Prev | Current Page 109 | Next

Smith, Jewell Ellen, 1915-1998

"Great Jehoshaphat and Gully Dirt"

"Y'all get to your school
books. Bandershanks, you come here."
"Papa, we gonna count money?"
"No need to tonight, hon. I didn't take in much today. Folks
was so carried away over the Armistice news they didn't buy."
"Not nothing?"
"Well, your Aunt Vic did send Jim-Bo to get a sack of flour,
and Old Mister Hawk was in as usual for his plug of tobacco.
Otherwise, I sold very little today. Here, let's get your heels
warmed up so you can crawl in the bed. My goodness, this is a
mighty long nightgown you've got on tonight."
"It's a new one."
I was just crawling up on Papa's knees when Mama came in from
the kitchen.
"Bandershanks! Shoo, shoo, to bed! It's time all chickens
were on the roost!"
"I ain't no chicken, Mama!"
"Yes. You're a chicken. Mine and Papa's littlest chicken, not
even feathered out yet!"
She led me back to one of the double beds in the far end of
the fireplace room.
"I ain't sleepy, Mama."
"You don't have to go to sleep. Just lie down and rest. I aim
to work on my quilt for a few minutes while Mierd and Wiley
finish their lessons.


Pages:
97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121