So, he proposed

to the city council

that Bobbs be ordered

to arrest every man,

especially Negroes,

found loafing there

for more than 10 minutes.

What'd he propose

to do with 'em?

Oh, he had that

all figured out in advance.

Yeah, he had everything

figured out and in advance.

Yeah! He wants to arrest

all Negroes so,

and place them in custody

and on parole at the school

for an indefinite period

and during which time

he guarantees

to work them so hard

on that farm

until they be too tired to loaf.

And he intends to make

good farmers out of 'em

before he turns 'em loose.

Well, how'd the audience

take it?

The white audience?

Ate it up.

And they applauded

every few seconds

and crowded around him

when he was through

and said that if he needed

any money...

Help, or money,

or anything he needed,

just to call on them,

but the biggest surprise

of the evening was on

the part of Bobbs.

Bobbs listening to siner?

And bowed to him

and smiled when it was over.

And hooker?

Oh, hooker, well,

he couldn't take it.