Chapter 9
What keeps Cassie from enjoying the spring in chapter 9?
"But although every living thing knew it was spring, Miss Crocker and the other teachers evidently did not, for school lingered on indefinitely. In the last week of March when Papa and Mr. Morrison began to plow the east field, I volunteered to sacrifice school and help them. My offer was refused and I trudged wearily to school for another week."
Why doesn't Papa want to ask Uncle Hammer for money?
Papa did not answer right away. “No,” he said finally. “I still don’t want him to know ’bout this thing. If he knows I’m not on the railroad, he’ll wanna know why not, and I don’t wanna risk that temper of his when he finds out what the Wallaces done.”
To whom does Stacey suggest T.J. turn for help? Why can’t T.J. turn to these people?
“What you coming here for?” whispered Stacey icily. “Go get R.W. and Melvin to get you out of it.”
In the darkness there was a low sob and T.J., hardly sounding like T.J., mumbled, “They the ones got me in it. Where’s the bed? I gotta sit down.”
What does Mama smell? What do they see when they look outside?
“You smell smoke?” Mama said, going to the front door and opening it. Little Man, Christopher-John, and I followed, peeping around her in the doorway. From deep in the field where the land sloped upward toward the Granger forest, a fire billowed, carried eastward by the wind.
Define the word haughty
adjective
arrogantly superior and disdainful.
Why does Mama say the Simms might be spending time with T.J.?
“I don’t really know, Cassie,” she said, turning to the stove to stir milk into the butter beans. “They may just want him around because it makes them feel good.”
Why doesn't Mama want Stacey to hear Papa complain about his leg?
“Don’t let Stacey hear you saying that, David,” Mama cautioned softly. “You know he blames himself about your leg.”
“I told the boy it wasn’t his fault. He just wasn’t strong enough to hold Jack.”
“I know that, but still he blames himself.”
Why does T.J. have to get home?
“I . . . I’m sick, Stacey. I gotta get home ’fore my daddy wake up. . . . He say I stay ’way from that house one more night, he gonna put me out, and he mean it, too. He put me out, I got no place to go. You gotta help me.”
How had Jeremy known about the fire?
“I was sleepin’ up in my tree like I always do—”
“On a night like this?” I exclaimed. “Boy, you are crazy!”
Jeremy looked rather shamefaced, and shrugged. “Well, anyway, I was and I smelled smoke. I knew it was comin’ from this away and I was ’fraid it was y’all’s place, so I run in and told my pa, and him and me we come on up here over an hour ago.”
“You mean you been out there fighting that fire?”
Jeremy nodded. “My pa, and R.W. and Melvin too.”
Define the word malevolent
adjective
having or showing a wish to do evil to others.
Why hasn't Papa left for the railroad yet?
After school was out, spring drooped quickly toward summer; yet Papa had not left for the railroad. He seemed to be waiting for something, and I secretly hoped that whatever that something was, it would never come so that he would not leave. But one evening as he, Mama, Big Ma, Mr. Morrison, and Stacey sat on the front porch while Christopher-John, Little Man, and I dashed around the yard chasing fireflies, I overheard him say, “Sunday I’m gonna have to go. Don’t want to though. I got this gut feeling it ain’t over yet. It’s too easy.”
Why does Mama think Mr. Morrison should go?
Mama stopped, and when she spoke again her voice had grown faint, as if she hesitated to say what was on her mind.
“David, don’t you think he ought to go? I don’t want him to, but after what he did to the Wallaces, I’m afraid for him.”
“He knows what could happen, Mary, but he wants to stay—and, frankly, we need him here. Don’t pester him about it.”
What did the Simms do when T.J. threatened to tell what they had done?
Once they were outside T.J. wanted to come straight home, but the Simmses said they had business to take care of and told him to wait in the back of the truck. When T.J. objected and said that he was going to tell everybody it was R.W. and Melvin who had hurt the Barnetts unless they took him home, the two of them lit into him, beating him with savage blows until he could not stand, then flung him into the back of the truck and went down the street to the pool hall.
What do Cassie, Christopher-John, and Little Man forget in the joy of the rain?
Little Man, Christopher-John, and I jumped from the porch and ran barefooted onto the lawn, feeling the rain fine and cool upon our faces. And we laughed, whooping joyously into the thundering night, forgetting for the moment that we still did not know what had happened to T.J.
Define the word patronize
verb
treat in a way that is apparently kind or helpful but that betrays a feeling of superiority.
Why must Papa go?
Papa put out his large hand and caressed my face. “Got to, Cassie girl,” he said softly. “Baby, there’s bills to pay and ain’t no money coming in. Your mama’s got no job come fall and there’s the mortgage and next year’s taxes to think of.”
What prompts Mr. Morrison to tell Cassie to get in the back?
We stayed less than an hour at the Wiggins farm, then headed home again. We had just passed Great Faith and were approaching the Jefferson Davis School Road when a ragged pickup came into view. Very quietly Mr. Morrison said, “Cassie, get in back.”
How does Cassie feel once on the road?
Once on the road, Christopher-John struggled into his pants and we became part of the night. Quiet, frightened, and wishing just to dump T.J. on his front porch and get back to the safety of our own beds, we hastened along the invisible road, brightened only by the round of the flashlight.
What stopped the men from hurting T.J. further?
Stacey looked across at Mama to see if she intended to answer; then, his voice hollow and strained, he said, “Mr. Granger stopped them and sent them up to fight the fire.”
Define the word placid
adjective
(of a person or animal) not easily upset or excited.
(especially of a place or stretch of water) calm and peaceful, with little movement or activity.
What does Mr. Avery think Papa is talking about when he says, "Times are hard for everybody"?
Mr. Avery shook his head. “Times too hard.”
“Times are hard for everybody,” Papa said.
Mr. Avery cleared his throat. “I know. I—I feel real bad ’bout what T.J. done—”
“I wasn’t talking ’bout that,” said Papa flatly.
What talk has Stacey heard about T.J.?
Stacey frowned, considering whether or not he should answer. There had been much talk concerning T.J. and the Simms brothers, all of it bad. Moe Turner’s father had told Papa that T.J. had stopped by with the Simmses once, and after they had left he had discovered his watch missing; the Laniers had had the same experience with a locket. “That T.J. done turned real bad,” Mr. Lanier had said, “and I don’t want nothin’ to do with no thief ’specially no thief runnin’ ’round with white boys.”
Finally Stacey said, “Don’t see him much no more.”
What do the Logans see as they are about to leave the Averys’ house?
Beyond the Avery house bright lights appeared far away on the road near the Granger mansion. For a breathless second they lingered there, then plunged suddenly downward toward the Averys’. The first set of lights was followed by a second, then a third, until there were half a dozen sets of headlights beaming over the trail.
What bad news does Mr. Jamison bring?
Mr. Jamison stared straight out at the road. “Jim Lee Barnett . . . he died at four o’clock this morning.”
Papa hit the roof of the car hard with his clenched fist and turned toward the field, his head bowed.
Define the word snide
adjective
derogatory or mocking in an indirect way
(of a person) devious and underhanded