The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-10-18
THE DUTIES OF A WIFE.

Paantauon, saf on the cotton pen, singing a mournful tribute to coal black eyes and teeth of darling whiteness. This is all well enough tor song. but it skips the truth like a jaek-rabbit leaping over a sedge bush. Oh, no, that human en- dearment which we call love, is net un- known to the negro. He loves devosedly tor time. Then he sighs for a change of scene, and if there be possi- ble chance, he will secure divorce. Be fore the war, when the law took no csg- nizance of ebon matrimony, each negro man was a kind of Brigham Young Any road would lead him to his wife's 'ouse." The following is a sample of plantation love-making.
 Abe Bryant, well known colored gen. tleman, who talks much about cotton, but who has a fondness for the shade, calls on 'Liza Smith, whose beauty is not acknowledged by more than one county.
 Howdy do," says Abe, seating him. self Heah's some hoss apples tied up in dis hankercher. Oughter 'peciate da, fruit. Had ter climb nightly ter git ousen de way O de dogs. How's yer health l'
 l'se we'll, thanks yer, how is it wid yersef"
 "Oh, Pse stnkin' lively lick. Whut yer got on dat putty lookin' coat fur. Muster thought somebody wur gwine ter come"
 "I did"
 "Who?"
 Who'd yer reckon?'
 Ole Sam dat works at de gin p
 Who, dat ole fool! wouldn' lose my 'spectability by lookin' at sech CT thing CT he is."
 "Wall den, it wuz Lige Kirby?"
 Who, dat ole foolI No indeed, it wa'n't an yer's mighty mistaken ef yer thinks so."
 Kain't think den who 1t wuz. Must be CT stranger in de community"
 No he .Aint no stranger, nuther"
 Oar ain't no question 'bou, his bein' CT good man, is da?"
 No, da ain't"
 Mus be some high hyer,' his thick lips spreading into broad grin. ]" Who is he, anyhow:7
 Kain't yer guess, Abe?"
 No chile, lessen yer means me. Do yer mean me, honey"
 "No, 1 doesn't. means John Brad shaw"
 Who, dat ole fool r' Abe exclaims. " Now dat am putty come of. l'se gwine ter down dat man de fust time l sees him. Gimmy dem hoss apples an femme go home. Neber did meet sich er disserpintment in all CT my life. I'se had fences ter wash erway by de oberAow an I'se los cotton by de drouth, bu, neber had sich CT disserpintment e dis afore- Han me dc hankercher O apples, chile, an let de ole man go of an SO, down by hissef un'cr de red oak tree whut de lightnin' struck"
 Abe, doan be so foolish. Yer know l didn't mean whut said"
 "Oh, yas, yer did, an now yer jes' wants ter keep me rum kalin' myself"
 "I clare ter goodness didn' mean it. ! De Lawd knows didn'; fur wuz thinkin' bout yessef all de time wuz CT l putin on dis coat.'
 "Bless yer sweet mouf, honey, am dat CT fack?"
 "Yas, 'tis jes' ez true CT tells yer"
 But does yer tells me true5 Dat's de | pint"
 "Cose does"
 "G'way, chile, an doan yer try ter fling none O yer obsteckles roun' dis ole man." |
 "Dar, knowd yer didn' lub me"
 "Doan Tub who?"
 "Me, dat's who"
 "Liza, yer mus be eonjered ter think dat doan Tub yer. lse been lubin' yer senoe long befo' de dog days sot in. Is dar anything loose in de house?"
 "Whut yer mean by anythin' loose ? she snaps.
 Any vidduls whus de white folks ain, got dar eyes on. Somethin' in the shape D pie. Talkin' bout Tub puts my teeth on q mighty edge fur pie. When wu: soin' ter see .e fust oman wAut mar ned, l got sich CT appetite fur pie dat de Iolks whut hbed at de house whar done my eatin' had ter keep de chillun in de blackberry patch all de time. Scrser Aussle roun' CT little, an ef yer kain' fin DO pie, lay holt O some dum2Iins', an ef da's % scace dat dar aint none in de house, wy jes' swing corners wid CT dish