(VOICE ON BAPTIST SIDE begins "Onward Christian Soldiers" and the others join in.)
(VOICE ON METHODIST SIDE begins "All hail the power of Jesus name" and the Methodists join in. Both shout as loud as they can to the end of the verse.)
(Mayor Clarke raps loudly for order at the end of the verse and lifts his hands as if to bless a table)
CLARKE (praying) Lord be withus and bless these few remarks we are about to receive, Amen. Now this court is open for business. All of us know we came here on serious business. This town is bout to be tore up by back-biting and malice. Now everybody that's a witness in this case stand up. I wants the witness to take the front seat.
(Nearly everybody in the room rises. Brother Hambo frowns across the aisle at Mrs. McDuffy, who is standing.)
BROTHER HAMBO
Whut you doing standin' up for a witness? I know you wasn't there.
You don't know one thing about it.
SISTER McDUFFY I got just as much right to testify as you is. I don't keer if I wasn't there. Any man that treat they wife bad as you can't tell nobody else they eye is black. You clean round yo' own door before you go sweeping round other folks.
SISTER LINDSAY (to Nixon) What you doin' up there testifying? When you done let yo' hawg root up all my p'tater patch.
NIXON
Aw shut up woman—You ain't had no taters for no pit to root up.
SISTER LINDSAY Who ain't had no taters? (To Lige) Look here, Lige, didn't I git a whole crokus sack full of tater slips from yo' brother Sam?