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Smith, Jewell Ellen, 1915-1998

"Great Jehoshaphat and Gully Dirt"

"Oh, you don't have to worry, Bandershanks.
We can slip you down in a tow sack and hang you in the corner!"
"No, y'all can't neither! I don't wanta sleep in no sack!"
"Well, good gracious! Don't get so mad. I was just teasing.
We're gonna make a nice big quilt pallet down on the floor for
you and Farris and little Cleburne."
"Where?"
"Right in front of the fireplace. You think that'll be all
right?"
"Yeah, I reckon."
Mama told me there would be plenty of beds for everybody, and
Gertie didn't say anything else about a sack. She started talking
to Grandpa and her husband Henry about how dim the lamplight
seemed.
"We oughta've had this celebration supper before dark. I
can't half see what I'm doing."
"Ah, Gertie," Grandpa told her, "your eyes are just spoiled
to them electric lights."
"I guess so, Grandpa. Electric lights are wonderful."
"It's all in what you're used to. Our coal-oil lamps still
seem bright to us poor country folks."
Mama was crowding more and more food on the supper table.


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