Mierd and Wiley both got new book sacks. I begged the
grownups to get me a book sack and let me go. I could say my
ABC's and count all the way to a hundred! But Mama said I wasn't
old enough to start to school, Papa said my legs weren't long
enough, and Grandpa Thad said I still had to eat a lot more baked
sweet 'taters.
Shoogie couldn't come any day to play with me because she had
to go to Sweet Beulah School. Her legs were already real long. So
I played by myself. Sometimes Mama and I kept the store while
Papa went to town. That was fun to me, but Mama didn't like it.
"I wasn't cut out to be a storekeeper, Bandershanks, and I'll
sure be glad when Papa gets his shelves stocked."
"How come Papa goes and goes to town, Mama?"
"He's got to buy his winter goods before bad weather sets in.
Once the rains start, the roads get so muddy wagons bog down. But
Papa will soon be through. He's got one more haul to make-next
Monday."
When Monday came, Papa and Mama got up while it was still
night. They didn't wake Mierd or Wiley or me.
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