Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 17, 1924 — page 15: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

TARRAPIN TOES, dark pool. Then the face became smooth again and the voice with its sad minor tones began: “Well, suh, my las’ job wus wuckin’ fer a white man. He kep’ a grocery sto’ an’ a jug. He hid de jug in de stove. One kinder coolish mawnin’ I built de fire in dat stove, an’ sot dat jug on fire, an’ de dram ex- ploded. Yes, suh, it shore bust! Dey picked up plugs of chawin’ terbacker an’ sawdine cans all aroun’ dar fer a week atter de bust come off. I went away from dar jes’ when de stove cut loose—”’ The negro stopped. His feet performed a motion like the loping gait of a galloping horse, and as each clumsy foot struck the street with a peculiar sound the darky gave utterance to an expression indicating speed: “ Buckety! Buckety! Buckety!” They walked on, Manse smiling over the story he had heard. Finally Buckety said: “Cap’n, whut wuck does us do?” “* Nothing.” “JT means to ax you, whut wuck does you do fer a livin’?” “‘ Nothing.” “Yes, suh, but whut does you aim fer me to do while I is wuckin’ fer you?” “ Nothing.” “Bless Gawd! Dat sounds good. But whut pesters my mind am dis: how will us know when we is through? When does us finish doin’ nothin’?” CHAPTER Iii. EXPLOSIONS. HEY stopped at a little frame office building. Buckety sat down on the steps, fondling his terrapin. “Manse entered, and an irate voice greeted him at the door: “Where have you been? What made you so late? Expect me to wait here for you forever?” The young man looked at his father with indulgent fondness. In earlier years the son had been afraid of this peppery gentleman, but after a certain European ex- perience he had learned that German shells made more noise and splutter than even his 165 father could, and after that he had a sort of amused toleration for the old parental smooth-bore. ‘““T stopped to rescue a monkey from a well,” Manse said with a grin. “ By this kind act I offended two boys. I walked down to the Cooley Bridge and found a terrapin, and hired a negro to wait on me.” “Sure! I know!” Verdell snapped, rub- bing his bald head with both hands. “ That monkey belongs to old Melhaven. That lit- tle white boy is the devilish son of old Gabe Roone. Did he have a negro boy with him?” “ Buckety was there, too,” Manse smiled. — “ And you can’t separate ’em,” Verdell added. “ That Tuck Roone brat thinks up as much devilment as that monkey. He and that little monkey negro get into all kinds of scrapes. They’ve got two dogs, too. I’d like to poison the whole outfit. By damn—” He broke off suddenly and looked at his son with a surprised recollection of some- thing else he had just heard him say. Phen: ‘ What’s that you told me about finding a terrapin and hiring a boy?” “T’ve done both,” Manse “ They’re out ‘there on the step.” “‘ What for?” Verdell snapped. ‘The terrapin for luck, and the negro for ‘ wuck,’ Manse smiled. - “Lord, forgive me for being the daddy of a fool,” Verdell said disgustedly, as he broke three matches in an effort to light the ragged end of a worn and battered cigar. When one match finally struck into flame, the head of it flew off and fell into his lap. “By damn!” he howled, as he sprang up, pawed at his clothes, and danced up and down. “I’m about to set my fool self on fire. You and a negro and a terrapin will make a fine outfit. What in the thunder did you wart to see me about? What did you come down here for? If it’s money— not another cent.” ‘“‘ Tain’t money; it’s ainsi. ” Manse grinned. “I want to marry the dearest, sweetest, prettiest—” “Oh, gosh, by damn, I get you!” Verdell, Sr., interrupted impatiently. “ Et cetera grinned, (EO LMMICLOOOKS (E@)