The Twelve-Mile Straight Quotes

“She cried. Her shoulders shook. It was terrible, the sound she made, the sound of her own strangled voice, and her hate stood up and turned on Genus. Juke had no intention of allowing them to marry - what a fool she'd been to believe his word! - but what kind of man would want to marry her? A girl with no tongue, a girl who made a sound like that? Was he as bad as Juke, loving only her silence after all, her weakness? What good would it do to tell him? What could he do to protect her? Quick as a whip, she slipped her arm from his hands and ran back to the big house.”
― Eleanor Henderson, The Twelve-Mile Straight

“The road gang was filled with men who had stolen bread and coats and tomatoes off the vine, some asking to be caught. He too found himself resigned to it.”
― Eleanor Henderson, The Twelve-Mile Straight

“That was how Juke felt on the porch of String Wilson’s new house. He wanted, and he didn’t want to want.”
― Eleanor Henderson, The Twelve-Mile Straight

“Elma was filled with a funny combination of relief and regret. It was the feeling she had after getting a crying baby to sleep—even though she finally had some peace, she always felt a little lonesome.”
― Eleanor Henderson, The Twelve-Mile Straight