Idioms are an expression particular to a certain language that means something different from the literal definition of its parts. For example, "Don't have a cow" is an example of an idiom. You might say this to your mom, but you are not saying that she is literally birthing a cow. You mean that she is over-reacting.
Please give an example of an idiom from Hurston's excerpt. Provide the entire sentence in quotes and a complete sentence where you give the correct meaning.