Lessons+21+-+23

=Lesson 21 - __Let the Circle Be Unbroken__= toc Marna pursed her lips and looked at Big Ma. "I think we ought to wait until near the end of the month before selling any more of the cotton, and see how prices are then." Both Big Ma and Mr. Morrison nodded, confirming their agreement. Mama looked at Stacey. "What do you think, Stacey?"

If Stacey was surprised that Mama had asked his opinion, he didn't show it. "I think that's the best thing, too," he said.

Mama kept her eyes on him a moment, then nodded. "All right then. Come the end of the month, we''ll take the cotton into Strawberry." On the last Friday in September when we came back from the fields, Mr. Morrison and Stacey put the side boards on the wagon. The side boards were regular plank boards which fitted nearly on top of all four wagon sides, which fitted nearly on top of all four wagon sides, making the wagon's interior deeper, and allowing ti to hold some 1500 pounds of cotton. we loaded the cotton, packing it tightly until the wagon was filled, then covered the top with the tarpaulin and fastened it down.

The next morning, Mr. Morrison hitched up both Lady and Jack. Then he and Mama climbed onto the wagon seat and Stacey and I climbed on top of the cotton bed. Frankly, I was surprised that I was going. I had pointed out to Mama several times that Stacey had been allowed not only to observe business since he had been ten, but to take care of some of it as well. I supposed I had finally convinced her that my education in practical matters was just as important as his. After all, she had had to run the farm and sell the crops, perhaps I would too someday.

It was still early when we reached Granger-Walker mill to have the cotton ginned, not yet six o'clock. Already wagons had begun to gather and more than fifteen were ahead of us, their occupants taking time before the mill opened at seven thirty to catch naps on top of the cotton or stretch their legs in the dawning light. Here there were not segregated opening to the mill and one road leading into it; it was simply a matter of frist come, first served.

confirm convince dawning gin interior observe occupant practical purse segregated
 * Word List**

Vocabulary Review



=Lesson 22 - __The Great Fire__= Claire wasted little time in being frightened. Her first thought was to see if one or the other of the alley openings might be passable despite the billowing smoke.She got within thirty feet of the thick smoke only to be drawn back. "The heat was like that of an oven. I tried to open the door to a building, but found it bolted. Smoke was escaping from under the other doors, so I gave up hope of finding safety through them.

As the roofs and then the interiors of the surrounding structures were consumed by the flames, a scorching wind swept around the alley. The rain of burning embers grew heavier and more unbearable. Claire retreated, seeking the safest, coolest place, and found herself back at the construction site.

"I cannot say I actually decided to hide behind the bricks since I could not hear myself think in the terrible noise. I did not even look at the fire, but hid my face in the dirt and pulled my bundle, which I had retrieved, over my head."

For understandable reason, Claire did not spend much time observing the burning buildings around her, so her description of what happened is limited. It can be reasonable assumed that she was surrounded by a frightening cacophony of sounds - wood igniting and burning wildly, the glass of windows exploding, stairways and ceilings collapsing. When the interior support framing of a building had been eaten through and wakened enough parts of the exterior brick walls would fall with a ground-rumbling roar.

The pile of bricks Claire hid beneath shielded her from the severest heat and most of the flying debris. But there is little doubt that she had a great deal of luck on her side as well. For one thing, it's likely that most of the building walls did not collapse to release a wave of fire and heat, those walls that did not give way, fell far enough from her so that she was not crushed. Other factors may have contributed to her survival. The buildings that ringed the construction site might have had few windows, thus containing the baking heat of their fires to some extent. Most important, a deadly convection column never established itself in the immediate area of a blanket of killing heat and fire did not cover her.

Exactly how long it took for the buildings to burn is not clear; Claire only says that it took "many minutes." It probably took much longer, an hour or more for the fires to completely gut the structures that lined the alley. During all of this time, "I kept my head hidden beneath the bundle and said my prayers."

Once the main force of he fire began to lessen, Claire peeked out. What she was must have astonished her. Sturdy brick structures had been transformed into blackened skeletons whose insides continued to burn brightly.

cacophony collapse consume despite establish exterior factor structure survival transform
 * Word List**

Vocabulary Review





=Lesson 23 - "Chicago"= Hog Butcher for the World,Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat,Player with Railroads and the Nation's Freight Handler;Stormy, husky, brawling,City of the Big Shoulders: They tell me you are wicked and I believe them, for I have seen your painted women under the gas lamps luring the farm boys.And they tell me you are crooked and I answer: Yes, it is true I have seen the gunman kill and go free to kill again.And they tell me you are brutal and my reply is: On the faces of women and children I have seen the marks of wanton hunger.And having answered so I turn once more to those who sneer at this my city, and I give them back the sneer and say to them:Come and show me another city with lifted head singing so proud to be alive and coarse and strong and cunning.Flinging magnetic curses amid the toil of piling job on job, here is a tall bold slugger set vivid against the little soft cities;Fierce as a dog with tongue lapping for action, cunning as a savage pitted against the wilderness,Bareheaded,Shoveling,Wrecking,Planning,Building, breaking, rebuilding,Under the smoke, dust all over his mouth, laughing with white teeth,Under the terrible burden of destiny laughing as a young man laughs,Laughing even as an ignorant fighter laughs who has never lost a battle,Bragging and laughing that under his wrist is the pulse, and under his ribs the heart of the people,Laughing!Laughing the stormy, husky, brawling laughter of Youth, half-naked, sweating, proud to be Hog Butcher, Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat, Player with Railroads and Freight Handler to the Nation. brutal burden crooked cunning destiny lure pitted pulse toll wanton
 * Word List**

Vocabulary Review





=Unit Test Lessons 21 - 23=