A Romance of Billy-Goat Hill

								

was cracked right across the middle. But that ain't worryin' Sheeley.
He's livin' in style at the hospital, all his bills paid, and the swells
lookin' after him. I hear he ain't even goin' to prosecute. They've
fixed him all right; besides he don't want to git that fly young gang
down on his place. He's countin' on startin' up them sparrin' matches
ag'in, as soon as the police quit noticin' him. Say, Sis, you don't
happen to have a quarter 'bout you, do you?”
The peculiar persuasiveness of Phineas' voice when he threw out these
financial suggestions, was very insidious. In some subtle way he made
the favor all on the side of the recipient; he gave the donor, as it
were, a chance to acquire merit.
But Myrtella wore the armor of experience. “No, I ain't!” she said,
taking a firmer grasp on her bag. “I'm payin' the grocery man now, and
buyin' clothes for Chick. What good does it do? I no more than git his
hide covered than you go and sell the clothes offen his back. When are
you goin' to git a job?”
“Well, you might say I had one now. Leastwise I'm a followin' Scriptures
and bearin' one another's burdens. Jires, the flagman, over to the
Junction has been laid up with rheumatism and he don't want the boss to
know it. He sets in his box and hires me to go out and flag the trains
like he tells me to.”
“How many trains a day?”
“Two ups, three downs and a couple of freights.”
“Should think you'd die of the exertion. How much do you get?”
“Oh, it ain't so much. But I ain't a ambitious man. What's the use of
me a-slavin' and a-hordin' when I ain't got a child to leave it to? If
Claude had a lived, or McKinley, I might 'a' had somethin' to work for.”
“You mean you'd 'a' had somethin' to work for you. The Lord certainly
done a good job when he changed His mind about letting them babies
live.”
“They're having onions next door fer supper,” said Maria feebly, by way
of diverting an old discussion. “I ain't been able to git 'em off my
mind all afternoon.”
Chick, who had been sent to the grocery to see what time it was, came
back holding up five fingers.
“Gee, I got to be hiking!” said Phineas. “The passenger train from
Virginia's due at five sixteen. It won't git here before a quarter of
six, but I'm always there on the minute. That's what Jires pays me fer,
fer bein' regular and reliable. Jes' let me get a regular habit and
a clock ain't in it with me. Why, if I was to come in late at church,
they'd stop the service!”
“Well, don't you be gittin' a regular habit of comin' 'round to the
Queeringtons!” was Myrtella's parting shot as he rose unsteadily. “When
I got anything to say to you I'll come here.”
“That's right!” assented Phineas cordially; “you jes' make yourself at
home. My home is your home. Maria'll tell you that I says to her only
last night, I says, 'Maria, you needn't feel so cut up 'bout askin'