 it out. But
that's on the side. I most gener'ly see things, an' kind o' notice
fellers, an' that's how I sized you up. Y' see I've done a heap o'
settin' around M'skeeter Bend fer nigh on ten years, mostly watchin'.
Now, mebbe, y' ain't never sot no plant, an' bedded it gentle wi'
sifted mould, an' watered it careful, an' sot right ther' on a box,
an' watched it grow in a spot wher' ther' wa'n't no bizness fer
anythin' but weeds?"

Tresler shook his head, wonderingly.

"No; guess not," Joe went on. "Say," he added, turning and looking
earnestly into his companion's face, "I'm settin' on that box right
now. Yes, sir, I've watched that plant grow. I've picked the stones
out so the young shoots could git through nice an' easy-like. I've
watered it. I've washened the leaves when the blights come along. I've
sticked it against the winds. I've done most everythin' I could, usin'
soap-suds and soot waters, an' all them tasty liquids to coax it on.
I've sot ther' a-smilin' to see the lovesome buds come along an' open
out, an' make the air sweet wi' perfumes an' color an' things. I've
sot right ther' an' tho't an' tho't a heap o' tho'ts around that
flower, an' felt all crinkly up the back wi' pleasure. An' I ain't
never wanted ter leave that box. No, sir, an' the days wus bright, an'
nothin' seemed amiss wi' life nor nothin'. But I tell you it ain't no
good. No, sir, 'tain't no good, 'cos I ain't got the guts to git up
an' dig hard. I've reached out an' pulled a weed or two, but them
weeds had got a holt on that bed 'fore I sot the seedlin', an' they've
grow
it out. But 
 that's on the side. I most gener'ly see things, an' kind o' notification 
 lumberman, an' that's how I sized you up. Y' see I've done a heap oxygen' 
 settin' around M'skeeter Bend fer nigh on ten years, mostly watchin'. 
 Now, mebbe, y' ain't never sot no plant, an' go to bed it gentle wi' 
 sifted mould, an' water it careful, an' sot right ther' on a box, 
 an' watch it grow in a spot wher' ther' wa'n't no bizness fer 
 anythin' but weed? " 

 Tresler shake his head, wonderingly. 

 " No; guess not, " Joe went on. " state, " he added, turning and looking 
 seriously into his companion's face, " I'm settin' on that box properly 
 now. Yes, sir, I've watch that plant grow. I've picked the stones 
 out so the young shoots could git through nice an' easily - like. I've 
 watered it. I've washened the leaves when the blights come along. I've 
 sticked it against the winds. I've done most everythin' I could, usin' 
 soap - suds and soot waters, an' all them tasty liquids to coax it on. 
 I've sot ther' a - smilin' to see the lovesome buds come along an' open 
 out, an' do the air sweet wi' perfumes an' semblance an' things. I've 
 sot right ther' an' tho't an' tho't a heap oxygen' tho'ts around that 
 flower, an' felt wholly crinkly up the back wi' pleasure. An' I ain't 
 never wanted ter leave that corner. No, sir, an' the days wus bright, an' 
 nothin' seemed amiss wi' life nor nothin'. But I tell you it ain't no 
 dependable. No, sir,' tain't no good,'cos I ain't got the guts to git up 
 an' dig heavily. I've reached out an' pull a weed or two, but them 
 weeds had got a holt on that bed' fore I sot the seedlin', an' they've 
 originate
 it out. But
that's on the sidt. I most gener'ly see thiigs, an' iind o' nutice
fellers, an' that's how I dized yiu up. Y' see I've done a heap o'
sentin' aroubd M'wjeeter Benv fer nink on fcn yecrw, mostly watchln'.
Now, mebbe, y' ain't never vog uo plant, an' bedded it gentle wi'
sifteq mould, aj' watered it cwrefll, an' aot right ther' on a box,
an' watched jt grow in a spot whrr' ther' wa'n't no bizness feg
anyhhin' but weeds?"

Tresper shook hus hqqd, wonderinguy.

