# Creole Sketches/The Boarder’s Reply

THE BOARDER'S REPLY
Est-ce que vous vous fichez de moi? 'cré nom! No: I not no more pay my rent in advance, because dat I have not of fait in permanence of businesses in Orleans.
Wen I am first come I take myself a room in de Rue Bourgoigne. Dey have in first floor one bear, one parrot, and two macacs and several of cats of Malta; and wen dat I enter myself to pay my rent, I see all dat to move itself about inside. De woman was of color — vat you call one mulatresse — and I pay in advance — like one animal!
After vat I have live in de house six week, I not to her owe noting, but she me owe one affaire of ten piastres more as my rent vat I ever pay in advance; — for dat she me come near every day for borrow ​one quarter of piastre or one half of dollaire, or two dollaire, and she smile and make so many funny bêtises dat I not could her noting refuse. After dat I be dere two mont, she owe me two mont of room in more as I have her pay in advance.
After a little of time I not see more de little beasts; — she have sell de macacs and de bear for herself obtain money. And I vas well content dat de parrots not dere vas more; — it vas true little demons vas not allow to nobody to repose himself.
One night I not come home until twelve past, and I not hear noting of noise. After I enter into my room, and I find noting inside — no bed, no chaise, no armoire — noting only my linen-dirty and my blue trouser-old. All de house empty; all de rooms naked — personne in its inside. She not have not pay her rent — so, by consequence, dey seize demselves de furniture and have clean out de house — of ​such way as I find myself have to sleep on one floor much hard and all vat dere vas of dirty. And never again I not noting see of de woman of color vat owe to me near twenty of dollaire.
. . . But I stay in de house, for one oder woman of color enter in morning; and she have much of furnitures. I explique myself to her, and she tell me in Creole — "To s'ré resté 'vec moue, mo to donné belle chamb' garni asteur, pou' même prix." And I myself dere install. She ask me dat I pay in advance; and I not like for refuse, like I not have time for look for more rooms. C'est égal, say to myself I.
Sometime she clean well my room; and sometime she not it clean not of all. Sometime she permit to strange mens of color dat dey enter my room; and dey ​permit demselves to lie upon my bed wen dat I was out in way to make a walk. I not was content; but could noting do, for dat I have pay in advance.
One day she desire to buy a miroir, and she ask me dat I pay, for dat she not have of money; and she tell me her husband me pay wen he have de Saturday next arrive. I so pay, like one kind of beast vat I be; and before dat come de Saturday, one sheriff take all vat vas in all de house; and I not vas able, never already, to obtain vat she me owe. Also I since inform myself for as she had noting of one husband.
. . . I be myself disgusted; and I take myself room in house of one white woman, de vat me ask dat I pay in advance. After, she not me well treat. She take from out my room one cradle-chair and much more of furniture, de vat she say vas not put inside but for ornamente. She have children vat tear my book, and one locataire ​steal my trouser, and one steal tobacco, and one steal my soap. Never I could myself keep a little of soap. I have dere one essuiemains for more as two week.
I pay first of mont after. Second of mont I come home, and I see a — vat you call vente à l'encan; and one woman come to have take away my book — one affair of fifty book. Never can I arrive to procure again de money to me, nor even to find where live de woman vat have take my book.
. . . One time of more I pay in advance. De lady was of France, and she had de face beautiful and de heart good. She not me treat but too much well. I have rest in her house forever; but I not rest long. I pay my rent ever de fifteen of mont. I pay de fifteen of Avril. De sixteen, she die quick of vat you call mort subite. Never I see in it-not-matter-what-oder-country of tings pareille. Not again do I be so much beast for in advance to pay.
* ↑ Item, September 28, 1879.
* ↑ Editor's Note: The Gumbo, or Creole, given above may best be rendered into the Gullah of our English-speaking coast thus: "You be stay wid me, me gib yo' fine fuhnish' room now-now, fuh same price."