Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-09

world would be better of witt
more of them meaning atheists.
! think Pop liked me, either tina
or he got kick out of arguin.
with me. He'd bait me until
cracked out something. then wee
co at il hot and heavy him al
WAYS ending up with wanting 4
bet the sermon on the mount wa
never preached.
COULDN'T CALL BET
or course. ! couldn't call The
bet bur I always wontterea-
II was this old geezer wh'
Dragged about being an atheist
lived closer 10 the sermon HI
denied than anybody ! ever knew
II was on eday during my vaca
zion that Pop came stumplng NJ
our walk with his arm IN sling
He had a loss at Poverty Patch
about hundred miles north q
Speneeviil and off the transporta
ton lines, and would / dive hin
up
Poverty Patch started as Descr
Gardens. The promoters unleadeC
n with pretty pictures showing
how il would look with water OF
II and took in a lot OF poool
suckers with back-to-the-lanC
itch. Well they never go
water on II.
On the way up we argued re-
hgion.
what kind Of loss you got
mp here, Pop"
zone that had 10 happen,
Windy"
what do you mean-had to
happen ?"
"A fire from friction. a mort
gage coming due rubbing against
an insurance policy" Then he
explained how one OF the
settlers had his house insured
for FIVE Cs. The Spenceville
Bank had $500 mortgage
against the 40 acres. The mort
gage was due and if the settler
didn't have the dough to hand
over, out he went on his car.
$50 =" Pop shrugged.
"You mean he touched IL OFF,"
''Had to-"
"Can't. you send him up for
that Pop"
IF he swears 10 a claim Z.
yes"
Poverty Patch was gray
saucer-shaped valley that lippeC
up into the red hills. and YOU
could see from the size of tn,
greaSewood that II would be rich
II il had the water the promoter
promised.
HAD BEEN A HOUSE
Some of the hopefulS hat
thrown up shackS, only 10 hav
the stiff Winters fatten then
after the owners had 10 give NJ
and cut for places where eat
were more certain. Pop said tina
outside Of the place we wer
headed for. the bank had alread,
forcloSed on the entire valley.
You can see long way in thi
rarefed air, and across the vale,
We could make out a sway-backet
Balm, with a little green back o
IL, and black spot that had beel
a house.
We could also make out the vii
lows along ditch that had beer
dug from a coulee up the hill
where. dKeiy. r. homemade dsffI
caught a little of the Winter SNOW
That's it," Pop said. Cad,
what hell Of place TO live"
lie repeated II when we go
close enough 10 see a team of bon,
horses nibbling on what was lef
Of an alfalfa patch. and a coupl
Of dun-colored raZor-backS, root
ing fr anything they could get.
! pulled up in front Of the bar
in the middle OF a lot of home
made chairs. tables and other jun
that had been moved from tn
house.
A tall hungry looking guy
about 81 years old, edged out o
the barn with a suspicious, un
friendly glare in his eyes, tale,
by a little girl. maybe 5. Sh
hung onto MS leg and Chewed ne
thumb, taking Us in with Sidewis,
peeks. Inside the barn i coulr
hear a baby crying
You Mr.. Cody" Pop asked
with one Of those grins that
would warm the Sphinx
Yep You could see that the
fellow was tense.
Pop turned TO the little girl
I'll bet I've got something TIN
little lady would like. He du.
into his pocket with his good arm
The old man never smoked. but j
he wasn't the worlds top gum
chewer. he was runner-up. Herr.
lie held out a green package. Tn
little grl edged forward with he
head tucked down. Once she ha,
her fingers on the package, sh'
raced for the barn like a quail