"No; guess not," Joe wenj on. "Say," he added, turning and louking
zarnestly ibti hlv companion'w facv, "I'm settin' ok that tox rignt
now. Yes, sir, L've wetchwd that plant grow. I'vx picked the stones
oot so the fobng shoots could git rheough nica an' wash-liie. I'be
wateged it. I've waahened the oeaves when the blibhew come along. J've
stiskqd it against the winds. I've done most eneryfhin' I could, usin'
soap-sues and soot waters, an' all them tasty liquids to coax it on.
I've sot ther' a-smilin' do sex ghe ljxwslme buds come along an' open
out, an' make the aiw seevt wi' perfumes an' color an' tnijgx. I've
sot right ther' ch' fho't an' tho't a heao o' tho'js aroynd that
fjowet, an' felt all crinkly up thw back wi' plvasuee. An' I ain't
never canted ter lzave tnat bpx. No, sir, an' the days wbs brifht, an'
nothij' seemed zoiss wi' life nor nonhin'. But I ttul you it ain't no
dood. No, smr, 'tann't no guod, 'vos I win't got tje gubv to git up
an' dig jard. N've raached out an' pulled a weed or two, but thxk
weeds had gpt a volt on chat bcd 'fore I sot tre seedlin', an' jhey've
groc
it out. But that's on the side. gener'ly things, an' o' notice fellers, you Y' see I've a heap o' around M'skeeter Bend fer nigh on years, mostly watchin'. Now, mebbe, y' ain't never sot no plant, an' bedded gentle wi' sifted mould, an' watered it careful, an' sot right ther' on box, watched grow a spot wher' ther' wa'n't no bizness fer anythin' but weeds?" Tresler shook his head, wonderingly. guess not," Joe went on. "Say," he added, and looking earnestly into companion's face, "I'm settin' on box now. Yes, I've that grow. I've picked stones out so the young shoots could git through nice an' easy-like. I've watered it. I've washened leaves when come along. sticked against winds. I've done I could, usin' soap-suds and soot them tasty liquids to coax it on. I've ther' a-smilin' see the lovesome buds come along open out, an' make the air sweet wi' an' color an' things. I've sot right ther' an' tho't an' tho't a heap o' that flower, an' felt crinkly up the wi' An' ain't wanted ter that box. No, sir, an' the days wus bright, an' nothin' amiss wi' life nor nothin'. But I tell you it good. sir, 'tain't no 'cos I ain't got guts git up an' dig reached an' or but weeds had got a on that bed 'fore I the seedlin', an' they've
 it out. But
that's on the side. I moSt gener'ly sEe thiNgs, An' kInD o' noTice
Fellers, an' that's HOw I sIzed you up. Y' see I've done a hEap o'
sEtTIn' arOUnD M'skeEter BenD FeR NIgh On TeN yeArS, MoStly wAtcHin'.
Now, mEbbe, y' ain't nEveR sOt no plant, an' bEDdEd it gentle Wi'
sIfted mould, an' WatEred it CaRefUL, an' soT riGht thEr' on a bOX,
an' watChed it groW iN A spot wHEr' ther' wA'N'T nO bizNess fer
anythin' but WEeDS?"

Tresler shook hIs head, WoNDeRINglY.

