TEWWG

31. "But de mayor's wife is somethin' different again." (pg. 60)
""Everybody enjoyed themselves to the highest and then the mule was finally left to the already impatient buzzards."

Again there is the hint that Janie is different from everyone else. She is isolated because of it and that makes her lonely. When the mule dies, Jody makes her stay and mind the store so she doesn't get to share in the fun and happiness with everyone else.