"
"Alfred Gage went to school to her last year," said Frances,
"and he can read and write."
"Yes," joined in Jimmy, "and he 'bout the proudest boy they
is; all time got to write his name all over everything."
"You 'member 'bout last Communion Sunday," went on the little
girl, "when they hand roun' the little envellups and telled all the
folks what was willing to give five dollars more on the pastor's
sal'y just to write his name; so Alfred he so frisky 'cause he
know how to write; so he tooken one of the little envellups and
wroten `Alfred Gage' on it; so when his papa find out 'bout it
he say that kid got to work and pay that five dollars hi'self,
'cause he done sign his name to it."
"And if he ain't 'bout the sickest kid they is," declared Jimmy;
"I'll betcher he won't get fresh no more soon. He telled me the
other day he ain't had a drink of soda water this summer, 'cause
every nickel he gets got to go to Mr. Pastor's sal'ry; he says
he plumb tired supporting Brother Johnson and all his family;
and, he say, every time he go up town he sees Johnny Johnson
a-setting on a stool in Baltzer's drug store just a-swigging
milk-shakes; he says he going to knock him off some day 'cause
it's his nickels that kid's a-spending.
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