Summary

In Chapter 13, Dessie wears a dress belonging to Harriet Harris, the daughter of her white boss, to a party. Dessie had made up her mind that borrowing the dress would not really be stealing even as Mrs. Harris had read to her from the Bible. Henry is coming to walk her home after the party. As she waits on the porch for him she hears Tracy come and try to talk to Nonnie but she asks him to come later. When Henry does come for Dessie and they walk away, he tries to pull her close but Dessie is afraid he’ll mess up the dress. She fights against him and the dress gets torn in the struggle. Dessie goes to Miss Belle, the town’s seamstress, the next morning even though it is Sunday. Miss Belle grudgingly agrees to fix the dress...