Genesis turned the handle of the freezer with his left hand, allowing his right the freedom of gesture which was an intermittent necessity when he talked. In the matter of dress, Genesis had always been among the most informal of his race, but to-day there was a change almost unnerving to the Caucasian eye. He wore a balloonish suit of purple, strangely scalloped at pocket and cuff, and more strangely decorated with lines of small parasite buttons, in color blue, obviously buttons of leisure. His bulbous new shoes flashed back yellow fire at the embarrassed sun, and his collar (for he had gone so far) sent forth other sparkles, playing upon a polished surface over an inner graining of soot. Beneath it hung a simple, white, soiled evening tie, draped in a manner unintended by its manufacturer, and heavily overburdened by a green glass medallion of the Emperor Tiberius, set in brass. “Yes’m,” said Genesis. “Now I’m in ’at Swim--flyin’ roun’ ev’y even’ wif all lem blue-vein people--I say, ‘Mus’ go buy me some blue-vein clo’es! Ef I’m go’n a _start_, might’s well start _high_!’ So firs’, I buy me thishere gol’ necktie pin wi’ thishere lady’s face carved out o’ green di’mon, sittin’ in the middle all ’at gol’. ’Nen I buy me pair Royal King shoes. I got a frien’ o’ mine, thishere Blooie Bowers; he say Royal King shoes same kineo’ shoes _he_ wear, an’ I walk straight in ’at sto’ where they keep ’em at. ‘Don’ was’e my time showin’ me no ole-time shoes,’ I say. ‘Run out some them big, yella, lump-toed Royal Kings befo’ my eyes, an’ firs’ pair fit me I pay price, an’ wear em’ right off on me!’ ’Nen I got me thishere suit o’ clo’es--_oh_, oh! Sign on ’em in window: ‘Ef you wish to be bes’-dress’ man in town take me home fer six dolluhs ninety-sevum cents.’ ‘’At’s kine o’ suit Genesis need,’ I say. ‘Ef Genesis go’n a start dressin’ high, might’s well start top!’” Jane nodded gravely, comprehending the reasonableness of this view. “What made you decide to start, Genesis?” she asked earnestly. “I mean, how did it happen you began to get this way?” “Well, suh, ’t all come ’bout right like kine o’ slidin’ into it ’stid o’ hoppin’ an’ jumpin’. I’z spen’ the even’ at ’at lady’s house, Fanny, what cook nex’ do’, las’ year. Well, suh, ’at lady Fanny, she quit privut cookin’, she kaytliss--” “She’s what?” Jane asked. “What’s that mean, Genesis--kaytliss?” “She kaytuhs,” he exclaimed. “Ef it’s a man you call him kaytuh; ef it’s a lady she’s a kaytliss. She does kaytun fer all lem blue-vein fam’lies in town. She make refeshmuns, bring waituhs--’at’s kaytun. You maw give big dinnuh, she have Fanny kaytuh, an’ don’t take no trouble ’tall herself. Fanny take all ’at trouble.” “I see,” said Jane. “But I don’t see how her bein’ a kaytliss started you to dressin’ so high. Genesis.” “Thishere way, Fanny say, ‘Look here, Genesis, I got big job t’morra night an’ I’m man short, ’count o’ havin’ to have a ’nouncer.’” “A what?”