Evening star., 1931-12-20

Giles sent the big truck to Shreveport,
and it was loaded to the brim with
Christmas shoppers. A half dozen bat
tered automobiles, owned by the more
reckless croppers, supplemented the big
truck. Everybody was "going to town."
RUT nobody was doing any buying.
There was a dollar for every man,
woman and child on the place, ready
to 60 into circulation. But not penny
of it circulated until all the bargains
were looked over thoroughly and dis
cussed in minute detail.
The day before Christmas eve dealer
in secondhand automobiles telephoned
Mister Dick that Johnny and Sock Jack
for the purchase of a T-model flivver.
The price was $25. Johnny and Sock
offered to pay 81 cash, and promised
Mister Dick would sign a note for the
remaining $23. Would Mister Dick sign
the note? No, he wouldn't.
Later, the same day, some one from
the sheriff's Office called with the infor-
nation that one Robert Brothers, who
claimed to be a Red Chute tenant, had
been locked up on charge of fighting,
disturbing the peace, assault and caus-
ing damage. It seemed, according to the
information, Robert Brothers had wan
dered over on Texas avenue and had
been flimf1ammed out of his dollar by a
fast-talking city Negro-which was all
right with the law, until the said Robert
Brothers grabbed the city Negro, broke
three ribs, dislocated his jaw, admin
iStered contusions and brushburns on
the body and forcibly took the dollar
away from him. Did Mister Dick know
Robert Brothers?
Sure, he's one of my wage hands and
the second stoutest man on the place.
Turn him loose. And you better see that
he gets his dollar, too, or he'll wreck
something else"
Christmas eve was the day the money
was spent. Where there were children
there were goodies-candy-and an oc-
caSional cheap toy. But mainly there
were new dresses and shirts to be sewed
from fancily printed cotton goods. Times
were too hard to fool money away on
nothing.
Uncle Henry started things going about
sundown Christmas eve by appearing in
front of the commissary, roaring drunk.
Betsy, Giles wife, had to attend to the
milking that evening, and Giles had some
of the wage hands feeding the stock.
Uncle Henry his funny hat at its fun
niest angle, reeled and rocked about the
premises, whooping and laughing be-
cause he was having a good time.
"Whoo-uh? I'm gonter th'ow my hat at
de ground and I bet she misses! Hyar
hit is Christmas and old Mom amt
milked Whooo-uh!"
Joe Boody'S Ti-uldy, sloe-ayed and
grinning, took Uncle Henry's hat "Unc'
Henry" she said with mock surprise, 'T
thought I hyared you prayin' at de
church last Sunday. And hyar you is,
dronck as hoot OWL"
go way, gall" Uncle Henry shouted.
II amt dronck, but hyar hit is Christ
mas, and old Nom amt MIXED. Whoooo-
uuuuuuh!"
Uncle Henry Immediately became the
center of interest of everybody on the
place. They came from all over, not so
much to watch him perform as to find
out where he got the liquor, and, no less,
to learn If there was any more where
that had been. They knew drinking
liquor was too expensive to buy during
hard times. Uncle Henry made two dol
lars week and his board. Mister Dick
gave him his clothes.
Johnny and Sock came up with a
brand-new two-dollar accordion and
joined the crowd. Ramsey, at that point,
added the information that Buldickie
had spent thirty cents of his dollar for
a set of guitar strings. But interest was
centered in Uncle Henry.
"He has been Spendin' all his money