John (looking around to see if they are overheard). Sh-sh! Honey, you mustn’t talk so loud.
Emma (louder). Ah-Ah aint gonna bite mah tongue! If she don’t like it she can lump it. Mah back is broad—(John tries to cover her mouth with his hand). She calls herself a big cigar, but I kin smoke her!
(The people are laughing and talking for the most part and pay no attention. Effie is laughing and talking to those around her and does not hear the tirade. The eating is over and everyone is going behind the curtain. John and Emma put away their basket like the others, and sit glum. Voice of Master-of-ceremonies can be heard from beyond curtain announcing the pas-me-la contest. The contestants, mostly girls, take the floor. There is no music except the clapping of hands and the shouts of “Parse-me-lah” in time with the hand-clapping. At the end Master announces winner. Shadows seen on curtain.)
Master. Mathilda Clarke is winner—if she will step forward she will receive a beautiful wook fascinator. (The girl goes up and receives it with great hand-clapping and good humor.) And now since the roosters is crowin’ foah midnight, an’ most of us got to git up an’ go to work tomorrow, The Great Cake Walk will begin. Ah wants de floor cleared, cause de representatives of de several cities will be announced an’ we wants ’em to take de floor as their names is called. Den we wants ’em to do a gran’ promenade roun’ de hall. An’ they will then commence to walk fuh de biggest cake ever baked in dis state. Ten dozen eggs—ten pounds of flour—ten pounds of butter, and so on and so forth. Now then—(he strikes a pose) for St. Augustine—
Miss Lucy Taylor, Mr. Ned Coles.
(They step out amid applause and stand before stage.)
For Daytona—
Miss Janie Bradley, Enoch Nixon.
(Same business.)
For Ocala—