White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1917-09-23


II got q little bit sick, so mamma
told me to keep quiet awhile. She's
iookin' for you all over the house. She
told papa she don't know what In mer-
cy's name people are goin' to think
about you. Willie"
The ~distraught youth strobe to her.
1.-THE party he choked. Where
They all stayed pretty long," said
Jane, but the last ones said they had
to go home to their dinners when papa
came, q little while ago. Johnnie Wat
son was carryin' F1opit for hat Miss
Pratt"
William dropped into the chair be-
side which Jane had established her
self upon the floor. Then he uttered a
terrible cry and rose.
Again Jane had painted a sunset she
had not intended.
On a warm morning, ten days later.
William stood pensively among his
mothers fowerbeds behind the house.
bis attitude denoting a low state of
vitality. Not far away an aged negro
sat upon a wheelbarrow IN the hot sun,
TREMENDOUSLY yet skillfully whiting a
piece OF wood into the shape of a boat.
labor mor to his taste evidently than
that which he had abandoned at the re-
quest of Jane. Allusion to this prefer
ence for a lighter task was made by
Genesis who was erecting a trellis on
the border of the little garden.
stDa xuhfftla oil 1a " ~ ha ah,oH1aA
white all night too. Pappy. | thought
you 'uz goin' to git at long bed all
spade up fer ms by loon. Amt at
what you tole me?"
"You let him alone, Genesis" said
Jane. who sat by the old mans side.
be a great deal of rain In the next few
days, maybe, an | hat to have this
boat ready"
The aged darby lifted his streaky
and diminished eyes to the FURNISHED
sky and laughed. Rain come some
day. anyways" he said I'VE git de
boat ready 'fo' she fall; dat sho." His
glance wandered to William and rest
ed upon him with feeble curiosity.
Dat ain yo' pappy. is it?" he asked
Jane.
II should say 1t isn'tl' she exclaimed.
ITS Willie. lie was only seventeen
about two or three months ago, Mr..
Genesis" This was not the old mans
name, but Jane had evolved 1t, inspired
by respect for one SO aged and so kind
about whiting. He was the father of
Genesis. and the latter. neither to her
knowledge nor TO her imagination, pos
sessed a urname.
The old mar continued his whit
Ting In a craftsmanlike manner. which
brought praise from Jane.
you can see to white, Mr.. Gene
sis" she said. You whittle better
than anybody in the world"
~ speck so. mebbe," Mr. Genesis
returned, with a little complacency.
How ole yo' pappyY"
"0h. he's oldi' Jane explained.
william deigned TO correct her. Hes
not old; he's middle aged"
"well. subj said Mr.. Genesis. Il had
three chullum TO l 'uz twenty. | had
two when | w eighteen"
William showed sudden interest
you didr' be exclaimed. How old
we're you when you had the first onef'
IL 'uz jes' yo' age" said the old man;
II 'uz seventeen"
by George!' cried William.
Jane seemed much less impressed
than william, seventeen being q long
way from ten. though, of course, to
seventeen itself hardly any informa-
ton could be imagined al more inter-
esting han that conveyed by the words
Of the aged Mr.. Genesis.
Genesis he de youngis' one.' said
the old man. Genesis he 'uz bawn
when I 'uz sixty-one."
William moved closer. What be-
came OF the one that was born when
you were seventeen ?" he asked.
We'll. subj" said Mr.. Genesis. II nev'
did know.
At this James interest equaled VII
liam's. After a little pause OF W she
inquired:
"Was 1t u boy or q girlf'
The old man deliberated within him
self. Seem like It mus been q boy"
did 1t die? ?" Jane asked softly.
~ reckon 1t mus be dead by now"
be returned musingly. Good many Of
'em dead. What ! knows Is dead.
Yes'm, ! reckon So
How old were you when you were
married?" william asked, with a man.
ner Of peculiar earnestness-
"Me2 Well. sub. dat pens" He
seemed to search his memory. Il rick
aiect I 'uz mated once In Looavle," he
said.
James interest still followed the first
child. WAS that where 1t was born,
Mr.. Genesis?" she asked.
He looked puzzled and paused in his
whiting to rub his deeply corrugated
forehead. We'll, sub, mus been some
bawn In Looavle. Genesis" he called
to his industrious son. "whaih 'uz YOU
hax mr. ."