Page:Hell-Bent fer Heaven (Hughes 1924).pdf/43

Rh

[Disapprovingly]

What is it—licker?

It’s one breed of it. The French call it cone-yack.

[Sniffs the cork]

It smells like it might be that.

Wus licker the best thing you could think of to bring your gran’pa?

[Laughing]

She’s afeard you’re a-startin’ me on my downward career, son. An’ you may be. I knowed a man once that started when he wus about my age—an’ he drunk hisself to death when he ’us a hundred an’ two!

Well, jist the same, he might ha’ thought o’ sompen better to bring you. [Looking through the things in the pack] Whar’s the Bible I give you? Didn’t you find room to fetch that?

Somebody stole it.