, 1905-03-08


keep en-
Nose was excited now and, graspinl
boil arms of his chair very tight. was
leaning over toward his sister as
though to impress his words with the
weight of his physical presence.
Mrs. Peters %nervously clasped and
unclasped her needle SCARED fingers
and her lips moved slightly a moment
before she spoke.
81 know you've been good to me an
LATE: better'n we deserve. Nose,
You've give us a heap of money, an l
don't know what we'd "a done more'n
once if it hadn't been for you. San
means well. an he's good to me an
an what are we goin' to do. Mose?'
Nose pulled in his outstretched leo
with a jerk and Strengthened up in mis-
chair. There was a deep wrinkle
across his forehead. and he set his
teeth hard. Suddenly he spoke.
what are you goin' to do? I'll tell
you what you're goin' to do. You an
LATE are comm to live with me. You're
comm to my house, dye hear? An
you're goin' to let that lazy Sam hustle
for himself. He'll never get in the
poorhOuse cause he knows they'd
make him work there. When he finds
he amt got you to get his bread an
butter he'll hump an get it himself.
My sisters supported a man just as
long as she's goin' to. I've got a great
big house an no one in it but me an
Aunt Cindy, an you're comm there.
II I've got to help support you, I'm
goin' to do it in my own ranch. If I've
got to pay out the money, Pm goin' to
be the man of the house. Now this is
final, Lod, an they amt no use of mon
keyin' any longer. You get ready an
pack your buds an be fixed to come
over next week. You leave all the fur
niture here; I'll settle that with Sam"
Mr.. Prothrow never removed his hat
when he came into his sisters house,
back of his head to an even keel as he
arose to go.
Mrs. Peters seemed only now to catch
the full meaning of her brothers
words. The usual pallor of her face
was accentuated as she looked up.
"Oh, Nose" she said, II can't leave
Sam, l can't. Why-why, he's Lafe's
father-I can't leave him."
Nose stopped in the kitchen door.
I'VE won't talk about it any more
now" he said firmly, and, pulling his
straw hat a little farther over his eyes,
ne strobe out of the yard.
The swinging gate had hardly stop
ped clicking when it was pushed open
to allow the passage of Mr.. Peters,
who moved slowly up the path toward
the door.
In a patch of sunshine by the wood
pile lay a great cat, and around and
yer her tumbled half a dozen kittens.
Mr.. Peters removed his hat and, mop
ping his face with a red and white
handkerchief, stopped to watch the
little balls of varicolored fur roll about.
From a mere cursory glance Mr.. Pc
tiers would have been judged a pros
porous, industrious man. OF medium
height, his shoulders stopped from
much sitting on the top of packing
cases and sugar barrels, and he had a
way of thrusting out his chin when he
talked; hair getting thin, with one
spot on top where the pink scalp
showed through and below long, bushy
whiskers of a shade of red just escap-
ing the aggressive.
He watched the kittens for a mo-
ment and then went into the house.
His wife had resumed her sewing, and
as his heavy boot sounded on the IN
carpeted floor she looked up.
"Mose was here just now,' she said.
'"That 500" replied MI. Peters half
interestedly. What did he have to
say?"
She hesitated for a moment. "Oh,
nothin' in particular. What did you
find outT'
Mr.. Peters threw himself into a
chair and ran his fingers slowly
through his beard.
"Oh, same old thing" he said. 81 tell
you, Lod, things is goin' to the dogs in
the workin' world. They're grindin' us
down f1atter an flatter every day.
Why, Lod, slaves was better off'n we
be. They was sure of enough to eat
an wear. We're slaves to the men
that's got the money, an we amt sure
Of our bread an butter neither. l tell
you, Lod, when they want a man for
half what he's worth it's gettin' des-
prit."
But what did they say?' Mrs. Pc
ters' voice had a mixture of impa-
thence and fear in it.
Mr.. Peters gave a scornful laugh.
why, Lod, would you believe it, they