Page:O Henry Prize Stories of 1924.djvu/238

204 I tell yo’, if a man can keep step to the song old Mississipp’ sings, he better not break with it. He’ll march into the halls of plumb comfort, if he marks the time, yes, suh. That’s my experience. ’Tain’t everybody’s, but hit’s mine. An’ May, she says it’s her experience, too. We’ve been far together, New York an’ the Coast Sho! No matter if we’s busy—ev’ry wunst in a while we stop off on old Mississip’, buy a shanty-boat an’ trip down. That’s what we’re doing now. But we don’t neveh stop to Mendova any more. May won’t let me.

“I ain’t going to have that woman—any other woman—steppin’ to your music!”

Just like that, and then we both laugh.