“So whin Mist’r Rattlesnake come bowin’ an scrapin’ ter Miss Eve wid dat beav’r hat on, an’ dat walkin’ stick whirlin’ roun’ in his han’, she git so airish tryin’ ter th’ow off man’rs like his’n, dat whin he tell her ter eat dat pis’n apple, she et hit ’dout knowin’ whut she doin’. Howsumev’r, whin Mist’r Rattlesnake but’n up his long tail coat sort’r keerles’ like, an’ strut hisse’f off, Miss Eve, she ’gun ter feel de mis’ry er dat pis’n apple.”
“Did her mama give her some castor oil?” Willis sympathized with Miss Eve.
“No, my Lawd, she sot dar an’ holl’r tell Adam come an’ ax her whut ail ’er. She start ter laffin’ she did, an’ say: ‘I jes’ callin’ you ter eat one dem fine meller apples Mist’r Rattlesnake fotch’ me!’”
“Did Mist’r Adam eat it?” asked Willis with much concern.
“Who gwine hind’r him fum eatin’ hit? An’ de Eveses is bin pis’nin’ de Adamses ev’r sense—you ’memb’r whut Mammy tell yer, an’ look out fur ’em.”
“Why didn’t Mist’r Adam kill Mist’r Rattlesnake?” he resented.
“’Caze his own sin done make him er coward, dat’s de trufe!—Whin er man do mean an’ low life tricks hisse’f, he ain’ got de face ter stan’ up an’ whup nobody fur doin’ de same thing; but Adam didn’t hatt’r whup de Sarpint ’caze de Lawd knock ’im flat ’pon de groun’ an’ tromp on ’im, an’ tell ’im he got ter crawl de res’ er his life, ter keep up wid his low down ways.”
Mary Van’s voice sounded from the gate, “I can’t open it.”
Willis sprang to her assistance, but Phyllis caught him: “Will yer run right straight back, ef Mammy let yer onfas’n de gate?”
The promise was given, and in a moment Willis returned with: “Mammy, less show Mary Van m’ two lit’le green snakes.” He was off in a second, but Phyllis again detained him.