Chapter 9

           Inthelittlehousesthetenantpeoplesiftedtheirbelongingsandthebelongingsoftheirfathersandoftheirgrandfathers.Pickedovertheirpossessionsforthejourneytothewest.Themenwereruthlessbecausethepasthadbeenspoiled,butthewomenknewhowthepastwouldcrytotheminthecomingdays.Themenwentintothebarnsandthesheds.

           Thatplow,thatharrow,rememberinthewarweplantedmustard?Rememberafellawantedustoputinthatrubberbushtheycallguayule?Getrich,hesaid.Bringoutthosetools—getafewdollarsforthem.Eighteendollarsforthatplow,plusfreight—SearsRoebuck.

           Harness,carts,seeders,littlebundlesofhoes.Bringemout.Pile’emup.Load’eminthewagon.Take’emtotown.Sell’emforwhatyoucanget.Selltheteamandthewagon,too.Nomoreuseforanything.

           Fiftycentsisn’tenoughtogetforagoodplow.Thatseedercostthirty-eightdollars.Twodollarsisn’tenough.Can’thaulitallback—Well,takeit,andabitternesswithit.Takethewellpumpandtheharness.Takehalters,collars,hames,andtugs.Takethelittleglassbrow-bandjewels,rosesredunderglass.Gotthoseforthebaygelding.’Memberhowheliftedhisfeetwhenhetrotted?

           Junkpiledupinayard.Can’tsellahandplowanymore.Fiftycentsfortheweightofthemetal.Disksandtractors,that’sthestuffnow.

           Well,takeit—alljunk—andgivemefivedollars.You’renotbuyingonlyjunk,you’rebuyingjunkedlives.Andmore—you’llsee—you’rebuyingbitterness.