f,
overhears this last remark and bristles up) What's that you say 'bout
this town?

SIMMS: I say we needs some improvements here in this town ... that's
what.

CLARK: (In a powerful voice) And what improvements you figgers we
needs?

SIMMS: A whole heap. Now, for one thing we really does need a jail,
Mayor. We oughta stop runnin' these people out of town that
misbehaves, and lock 'em up. Others towns has jails, everytown I ever
pastored had a jail. Don't see how come we can't have one.

CLARK: (Towering angrily above the preacher) Now, wait a minute,
Simms. Don't you reckon the man who knows how to start a town knows
how to run it? I paid two hundred dollars out of this right hand for
this land and walked out here and started this town befo' you was
born. I ain't like some of you new niggers, come here when grapes'
ripe. I was here to cut new ground, and I been Mayor ever since.

SIMMS: Well, there ain't no sense in no one man stayin' Mayor all the
time.

CLARK: Well, it's my town and I can be mayor jus' as long as I want
to. It was me that put this town on the map.

SIMMS: What map you put it on, Joe Clark? I ain't seen it on no map.

CLARK: (Indignant) I God! Listen here, Elder Simms. If you don't like
the way I run this town, just' take your flat feets right on out and
git yonder crost the woods. You ain't been here long enough to say
nothin' nohow.

HAMBO: (From a nail keg) Yeah, you Methodist niggers always telling
people how to run things.

TAYLOR: (Practically unheard by the others) We do so know how to run
things, don't we? Ain't Brother Mayor a Methodist, and ain't the
school-teacher a ...? (His remarks are drowned out by the others.)

SIMMS: No, we don't like the way you're runnin' things. Now looka
here, (Pointing at the Marshall) You got that lazy Lum Boger here for
marshall and he ain't old enough to be dry behind his ears yet ... and
all these able-bodied means in this town! You won't 'low nobody else
to run a store 'ceptin' you. And looka yonder (happening to notice the
street light) only street lamp in town, you got in front of your
place. (Indignantly) We pay the taxes and you got the lamp.

VILLAGER: Don't you-all fuss now. How come you two always yam-yamming
at each other?

CLARK: How come this fly-by-night Methodist preacher over here ...
ain't been here three months ... tries to stand up on my store porch
and tries to tell me how to run my town? (MATTIE CLARK, the Mayor's
wife, c