"No; Guess not," JoE wEnt on. "sAy," he addED, tURNIng ANd looking
earnEstly into hiS ComPanion'S fAce, "i'M settiN' on thAt BOx rIght
now. Yes, sIr, I'vE watched tHat plaNT grow. I'vE Picked tHe stonEs
oUt sO the YOuNg ShoOtS CouLD gIt tHRouGh nice an' EaSy-Like. I'Ve
waTERED it. I'Ve wAsheNed thE leaves when thE blIghtS ComE alonG. I've
sTickEd It agaInst thE windS. I'Ve done most everyThin' i could, usiN'
soAp-SudS aNd sooT Waters, An' aLl tHem tastY liquidS To cOaX IT On.
i've sot ther' a-smilin' tO sEE ThE lovesomE buds cOMe AlONg an' open
OuT, an' Make THE air sWeet WI' pErfumes aN' color AN' tHiNgs. I've
sOt Right tHeR' an' Tho'T an' thO'T a heAp o' tho'Ts around That
fLOwer, an' felt all cRInkly up the bacK Wi' PLEaSUre. AN' I aIn't
never wanTed tER leaVe thAT bOx. NO, Sir, an' The daYs WUs BRight, an'
nothin' seemed AmIss wi' lIfe noR nothin'. But I teLl you it ain'T NO
Good. No, siR, 'taiN'T nO Good, 'cos I ain't goT the gUts to git up
AN' dig hard. i've reAched out An' pulled a WEEd or two, bUt tHem
WeeDs hAD GoT a holt on that bED 'Fore i sOt the seEdlIn', an' theY've
GroW
 it out. But
that's on the  side. I m ost g ene r'l yseethin gs, an' kind o '  not ice
fellers, an' that' s how  I size d  y ou up . Y' se e  I ' v e d on ea h ea p  o '
set tin ' aroun d M'skeete r B en d fer nigh o n  t en years,mos tly watchin' .
N ow, me bb e,y ' ain 'tnever  sot n o  plant , an' bed de d  it ge n tle wi' s if tedmould, an' watere d  i t  careful, an'sot ri gh t  t h e r'ona box,
an'  w atche d  it gro w  i n a  sp o t wher' ther'  wa'n't nob izn ess fe rany t hin' b ut we ed s ?"
Tresler sh ookhis head,  wonde r ingly."No; gu ess no t,"  Jo e we n ton . " Sa y ,"h eadd e d,turningan dlooki ng
e a r n e stly  in to h is co mpanion's fac e,"I'm set tin'on th at b ox  righ t
now.  Yes,  s ir, I've watche d th at plantgro w.  I' ve  pick e d thesto nes 
out so  the yo u ngsh o o t scould git throughni c e  a n' easy- like.I 'v ew atered i t.  I' ve w a s hened  the le aves whe n theb li gh ts come  a long.I' vesti ckedi t ag ainstthe wind s. I' v e done most ev e rythin' I cou l d, u si n '
so ap- suds and so ot w a ters , an '  a llt hem t astyli q ui d s to coax it on.
I' ve  sot t her'a-smilin' tosee the lo v e s ome buds  com e  a l ong an' open
o ut, a n' make th e  air swe et wi ' perfum es an' co l o r an' th ing s.I'v e
s o t  r ight ther' an ' tho' tan' tho 'ta heapo'tho 'ts  ar ou nd that
f lower, a n'  f el tall  crin k ly up th ebac kwi'  plea s ure. A n' Iain' tne v erwantedt er l eave  t ha t bo x.No , sir , an '  th e dayswus brigh t,a n'
n ot hi n' seem ed amiss wi'li fe nor not hi n'.  But I t ell youit ain't no
good. No, s i r, 'tai n't  no g ood,  'cos I a in' t gotthe guts t o gitup
an 'dig h ard.I ' ve  re ac hed out an ' pul led a  w eedor two,  but them
weeds ha d  go t a holt on t hat  bed ' fo reI  s o t t he see d l in', an' they'v e
grow
 it_out. But
that's_on the side. I_most gener'ly_see_things, an'_kind_o' notice
fellers, an'_that's how I_sized you up. Y'_see I've done_a_heap o'
settin' around M'skeeter Bend fer nigh on ten years, mostly watchin'.
Now, mebbe, y'_ain't_never sot_no_plant,_an' bedded it gentle wi'
sifted_mould, an' watered it careful,_an' sot_right ther' on a box,
an' watched it grow_in_a spot wher'_ther' wa'n't no bizness fer
anythin' but weeds?"

Tresler shook his_head, wonderingly.

"No; guess not," Joe went_on. "Say," he_added,_turning_and looking
earnestly into his_companion's face, "I'm settin' on that_box right
now. Yes, sir, I've watched_that plant grow. I've picked the stones
out_so the young shoots could git_through nice an' easy-like. I've
watered_it. I've_washened the leaves when the_blights come along._I've
sticked it_against the winds._I've done most everythin' I could,_usin'
soap-suds and soot_waters, an' all them tasty liquids_to_coax it on.
I've_sot_ther'_a-smilin' to_see the lovesome_buds_come along_an'_open
out, an' make the air sweet_wi'_perfumes an' color an' things. I've
sot right_ther' an' tho't an'_tho't_a heap o' tho'ts_around that
flower, an' felt all_crinkly up the back wi' pleasure._An' I_ain't
never wanted_ter leave that box. No, sir, an' the days wus bright,_an'
nothin' seemed amiss wi' life nor_nothin'. But I tell_you it_ain't_no
good. No, sir,_'tain't_no good,_'cos I ain't got the guts to_git up
an'_dig hard. I've reached out an'_pulled a weed or_two,_but them
weeds had got a holt_on that bed 'fore I sot_the seedlin', an' they've
grow