Strawberry Girl

Mr. Slater’s hogs get through the Boyers’ fence and trample their strawberries. Birdie’s father’s shouts awaken her in the middle of the night. Birdie helps drive the hogs out. Later, she hears a squeal that she fears means her father slaughtered one of the hogs. Birdie worries about a feud with Mr. Slater.

Birdie and her family attend church for the first time since moving to this part of Florida. The service is an “all-day sing.” Birdie loves the organ music at service and is captivated by the name of the organist: Annie Laurie Dunnaway. Birdie enjoys spending time with the other kids and meeting new people. Birdie gets nervous when she sees her father talking to Mr. Slater. Mr. Boyer keeps up a polite tone while he suggests to Mr. Slater that feeding his hogs will keep them from roaming onto his neighbors’ land. Mr. Slater jokes that there is no law, and only a shotgun can keep the peace. Mr. Slater and Mr. Boyer laugh, reassuring Birdie that her father knows how to handle conflict with other people. Shoestring plays with a snake and throws it on top of Birdie’s hat.