Summary

Chapter Twenty-Nine begins from Loreda’s perspective in May as everything blossoms, and in June the cotton plants flower and Elsa works long hours. One day Loreda goes to her classroom but overhears the teacher talking about cosmetics and catching a man. She decides to skip school, and instead walks to the library to return The Communist Manifesto.

On Main Street, Loreda sees a sign for a town meeting at the theater. She chats with Mrs. Quisdorf about the book and the class struggle, and she tells Loreda about the town meeting but to be careful. She walks into the theater and a man steps to the stage and talks about how the state is overrun with migrants of weak moral character. Someone complains that people will not pick since they are on the dole. Mr. Welty says, “The damn relief...