What air you gittin' up for a-ready, boy? You goin' to the circus before breakfast? Don't you make no noise, else you'll have 'em all down here before I git my fire a-goin'.Īll right, Mahailey.

She smiled at him in the foolish fond way she often had with him when they were alone. Old Mahailey herself came in from the yard, with her apron full of corn-cobs to start a fire in the kitchen stove. Shutting the door on this disorder, he turned back to the kitchen, took Mahailey's tin basin, doused his face and head in cold water, and began to plaster down his wet hair. Everybody had washed before going to bed, apparently, and the bowls were ringed with a dark sediment which the hard, alkaline water had not dissolved. He went through the kitchen into the adjoining washroom, which held two porcelain stands with running water. He crept down two flights of stairs, feeling his way in the dusk, his red hair standing up in peaks, like a cock's comb. The boy turned over and pulled the sheet up to his face, to shut out the light which was beginning to come through the curtainless windows.Ĭlaude rose and dressed,-a simple operation which took very little time. Why, aren't we going to the circus today?Ĭar's all right. Ralph, Ralph, get awake! Come down and help me wash the car. Read moreĬlaude Wheeler opened his eyes before the sun was up and vigorously shook his younger brother, who lay in the other half of the same bed.

Claude rose and dressed,-a simple operation which took very little time. Let me alone.' The boy turned over and pulled the sheet up to his face, to shut out the light which was beginning to come through the curtainless windows. 'Ralph, Ralph, get awake! Come down and help me wash the car.' 'What for?' 'Why, aren't we going to the circus today?' 'Car's all right. Claude Wheeler opened his eyes before the sun was up and vigorously shook his younger brother, who lay in the other half of the same bed.

One of ours by willa cather