"You ain't mad at me, are you, Papa?"
Papa said something about being glad of the day I was born, but I
couldn't understand much of it because the men were still
laughing.
"You ain't gonna switch my legs?"
"No. But I was just thinking-if your legs were growing as
fast as your ears and tongue, you'd be grown already."
"I'd be a lady?"
"No doubt of it!"
"Could I go to school?"
"I aim to send you to school right this minute! Wiley, son,
you take Bandershanks over to the schoolhouse. Just ask the
teacher to let her sit in one of the empty desks 'till dinner
time. She's got no more business here at the store right now."
"But, Papa, how'll I get across that branch?" Somehow, I
didn't want to go to the schoolhouse. I wanted to go home and
hide under Grandma's bed.
"Wiley can show you a narrow spot."
"Come on, Bandershanks, I'll help you jump the branch! It
ain't wide!"
"Mrs. Goode! You're still here? Church is over! The
congregation's gone home. Why, the custodian is ready to lock up!
Come on.
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