Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-08-27
MALVINA'S REASONS.
81 amt got long fer to stay here;
I amt got long fer to stay here"


Lidie," her faithful conildante and ad-
wiser, went out to the washhouse to hear
Malvina's reasons Tor giving notice.
How do you do today, Aunt VineyP'
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?"
'1ze nightly troubled, chile-mightily
troubled, !" she repeated, with deep sigh,
as she seated herself upon a tab turned
bottom side upward.
You do seem to have lot of trouble, I"
said the young girl alphabetically.
Yes honey, have heap Dis yere
Niger pears jest born fer fictions. Three
funerals in less n five year, think of thatv'
This was said with an air of chastened
pride. But it am mighty party sight
Miss Lidie " she continued, visibly bright
ening, to see dem elree boys layin side
by side, jest the same length" Malvina,
it may be remarked, was the relict of ''the
three boys, " but she always spoke of them
with an atfcetionate superiority that her
added years since their decease seemed to
warrant.
81 should think it might responded
Ida somewhat lamely.
"But I'ze 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 a fac, and 1 know de
boysd be scandalous proud to see dere
names in print OF dem marbles, respond
ed the widow, with iustifable elation.
But she relapsed into more disconso-
late tone as she confdcd 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 fxin's wild de long black wells
fallin down benin, jest like the high tuck
white folks. l heerd some of the gals call
them widder's weeds, though l declare
fore gracious thought dey meant chillun,
right at fust. But you jest orter see her.
Miss Lidic. Wild de hair crinkly, sorter
like dc veil, and dc dark complexion, it
meek a colored pusson look heap more
mournfuller dan white pusson. never
see coiored lady look so high tuck as Sis
tab Davis.
"I'ze been thinkin," she went on, with
emotion, "dat 1 orten mourn like dat fer
dem blessed lam S dat I'ze put away.
think I'd look jest about as fixy as any
body" Malvina paused expectantly for
confirmation of her views.
"You'd look awful nice, Aunt Whey. 1
can just see you now"
cts made me feel mighty sollumlike.
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'sm Miss
Lidie?"
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 | low I'll be able to git it
long bout Easter, if nothin happens, 3"
said Whey hopefully as she started home
that afternoon.
81 AIM got long fer to stay here;
/ amt got long fer to stay here"
chanted Malyina faithfully for three sue
cessiYe weeks.
."Give me de money in chicken feed
please, Miss Lidie, meaning small change
eden 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 "Peoples allus losin money outer
dem little polices," (valises) was her con-
tention. "When | got it in my mouf, |
know it's derc."
Laws a mercy, honey" she would de-
clare when Ida sometimes demonstrated
against the habit ON sanitary grounds
"All dc money Viney'H ever git ain'tgoin
to pizen her."
But the. fourth Monday the widow re-
ceivcd her confidante with placid cheerful
ness written upon her face.
"Reckon won't get dem weeds jest yit,
Miss Litla,' she began.
"Why, what the natter" queried Ida
in surprise.
"Well, yen know dat tormentin black
man named Tom Martin? He's been keen
after me fer n long time, and declare fore
gracious, chile, l jest couldn't git shet o
him noways | didn't give in, though,
till / foun two knives at my plate on de
table, and dat am sure sign OF 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 l 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 l
knew it was man comm. Sno 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 as print.
"Den thought, she continued reflec-
lively, "he'd be a heap o company fer de
chillun and right smart help round de
house about meckin dc garden dis sum-
mer'
"But don't you hate to give up your
bonnet and Grape veil?' put in Ida.
''It took lots O grace to coIsign dat bon
net, honey, but dc preacher showed us
yestiddy evyenin dat we must walk in de
pointed ways, and all dem signs seem like
voice right outer dc sky. faint no use
tryin to fly in de face O. Providence.
What's to be Is goin to be. Ize Pesber-
terion jest like You is on dem points,
honey, . she said, with chuckle.