Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-13


Pa figure out how to rig up foolproof alarm
system.-Photo by permission Of the Broad
way production "No Time for Sergeants."
sinful to get mad with folks too. and he felt
right bad about it. He said. "Will, why don't
you read a little more out of that Bible
again?" and said, "YesSir, why don't you just
rest WHILE and reached over and got it
and read to him for a spell. He set there
listening nodding his head up and down, and
I read part with a lot of big words in 1t. and
done pretty good with it, think. throwed
in lot of Thees and Thous and Verilys and
things like that. and when hit some of the
big names I just called them Sam or Joe or
whatever come into my head, but he didn't
know the difference; he nodded his head up
and down. looking like he felt better already.
read, And he saideth verify thee unto
thou" and he cleared his throat and said.
That's the truth too, viii. That's the
truth"
So read a little more and after while he
begun talking more about how folks ought to
be good to one another and not bear false
witness and not worship no false idols and
stuff like that. and seemed to perk UP good
bit thinking about it. He got to going about
as good as most preachers until he got hungry
and begun smacking his lips and wiping his
mouth as he talked, so finally said, why
don't you just rest while and I'll go in and
get some supper ready?" Because by that
time I had decided that the draft didn't
sound like such bad idea to me and had
just as soon go like the fellow said. and I
wanted him kind of rested and comfortable
and kind of holy feeling, the way he got when
his stomach was full. SO could tell him in a
kind of casual way and not get him upset
no more.
Cooking for Comfort
So I went in and fixed up just what he
liked best-grits and side meat and toast and
coffee-and had it steaming on the table
when called him in. He pulled up his chair
on one side and I pulled mine up on the
other. and he went at it real steady because
nothing makes him more hungry than get
ting mad: and kept quiet most of the meal
waiting for chance to bring it up to him.
He set there eating with his jaw stopping
every once in a while. kind of looking of
into space like he was thinking, and then
starting up again when he got whatever il
was that bothered him straight in his head
He cleaned up one plate and started on an
other and set there slipping my coffee, and
then he got up and started pacing UP and
down the room. his chin kind Of hung down
on his chest thinking all along He put his
hands behind him and walked from one end
OF the room to the other, nodding his head
like he was talking to himself
SO I put off talking to him and cleaned
off the table and stacked the dishes waiting
for him to get settled but when got through
with that, he was still walking only now he
was going faster; and instead OF having his
hands behind his back, he was cenching up
his fist and slapping 1t in the palm Of his
other hand and all like that and seemed real
lively and happy about everything. He paced
up and down like he warnt tired at ALL and
sometimes 1t looked like he was even chuck
ling to himself. and when seen that,
knowed there warnt much hope in being
casual about it no more. Because II he had
decided it warnt right to get mad with folks,
he would get this kind of sicky holy look on
his face and his voice would get right weak
and he would talk about forgiving and so on:
and you could see plain as anything he warnt
feeling that way about it now. He looked too
lively and happy for that; his eyes was lit up
and he was just prancing around, so I knowed
then that he had figured it out somehow to
suit hisself and so finally Just set down in
chair and rolled cigarette and waited for
1t to come.
And Here 1t Came
1t warnt long coming neither Because
just about time got it lit. he turned around
and looked at me and pointed his finger and
said will. you read the Bible, don't you?
You go to church,"
"YesSir," I said
You think Jesus was a good man, don't
you?'
"Yessir"
Couldn't nobody do any better than to
live a life like Jesus, could hep"
II don't guess So" I said
80 the thing is TO do just what Jesus
would have done. amt it?"
"Yessir." I said. That's good idea. Now
I was thinking :"
We'll. do you know what He would have
done?"
"Nosir, but :. :"
well, do" Pa said. II know what He
would have done all right II man come
riding up on His property and scared His
chickens half to death and didn't say Howdy
or nothing, and then went around saying
folks couldn't read. 1 know what He would
have done all right. He would have sent that
man straight to hell, by Cod"
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