The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-08-06
MALVINA'S REASONS.
81 amt got long fer to stay here;
] amt got long fer to stay here

Malvina had been repeating this affect
ing information over and over during the
whole forenoon. But she enjoyed music
when she could accompany herself on the
dashboard.
There was certainly no suggestion of de-
caying strength in the voice, neither in
her personal appearance, when " little Miss
Lidie," her faithful confdante and adj
wiser, went out to the washhouse to hear
Malvina's reasons for giving notice..
Elbow do you do today, Aunt Viney?'
asked the young lady as she perched her
self on the edge of the table.
''I'ze mighty porely today, honey" an
swered the widow, with a respondent
shake of the head.
''Why, whatever is the matter now?''
'I'ze nightly troubled, chile-mightily
troubled, she repeated, with deep sigh,
as she seated herself upon a tub turned
bottom side upward.
"You do seem to have a lot of trouble"
said the young girl sympathetically.
eyes, honey, I have heap. Dis yere
niger pears jest born fer 'fictions. Three
funerals in less'n five year, think of thatI"
This was said with an air of chastened
pride. "But it am mighty purity sight,
Miss Lidie, she continued, visibly bright
ening, ''to see dem three boys layin side
by side, jest the same length" Malvina,
it may be remarked was the relict of 1.-THE
three boys, - but she always spoke of them
with an affcetionate superiority that her
added years since their decease seemed to
warrant.
81 should think it might" responded
Ida somewhat lamely.
'But Ize never mourned fer dem boys
like I'd orter, honey she went on in a
detected tone. "An I'ze nightly troubled
fer not shown more respec' fer dere mem
brances.''
"Why, you put up tombstones for all of
them,'' remarked the little comforter.
"Yes'sum, that S fac, and know de
boys'd be scandalous proud to see dere
names in print on dem marbles, - respond
ed the widow, with justifiable elation.
But she relapsed into more disconso-
late tone as she contided her sorrows to
the ears of her ever faithful sympathizer
''Don't you know, Miss Lidie yestiddy
at meetin, Sistah Hammer Davis had on
one of dem fxins wild de long black wells
faliin down benin, jest like the high tuck
white folks. I heerd some of the gals call
them widder's weeds, though I declare
fore gracious I thought dey meant chillun,
right at fust. But you jest orter see her.
Miss Idle. Wild de hair crinkly, sorter
like de veil, and de dark complexion, it
meek a colored pusson look heap more
mournfuller dan white pusson. I never
see coIored lady look so high tuck as Sis
tab Davis
sI'ze been thinkin," she went on, with
emotion, ''dat orten mourn like dat fer
dem blessed lam's dat I'ze put away.
think I'd look jest about as fxy as any
body" Malvina paused expectantly for
confirmation of her views.
'You'd look awful nice, Aunt Whey.
can just see you now"
cts made me feel mighty sol1umlike.
Nobody what don't know can tell what
an orful thing it is to be wilder. Would
you git de Grape veil den if you me, Miss
Lidie?''
''Indeed I would" responded the fun
loving girl promptly. "And mourn for the
three boys all together
It'll take three or four weeks savin up
to git it, but low I'll be able to git it
long bout Easter, if nothin happens"
said Whey hopefully as she started home
that afternoon.
SCI amt got long fer to stay here;
I amt got long fer to stay here"
chanted Malvina faithfully for three sue
cessive weeks.
ttGive me de money in chicken feed,
please, Miss Lidie, - meaning small change,
eden I can put some of it away handler. "
She would then stow it away temporarily
somewhere in the roomy hollows of her
mouth. Malvina had fine scorn for
purses. "People's allus losin money outer
dem little policies, - (valises) was her con-
tention. ''When I got it in my mouf, I
know it's dere.'
claws mercy, honey" she would de-
clare when Ida sometimes demonstrated
against the habit on sanitary grounds.
''All de money Viney'n ever git amt goin
to pizen her"
But the fourth Monday the widow re-
ceived her confidante with placid cheerful
ness written upon her face.
Reckon won't get dem weeds jest yit,
Miss Lida, she began.
''Why, what the matter?'' queried Ida
in surprise.
tWell, you know dat tormentin black
man named Tom Martini He's been keen
| after me fer long Time and declare fore
gracious, chile, 1 jest couldn't git shet O
/ him noways. I didn't give in, though,
! till foun two knives at my plate on de
table, and dat am a sure sign of a weddin.
! Seems as doh everything went ag' inst me
! yestiddy anyhow
Ida, perched in her usual place on the
| kitchen table, looked rather disappointed
! at this turn of affairs, so Malvina proceed
ed with excuses for her Inconsistency.
''First thing in the mOrnin dropped de
! dish rag. Dat showed somebody was comm.
| Den de old rooster walked right up into de
| dore and crowed fer all OATS out and 1
knew it was a man comm. Sho huff long
bout dinner time in walks dat black man,
Tom Martin, and when we set down at de
table dere was dem knives sayin 'weddin'
! Jest as plain print.
''Den 1 thought, . she continued refec-
lively, "he'd be heap o. company fer de
chilIun and right smart help round de
house about meckin de gyarden dis sum-
mer.''
"But don't you hate to give up your
honrot and craOo veiI2'' mt in Tida.
cit took lots O. grace to consign dat bon
net, honey. but de preacher showed US
yestiddy evyenin dat we must walk in de
i pointed ways, and all dem signs seem like
a voice right outer de sky. 'Taint no use
tryin to fly in de face O. Providence.
What's to be is goin to be. I'ze a Pesber-
terion jest like you is on dem points,