Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-08-13
MALvINA'S REASONS.
"I sin't got losg fer 10 stay here;
I ain't got long fer 90 stay here"

Ing Information over ana over during tho
whole forenoon. But sbe enjoyed music
when she could accompany herself on tho
washboard.
There was certainly no suggestion Of do
caying strength I'm tho voice, neither In
nor personal appearance, when " little Miss
Lidie," her faithful confdante and ad-
wiser, went out To the washhouso to hear
Malvina's reasons for giving notice.
"How do you do today, Aunt Viney?"
asked the young lady as she perched her.
self on tho edge Of tho table.
"Pze mighty poroly today, honey" an
swered the widow, with respondent
shake of the head
"Why, whatever Is tho matter nowp'
"Izo nightly troubled, chile-mightily
troubled, she repeated, with a docp sigh,
as she seated herself upon tub turned
bottom side upward.
"You do seem TO have lot Of trouble"
said the young girl sympathetioally.
"Yes, honey have u heap Dis yere
Niger pears jest born for 'niqtions- Three
funerals in lcss'n five year, think Of thati"
This was said with an air of chastened
pride. "But 1t am mighty purity sight,
Miss Lidie, she continued, visibly bright
ening ito sec dem three boys lAyin side
by side, jest the same length" Malvina,
1t may be remarked, was tho relict OF "the
three boys" but she always spoke Of them
with an affcctionate superiority that her
added years since their decoase seemed to
warrant.
~ should think IL might" responded
Ida somewhat lamely.
"But I'ze never mourned fer dem boys
like I'd orter, honey" she went on In
detected tone. can I'ze nightly troubled
for not chnu,ip N, ore. rocpac, far dora typo,,,
brances."
"Why, you put up tombstones for all Of
them, remarked the little comforter.
"Yes'sum, that's a fac, and know dc
boys'd be scandalous proud to sec dere
names In print on dem marbles, respond
ed tho widow with justifable elation.
But she relapscd into a moro disconso-
late tone as she oonflded 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 nxin's wild do long black wells
fallin down benin, jest like the high tuck
white folks. heerd some of the gals call
them widder's weeds though / declare
fore gracious thought dey meant chillun,
right at fust. But you jest orter sec her.
Miss Lidie Wild de hair crinkly, sorter
like do veil, and dc dark complexion, it
meek q colored pusson look heap more
mournfuller dan white pusson. never
sec a colored lady look SO high tuck as Sis
tab Davis.
"I'ze been thinkin," she went on, with
emotion, "dat / orten mourn like dat fer
dem blessed lam's dat Ize put away. I
think I'd look jest about as flxy as any
body" Malvina paused expectantly for
confrmationsof her views.
"You'd look awful nice, Aunt Viney. I
can just SEQ you now"
"Its made me feel mighty sollumlike.
Nobody what don't know can tell what
an orful thing it Is to be a widder. Would
you git dc Grape veil den II you's me, Miss
Lidiep''
"Indeed / would" responded the fun
loving girl promptly. "And mourn for the
three boys all together"
eth take three or four weeks savin up
to git it, but I low I'll DO able to git it
long bout Easter if nothin happens"
said Viney hopefully as she started homo
that afternoon.
81 amt got long fer to stay here;
amt got long fer to stay here"
chanted Malvina faithfully for three sue
cessive weeks.
"Give me de money in chicken feed,
please, Miss Lidie," meaning small change
"den can put some of 1t away handler"
She would then stow 1t away temporarily
somewhere In tho roomy hollows Of her
mouth. Malvina had fine scorn for
purses. "People's allus losin money outer
dem little polices," (valises) was her con-
tention. "When I got 1t in my mouf, I
know it's dere.'
Claws a mercy, honey" she would de-
Cla WI fr,,oc n ncf afad
against the habit Oh sanitary grounds
"All de money Viney'll 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's the matter'" queried Ida
In surprise.
"Well, you know dat tormentin black
man named Tom Martini He's been keen
after me fer a long time, and declare fore
gracious, chile, jest couldn't git shot O.
him noways. didn't give in, though,
till I foun two knives at my plate on do
table, and dat am sure sign of O weddin.
Seems as doh everything went ag'inst me
yestiddy anyhow"
Ida, perched In her usual placs 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 do
dish rag. Dat showed somebody was comm.
Den do old rooster walked right up into dc
dore and crowed fer all dat's out, and
knew 1t was man comm. Sko nuff long
bout dinner time in walks dat black man,
Tom Martin, and when we set down at dc
table derc was dem knives sayin 'weddin'
jest rs plain as print.
"Dcn thought" she continued reflec-
lively, "hod be heap o. company fer do
chillun and right smart help round dc
house about meckin do gyarden dis sum-
mer."
but don't you hate to give up your
bonnet and crapo veilp" put In Ida.
1T took lots o grace to consign dat bon
net, honey, but do preacher showed us
yestiddy evyenin dat we must walk In do