Ruggles took the money in his eager palms.
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Mandy Smif ’s my name.” “< Of course, we can’t promise you no fortunein return fu’ an investment of fi’ dollahs, butwe’ll do the bes’ we kin fu’ you.” « [ do’ want no fortune ner nothin’ lak dat.What I wants is a little mo’ money — ’cause— ’cause I got a boy; he allus been a good boyto me an’ tuk keer o’ me, but he thoughthe would do bettah out West, so he wentout dere, an’ fu’ a while he got along allright an’ sent me money reg’lar. Den he tookdown sick an’ got out o’ work. It was ha’d fu’me to git along *dout his he’p, ’cause I’s old.But dat ain’t what hu’ts me. I don’ keer nuffin’*bout myse’f. I’s willin’ to sta’ve ef I couldjes’ sen’ fu’ dat boy an’ bring him home so’s Icould nuss him. Dat’s de reason I’s a-’vestin’dis money.”
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