"Laws, honey, 'taint 'cording to rules for we coloured folks to hold meetin's no how. 'Course, we's ought to 'bey de rules; dat's clar."
"Who made the rules?"
"Who make 'em? Mass' Ed'ards—he made de rules on dis plantation. Reckon Mass' Randolph, he make 'em a heap different."
"Does Mr. Edwards make it a rule that you are not to hold prayer-meetings?"
"Can't spec' for to have everyt'ing jus like de white folks," said the old woman. "We's no right to spect it. But Uncle Darry, he sot a sight by his praise-meetin'. He's cur'ous, he is. S'pose Darry's cur'ous."
"And does anybody say that you shall not have prayer-meetings?"
"Laws, honey! what's we got to do wid praise-meetin's or any sort of meetin's? We'se got to work. Mass' Ed'ards, he say dat de meetin's dey makes coloured folks onsettled; and dey don't hoe de corn good if dey has too much prayin' to do."
"And does he forbid them then? doesn't he let you have prayer-meetings?"
"'Tain't Mr. Edwards alone, Miss Daisy," said Margaret, speaking low. "It's agin the law for us to have meetin's anyhow, 'cept we get leave, and say what house it shall be, and who's a comin', and what we'se comin' for. And it's no use asking Mr. Edwards, 'cause he don't see no reason why black folks should have meetin's."
"Did Darry have a prayer-meeting without leave?" I asked.