So when we stopped there to borrow the shovels we heard the graphophone playing in the house, and so when we got done with the shovels pa says, “I reckon I better take them back.”
So we went back to the house. “We better take Cash on to Peabody’s,” Jewel said.
“It won’t take but a minute,” pa said. He got down from the wagon. The music was not playing now.
“Let Vardaman do it,” Jewel said. “He can do it in half the time you can. Or here, you let me—”
“I reckon I better do it,” pa says. “Long as it was me that borrowed them.”
So we set in the wagon, but the music wasn’t playing now. I reckon it’s a good thing we ain’t got ere a one of them. I reckon I wouldn’t never get no work done a-tall for listening to it. I don’t know if a little music ain’t about the nicest thing a fellow can have. Seems like when he comes in tired of a night, it ain’t nothing could rest him like having a little music played and him resting. I have seen them that shuts up like a handgrip, with a handle and all, so a fellow can carry it with him wherever he wants.
“What you reckon he’s doing?” Jewel says. “I could ’a’ toted them shovels back and forth ten times by now.”
“Let him take his time,” I said. “He ain’t as spry as you, remember.”
“Why didn’t he let me take them back, then? We got to get your leg fixed up so we can start home tomorrow.”