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Back Come Again No More Save as PDF
Chapters (55)
  1. Cover
  2. Back Cover
  3. Title Page
  4. Contents
  5. PART I 
  6. 1.
  7. 2.
  8. 3.
  9. 4.
  10. 5.
  11. 6.
  12. 7.
  13. 8.
  14. 9.
  15. 10.
  16. 11.
  17. 12.
  18. PART II 
  19. 13.
  20. 14.
  21. 15.
  22. 16.
  23. 17.
  24. 18.
  25. 19.
  26. 20.
  27. 21.
  28. 22.
  29. 23.
  30. 24.
  31. 25.
  32. 26.
  33. 27.
  34. 28.
  35. 29.
  36. 30.
  37. PART III 
  38. 31.
  39. 32.
  40. 33.
  41. 34.
  42. 35.
  43. 36.
  44. 37.
  45. 38.
  46. 39.
  47. PART IV 
  48. 40.
  49. 41.
  50. 42.
  51. 43.
  52. 44.
  53. 45.
  54. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  55. Touchstone Reading Group Guide

“Not a bit. I ran out on Jake, it was six years ago in October, and I never thought to see him again. I had been in Salt Lake City two months when I figured out that I still had a little bit of Jake with me, if you know what I mean. It was little Junior here, he’s such a sweet boy, couldn’t be sweeter, aren’t you, honey? But by the time I knew what was what, I was hooked up with another fella, that would be Mr. Perkins, and I didn’t know what became of Jake. I thought it was best to leave him be and I married Mr. Perkins, but it didn’t last but three months once he found out I was already with child when we got hitched, because I hadn’t let him take any liberties, if you know what I mean. Then I moved back in with Mama in Salt Lake and Junior was born. This is 1932 I’m talking about, Junior’s birthday is in April, he’ll be six years old. Everything would have been fine, but Mama died two years ago and since then it’s been real rough, on account of I didn’t have nobody to look after Junior. We moved back to Denver, but I can’t make enough money to pay somebody to mind him and if I don’t work, we’ll just about starve to death.”

“Sounds like it’s been a hard life for you.”

“Oh, no, honey. I don’t want to be one to complain. I’ve knocked around some, but I’ve seen some swell places and done some swell things. I wanted to find a fella who could look after a gal, which is where Mr. Perkins came in. If it wasn’t for my tummy starting to stick out before it should have, he would never have been the wiser. Nobody’s fault but my own.”

Emaline glanced at the boy. He was watching them both, eyes big as saucers. Poor little fellow.

“Is there anything we can do to help?”

“Honey, I got no right to ask you a thing. Not a solitary thing. Nor Jake neither, even if this boy is his son, I don’t think anybody can argue that, just have a gander at that jaw. Nobody but Jake has a chin like that. I just thought, seein as you have this nice farm that would be perfect for a boy and all, well, maybe you and Jake could look after Junior until I get back on my feet?”

“You mean keep him with us?”

“Well, yes. He don’t eat much, and he’s real quiet and he’ll mind his manners. And he is Jake’s son and I never asked Jake for a thing for him all these years.”