"
"Well," I says, "I figger I earn my vittles and a
good 'eal more. And as fur as clothes goes, I never
had none but what Elmira made out'n yourn."
"Who brung you up?" asts Hank.
"You done it," says I, "and by your own say-so
you done a dern poor job at it."
"You go to that there circus," says Hank, a-flaring
up, "and I'll lambaste you up to a inch of your life.
So fur as handing out money fur you to sling it to
the dogs, I ain't no bank, and if I was I ain't no
ijut. But you jest let me hear of you even going
nigh that circus lot and all the lammings you has
ever got, rolled into one, won't be a measly little
sarcumstance to what you WILL get. They ain't
no leather-faced young upstart with weepin'-willow
hail going to throw up to me how I brung him up.
That's gratitood fur you, that is!" says Hank. "If
it hadn't of been fur me giving you a home when I
found you first, where would you of been now?"
"Well," I says, "I might of been a good 'eal
better off. If you hadn't of took me in the Alexan-
derses would of, and then I wouldn't of been kep' out
of school and growed up a ignoramus like you is."
"I never had no trouble keeping you away from
school, I notice," says Hank, with a snort. "This
is the first I ever hearn of you wanting to go there.
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