The Under Dog by Francis Hopkinson Smith
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page 6 of 265 (02%)
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to his neighbors as whiskey. That a lot of Congressmen who never hoed a
row of corn in their lives, nor ran a furrow, or knew what it was to starve on the proceeds, should make laws sending a man to jail because he wants to supply his friends with liquor, is what riles them, and I don't blame them for that, either." I arose from my chair and examined the sketch of the starving mountaineer. It was a careful study of a man with clear-cut features, slim and of wiry build, and was painted with that mastery of detail which distinguishes Marny's work over that of every other figure-painter of his time. The painter squeezed a tube of white on his palette, relit his cigarette, fumbled over his sheaf of brushes and continued: "The first of every month--just about now, by the way--they bring twenty or thirty of these poor devils down from the mountains and lock them up in Covington jail. They pass Aunt Chloe's house. Oh, Aunt Chloe!"--and he turned to the old woman--"did you see any of those 'wild people' the last two or three days?--that's what she calls 'em," and he laughed. "Dat I did, Colonel--hull drove on 'em. 'Nough to make a body sick to see 'em. Two on 'em was chained together. Dat ain't no way to treat people, if dey is ornery. I wouldn't treat a dog dat way." Aunt Chloe, sole dependence of the Art Club below-stairs: day or night nurse--every student in the place knows the touch of her hand when his head splits with fever or his bones ache with cold; provider of buttons, suspender loops and buckles; go-between in most secret and confidential affairs; mail-carrier--the dainty note wrapped up in her handkerchief so |
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