Page:Hell-Bent fer Heaven (Hughes 1924).pdf/37

Rh

It’s enough to make him tetchy, with your paw an’ granpaw a-pickin’ on him all the time jist ’cause he ain’t as big an’ strong as they air.

You don’t ketch me an’ Matt a-pickin’ on chil’en jist ’cause they ain’t as big an’ strong as we air. I’ve noticed when folks gits picked on it’s gene’ly ’cause they deserve it.

You could git along ’ith Rufe if you tried.

Yeh, I expect we could if we laid awake nights figgerin’ how to keep from hurtin’ his feelin’s—like you do, ’Tain’t only he’s tetchy—though God knows I’m sick o’ hearin’ him bellyache—but he’s lazy er born tired, I dunno which. Why, he ain’t wuth his salt!

’Specially sence he got that camp-meetin’ brand o’ religion. I’ve never seed a man so hell-bent fer heaven as he is!

[Enters with the pack and sets it down]

Thar ’tis, Sid.