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           "Heehee,"Ihowled,"Jem’scolorblind."

           Hisfaceflushedangrily,butCalpurniasaid,"Nowyouallquitthat.You’regonnagotoFirstPurchasewithsmilesonyourfaces."

           FirstPurchaseAfricanM.E.ChurchwasintheQuartersoutsidethesoutherntownlimits,acrosstheoldsawmilltracks.Itwasanancientpaint-peeledframebuilding,theonlychurchinMaycombwithasteepleandbell,calledFirstPurchasebecauseitwaspaidforfromthefirstearningsoffreedslaves.NegroesworshipedinitonSundaysandwhitemengambledinitonweekdays.

           Thechurchyardwasbrick-hardclay,aswasthecemeterybesideit.Ifsomeonediedduringadryspell,thebodywascoveredwithchunksoficeuntilrainsoftenedtheearth.Afewgravesinthecemeteryweremarkedwithcrumblingtombstones;neweroneswereoutlinedwithbrightlycoloredglassandbrokenCoca-Colabottles.Lightningrodsguardingsomegravesdenoteddeadwhoresteduneasily;stumpsofburned-outcandlesstoodattheheadsofinfantgraves.Itwasahappycemetery.

           ThewarmbittersweetsmellofcleanNegrowelcomedusasweenteredthechurchyard—HeartsofLovehairdressingmingledwithasafoetida,snuff,Hoyt’sCologne,Brown’sMule,peppermint,andlilactalcum.

           WhentheysawJemandmewithCalpurnia,themensteppedbackandtookofftheirhats;thewomencrossedtheirarmsattheirwaists,weekdaygesturesofrespectfulattention.Theypartedandmadeasmallpathwaytothechurchdoorforus.CalpurniawalkedbetweenJemandme,respondingtothegreetingsofherbrightlycladneighbors.

           "Whatyouupto,MissCal?"saidavoicebehindus.