JOHNTOWN , TENN.
405
sand years ago, he had tossed off some information to a just-voice–
changed compeer about his first piece of poontang. He took some
pride in talking about his insurance. He bought a lot in the ceme–
tery, and paid more than it was worth.
He himself wouldn't have given two whoops and a hog-holler
where they dumped his two-twenty so the drainage was reasonable
good, for a man didn't want to lie soggy. And the drainage was
good in the old Harrick burying ground. Even if the family burying
ground was gone to wrack and ruin for the most part, those old
home-made stones down, and blackberry bushes and passion flower
and second growth and saw briar taking the place, it would still have
been good enough for him, for he wasn't any fancier than the old–
timers who had beat him in the door, to bed by more than a hundred
years, and tucked the covers tight.
But he had some hesitation about sticking Celia Hornby off
there in the whippoorwill and possum-trot territory. She had been
raised down in the valley, where the railroad ran, on the genteel side,
sterling silver and Haviland china being no news to her, even if never
in long supply, and she had been educated. She had been off to the
Normal, and who wasn't educated if a school teacher wasn't? So
he bought the lot from the]
ohntown Ever-Watchful AIemorial Com–
pany.
So, in an off-hand way, he would mention the lot now and
then. That, too, was a little bit like mentioning his first piece, long
back.
The satisfaction he got now by a casual mention of dying was
not only like the satisfaction he had got feeling big about his first
piece. It was also a little like the satisfaction he got when he no–
ticed-or rather aIIowed himself to notice- for the first time that
his wife's figure wasn't as good as it had been. Her waist was thicken–
ing and to tell the truth there was some danger, she being a short
woman, might go dumpy on him, something he had never been able
to abide. But when he really brought himself to look right at her, as
she was leaning over to put her stockings on one morning, and ad–
mitted it, he had a sudden wave of tenderness for her.
It
surprised
him to the very bottom. He felt warm and tender about her all day,
and could not wait for night. He was as excited as a honeymooner,
it seemed, and for a few days things were almost like a honeymoon.
She didn't really go dumpy on him, but she was thickened out
