Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1917-09-13
the border of the little garden.

a. OSANS4 VI SoAN>hs
"Pappy white all day." he chuckled,
"Whittle all night too. Pappy, l thought
you 'uz goin' to git AT long bed all
spade up fer me by noon. Amt at
what you tole me?"
"You let him alone, Genesis" said
Jane, who sat by the old mans side,
deeply fascinated. There's goin' to
be a great deal Of rain in the next few
days, maybe, an l 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. 1--WE git de
boat ready TO 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.
81 should say it isn't!' she exclaimed.
"It's Willie. He was only seventeen
Genesis" This was not the old mans
name, but Jane had evolved it, 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 surname.
The old man continued his whit
thing 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
81 speck so, mebbe," Mr.. Genesis
returned, with a little complacency.
How ole yo' pappy"
ooh, he's DID," Jane explained.
William deigned to correct her. Hes
not old; he's middle aged"
"Well suh," said Mr.. Genesis, 81 mad
three chullum TO I 'uz twenty. l had
two when w eighteen"
William showed sudden interest.
"You did," he exclaimed. "How old
were you when you had the first one?"
81 'uz jes' yo' age" said the old man,
II 'uz seventeen"
"By George cried William.
Jane seemed much less impressed
than William, seventeen being a long
way from ten, though, Of course, to
seventeen itself hardly any informa-
ton could be imagined as moro inter-
esting than that conveyed by the words
of the aged Mr.. Genesis.
Genesis lie de youngis' one" said
the old man. Genesis he 'uz Dawn
when l 'uz siNty-one."
William moved closer. "What be-
| came of the one that was born when
| you We're seventeen" he asked.
"Well, suh,' said Mr.. Genesis, 81 new
did know
At this James interest equalcd Will
liam's. After a little pause of awe she
inquired:
WAS it q boy or a girl?'
The old man deliberated within him
self. "Seem like it mus been a boy"
Did it die?" Jane asked softly.
81 reckon it mus be dead by now"
he returned musingly. Good many of
'em dead. What l knows is dead.
Yes'm, l reckon So"
"How old were you when you were
marriedY" William asked, with a man
ner of peculiar earnestness.
Me? Well, sub, dat pens" He
seemed to search his memory. 81 rick
alect l 'uz mated once in Looavle," he
said.
James interest still followed the first
child. WAS that where it was born,
Mr.. Genesis?" she asked.
He looked puzzled and paused in his
whiting to rub his deeply corrugated
forehead. "Well, sub, mus been some
bawn in Looavle. Genesis" he called
to his industrious son, "whaih 'uz you
bawn:"
Fright N is town." laughed Genesis
"You fergit a good deal, pappy, but
notice you don fergit come to meals
The old man grunted, resuming his
whiting busily.
William found the conversation Of
Mr.. Genesis attractive. He seated him
self upon an upturned bucket nea the
wheelbarrow and reverted to a former
theme. "Well, 1 have heard of people
getting married even younger'n yor
-are."" he said. "You take India, fol