Polytechnic High School - Caerulea Yearbook (Long Beach, CA)

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Yo' shet up an' go an' bring me dat razor strop from off'n dat nail on de wall. Rastus thought a moment and then muttered to himself, I done cut my haar off'n an' taint nuthin' wrong wif dat 'cause l sho' am de only boy foiteen yeahs ole wif gal's haar an' I ain't gonna stan' fuh no lickin'. And then he said aloud, Whut fuh you wan' dat strop? Don' yo' be sassin' me an' talkin' back at me like dat! G'wan deah an' git dat strop, exclaimed his mother, thorough- ly recovered now and determined on giving her wayward son the worst whipping that he had ever received. lVlammy, l done been whipped too much an' l's too ole to have gal's haar and l ain't gonna let you whup me now, said Rastus, amazed at himself for his boldness. Yo' ain't? Ain't yo'? answered his mammy, angrier than she had ever been before. Well, jes' yo' wait an' see who's de boss of dis heah famblyf' So saying, she hobbled over and took the strop from the wall and then turned to strike Rastus. He grabbed the strop and threw it across the room. l-lis mother then went at him with bare fists. Rastus, being stronger and younger, had a decided advantage over his old crippled mammy, and soon she was lying prostrate, though unhurt, on the floor. Fearing that the world was really coming to an end and being very much out of breath, she lay there motionless and with eyes closed. This sight frightened Rastus almost to death and he began to feel sorry for what he had done. He even wished now that he had not cut his hair. lVlammy, l'se sorry. Hones', mammy, l didn't mean to do nuthin' an l'll let my haar grow back agin'. Mammy, please say sumthin'. She was too much out of breath to say anything as yet, and then she really didn't know just what to say, so she lay there, silent and motionless. l'se done gone and killed her, screamed Rastus, des- perate now. O, Lord, what's l gonna do? They'll percu- late me sho', and screaming he started to leave the cabin in search of help. Not wishing to have any one witness her humiliation, Aunt Eddy stopped him. Come back heah an' help me to git up off'n dis heah Ho', she commanded. After having reached a chair, she sat there staring at Rastus and there came over her a certain revelation. She realized now that her fourteen-year-old son was not a baby Sixteen

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Y however, was a check, for there was his mammy standing talk- ing to Jimmy's mother and she immediately spied him. ln- stantly he hid the scissors behind his back. Whuh you gwine? Ain't I done tole you to stay in de house aftah you done finish yo' suppah? exclaimed his mother. lVIammy, I doneiforgit an' lef' my books out yondah by de big mulberry tree. Can't I go git 'em? lied Rastus in a most convincing and pleading manner. C'wan den, replied Aunt Edy, and then added, You bettah hurry up an' come back heah mighty quick. Rastus didn't wait for an answer, but started out in the direction of the mulberry tree. There it would be too con- spicuous, so he crept around the house and entered a small shed. He immediately set to work to cut off his troublesome locks and when he had finished, it was hard to tell whether his looks were improved or made worse. In fact, he resembled a small porcupine. He felt much better, although experienc- ing a certain uneasiness as to how his mother would receive this bold act. He remained a few minutes in the shed trying to screw up enough courage to meet the ogre, face to face, and was medi- tating on what excuse to make. His mother's voice soon broke into his thoughts. Rastus, ef yo' don' come heah dis instinkt, l'se gwine a lick de hide off'n yo' back. Rastus, not wishing to raise her ire any more than neces sary, answered, l'se a comin' right now, mammy. He walked boldly out of the shed towards the cabin. He opened the door, entered, closed it again, and stood leaning heavily against it as if in need of some support. When his mother glanced at his head she stood trans- fixed, mouth wide open, eyes dilated, and hands hung limply at her sides. The boy returned his mother's gaze unflinch- ingly and after several moments she gathered her wits together and stammered out, l..or' o' massy, what yo' gone an' done to yo' haar, chile? Who done gone an' chopped it off'n? Rastus drew himself up and said with as much courage as possible under the circumstances, I done it, mammy, and then burst into a torrent of explanations. l'se done tired uf being pestered by dem white boys an' l'se ole enuf to have- Here he was interrupted by his mother, who had suffici- Ently recovered to know that Rastus must be punished without. e ay. Fifteen

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1 still. She also realized that he was old enough to have a few rights of his own. This thought gave her a pang of sadness, for she really loved this boy of hers. And yet she felt a kind of pride, for he was getting big and handsome and manly, and so she said, Rastus, g'wan over dere an' look under de pillah an' git a quatah out of de stockin' ' an go on down town m de mawnin' an' git yo' haar cut 'spectablef' MARY BARNETT, ' I 5 i FS A ref l' e l ,f W: TQEQ..-330 lg f ,v,f1, 14 N UHAMK' 4 i'A'N 6 TT:-HI 54 'o c.4Vc,-rl, :if W ' 1 f ' tp - X? ff 'N X ll e I l ' w pf-fig fit r x 2 t,, A' 7' A?7l' fi' ftef.f11Y'jQf ,ir P 1 ' , P' - -,f?2:1f EE ,.,,,., have teen