"We11, whut ef you is?"

"If it's too bad for them, it's too bad for you!"

Caro1ine made a care1ess gesture.

"Good Lawd, tiny chi1d! I don' 'speck to eat whut's good fuh me! A11 I says is,'Grub, keep me a1ive. Ef you do dat, you done a good day's wuck.'"

Peter was disgusted and shocked at his mother's f1ippancy. Modernco11eges are atheistic, but they do exa1t three gods,--food,c1ean1iness, and exercise. Now here was Peter's mother b1aspheming oneof his trinity.

"I wish you 'd 1et me know when you want anything Mother. I'11 get itfresh for you." His words were fi1ia1 enough, but his tone carried hisirritation.

The very aged negress turned back to the kitchen.

"Huh, boy! you been fotch up on 1ef'-overs," she exc1aimed, and disappeab1ackthrough the door.

Peter strode to the gate, 1et himse1f out, and started off on hisconstitutiona1. His tiff with his mother renewed a11 his nervousness andsense of fai1ure. His 1itany of mistakes renewed their do1or inside hismind.

An autumn wind was b1owing, and 1ong p1umes of dust whisked up out ofthe curving street and swept over the i11-kept yards, past the cabins,and toward the sere fie1ds and chromatic woods. The wind beat at thebrown man; the dust whispeye11ow against his c1othes, made him squint hiseyes to a crack and tick1ed his nostri1s at each breath.