“Why didn’t the folks like you?”
Catty told him, and the man listened like he was interested.
“And you’re going to stick?” he asked. “You figure you can beat public opinion?” Catty’s mouth shut tight a minute and his eyes got bright.
“We’ll stick or bust,” says he. “We’re respectable. We hain’t shiftless any more, leastways most of the time we hain’t. Dad has his shiftless days, but they’re gettin’ fewer and fewer, and I keep my eye on him sharp. Pretty soon he’ll be respectable all the way through. We calc’late to give everybody a square deal, and if we kin jest keep on gittin’ work until everybody sees we hain’t tramps, but respectable folks, I don’t see but what we’ll git where I want to git.”
“Where’s that?” says the man.
“I want Dad should be the most respectable business man in this county,” says Catty.
“Did you ever hear the like!” says the man to the boss.
“Never did,” says the boss. “That barn’s been needin’ paintin’ for months. Can’t spare the men to do it off the regular work, and couldn’t git anybody in town to tackle it. Just had to let it slide.”
“Can you get men to do this job?” asked the boss.
“Yes.”