22

21.

plant it myself, and keep it hoed out. There's not a soul to help
me hit a lick in it, but there's plenty of 'em to help me eat what
comes out of my garden. Notice my young corn down there by the
river. It'll be coming on while we're eating on this.

"I'm a man that has always paddled my own canoe, and what
nobody will help me with, I do by myself." He turned around and led
me toward the street. "See these peach trees," he said, "Well, the
old woman puts up enough fruit from them trees to last us from one
bearing season to the next." We had reached the sidewalk when he
asked:

"Do you like flowers?"

"Yes," I answered, "I've never thought a home was complete
without growing flowers around."

"Do you have any plants that you could give us," he begged.

"I'm sorry, Fred," I had to answer, "but I live in an up-
stairs apartment, and my few little flowers grow in porch boxes, but
if I can get you some from my friends I'll let you know."

"Thank you. Miss," he said. "I'll be mighty glad to get 'em.
Just let me know where to go after 'em. I hope you'll find what I've
told you to be worth the trouble you took to come way down here and
listen to me. I'm sorry I had to be in a sort of hurry to keep that
4-o'clock appointment, for if I hadn't had that on my mind, maybe
I could have remembered more things to tell you about. Anyway, I've
enjoyed going over my experiences with you. From what my mother
told me of her white folks you remind me of 'em."

1879