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Chapter 26
Here,wegoton’ythisoneboxlef’.Breakitup.Itol’theotherfellastopickupsomesticksonthewayout.Gonnahavemushan’alittlesugaron.»
Tomgotupandstampedthelastboxtosmallpieces.Macarefullybuiltherfireinoneendofthestove,conservingtheflameunderonestovehole.Shefilledakettlewithwaterandputitovertheflame.Thekettlerattledoverthedirectfire,rattledandwheezed.
«Howwasitpickin’today?»Tomasked.
Madippedacupintoherbagofcornmeal.«Idon’wantatalkaboutit.Iwasthinkin’todayhowtheyuse’tobejokes.Idon’likeit,Tom.Wedon’jokenomore.Whenthey’sajoke,it’sameanbitterjoke,an’theyain’tnofuninit.Fellasaystoday,’Depressionisover.Iseenajackrabbit,an’theywasn’tnobodyafterhim.’An’anotherfellasays,’Thatain’tthereason.Can’taffordtokilljackrabbitsnomore.Catch’emandmilk’eman’turn’emloose.Oneyouseenprob’lygonedry.’That’showImean.Ain’treallyfunny,notfunnylikethattimeUncleJohnconvertedanInjunan’branghimhome,an’thatInjunethiswaycleantothebottomofthebeanbin,an’thenbackslidwithUncleJohn’swhisky.Tom,putaragwithcol’wateronyourface.»
Theduskdeepened.Malightedthelanternandhungitonanail.Shefedthefireandpouredcornmealgraduallyintothehotwater.«Rosasharn,"shesaid,«canyoustirthemush?»
Outsidetherewasapatterofrunningfeet.Thedoorburstopenandbangedagainstthewall.Ruthierushedin.
