Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1898-06-16
JUST HOW 1T WAS.
Mary Jnne Wns willing to Tell the
Court All About IL.

Mary Jane Wns Willing to Tell the
Court All About IL.
An assault and battery case was up
for trial in a police court the other
morning. and n small, scared-looking
little woman named Mary Jane Hanks
had been called into the witness box.
"You will please tell me all that you
knew about this affair."" said the attor-
ney for the plaintiff, after Mary Jane
had sworn to tell the whole truth and
nothing but the truth. etc.
well" she said, at was just this-a-
way: 1t was on Monday morning an
was gettin' ready to git out my wash.
j always wash on Monday, Judge, be-
cause if I don't it makes my work drag
awfully all week, and, anyhow, 1 was
brought up TO think Monday was the
proper day to wash, an that it was kind
o slack to put it off till Tuesday, an
as for them that washes on Wednes-
day or even as late as Friday, I don't
think"
"WiIl you eonfine your remarks to
this case, madam"
''Why, yes, to be sure But. as was
saying, was flyin' round gittin' ready
TO wash. put the challies to soak
the night before; l always do that. for
1t saves half the rubbing. Well, I'd got
started on the white things, for al
ways wash them first, and Hanks came
in an says to Hanks, says L"
"Who is Hanks?"
Hanks? Why, land of love, who
should he be but my husband? There
he sets over there near the wall; that
sInallish. dark complicated man. He
wouldn't be so dark an saller If he
didn't drink so much strong coffee. He
drinks three cups ev'ry meal, and I'll
leave it to any judge and jury if that
amt enough to-but that's neither here
nor there. As l was sayin', says / to
Hanks, says /, and says he to me, says
he"
what you and Hanks said is not evil
dence. Tell us what you saw"
"Yes, sir; that's what I'm gittin'
round to, but as 1 was sayin'. was
flyin' round gittin' ready TO wash. We'd
overslrD' that morning an was awfully
behindhand. We usually get up at five
of Monday, or at half-past at the latest,
because I'm one that likes to git her
wash out good an early, so they kin
dry in time for me to git some of the
ironin' done in the afternoon.
"Of course there's some things it's
better TO dampen down over night an
do 'em next day. Well, I'd got most of
the white things in the tubs when
Hanks come in an says 1 TO him,
says /"
Haven't I told you over and over
again that we do not want 10 know
what you said, nor what Hanks said?
What did you see?"
"Well, l didn't see as much as /
would of seen if hadn't had my hands
i'm the suds, and when Hanks says TO
me: Come and look out of the winder,'
says TO him. says /: Wait until / soap
this sheet down more As a gen'ral
thing l don't use great deal of soap
on my things after they've soaked over
night in water, with some washin' fluid
use. an il don't eat up the clothes
like some other kinds, so I'm sure
there's no acids in it. You can make il
yourself, too. You take equal parts of
sal soda and"
what did you see when you looked
out of the Window"
''Well, as l say, didn't go the min
ute Hanks called me, because I'm not
one of them kind of wimmen who can
take their hands out of the suds and
stand around and talk while their wash
drags. If I'm doin' out n wash | want
10 git it out as soon as possible, so it'll
dry. I'm not like a certain woman
whose name I could mention if want
ed ID. who will wash out a couple of
lnNT down with the mornin' paper an
thesn wiring out two or three more
pieces, an then trail off into some of
her neighbors with her arms covered
with suds, an set an talk an talk.
Thank heaven. know when to talk |
and when TO work, It's an honest fact, |
judge, that I've known that woman TO |
be until 20 minutes past five In the
afternoon doin' out"
"Iou may be excused. madam" said |
the lawyer. hopelessly, but she did not
leave the box until she had given fur
ther details regarding her wash. st.
Louis Post-Dispatch.