The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-01-13
MANS LITTLE WAYS.
b &c Emancipated woman.

By the Emanc1nSted woman
THERE was trouble in the marital
! camp of Mr.. and Mrs. Erastus
I Strawberry, Afro-American. 'Ras
tus attended the meeting Of the Coiored
! Citizens Rights association and came
home at o'clock in the morning 50
full of his rights or OF something else
that he ordered his wife, 'Lizabeth Are
donia, to rise from her bed and mend
his garments at that unholy hour.
| 'Rastus was unrelieved black LIZ
abeth AredOnia was of a rich tint, like
a warm salmon. buff window shade
Through the years of her married life
until now 'Lizabeth Aredonia had
meekly accorded to 'Rastus that crown
of headship and intellectual masculine
superiority which the AfrO-American
/ husband believes in as he believes in
/ possum and sweet taters. But now
/ 'Lizabeth belonged to a wOman's club
| the order of the Star of the Queen OF
Sheba. She had read her first paper
She was beginning 10 imbibe the deadly
poison Of woman's rights. The demand
of 'Rastus that she should rise and sew
| his buttons on fired her soul, and she
answered:
'Rastus Strawberry, I wouldn't git
up al 8 o'clock in de mawnin to fix yo'
cIo'es If you went out on the street and
a policeman arrested you for naked
nesst I amt a-goin to quarrel with no
niger this time o night because L got
to git my res and git Up early TO go to
work, but I amt a-goin to put up with
no more niger ways, TO de Lawdl
! Don't you be comm home Intoxicated
and maxim 'sturbance with me no mo-,
now, ycu mind!"
'Rastus was stunned. This thing that
/ had come upon him was unorthodox.
/ He determined to discipline 'Lizabeth
! Aredonia. But he was A little tired
then. He turned his face to the wall
4 and slept, dreaming revenge.
In the morning he went as usual to
( the box wherein he kept cornmeal TO
/ bake cakes for his yellow dog. Al
though Erastus had a wife and five
/ children, that yellow dog was the one
object he loved His wife supported
him and the children by day labor; he
supported the dog.
The meal box was empty. 'Rastus
glanced suspiciously at some hens that
We're cluck-clucking contentedly in the
back yard, making little dabs with
their horny beaks at a fiat stone, after
the wont of hens pecking at the remains
Of a feast He saw and understood.
He turned as near white with rage as
a velvet black Inan can. He exclaimed,
and half the town could hear him roar;
SO Liza beth Aredonia Strawberry, how
dar' you! You been a-feedin my Gavin
meal to yO' wuthless chickens and
a-starvin my pore dawg! III teach
you
But he got no further. The member
of the order Of the Star Of the Queen of
Sheba had been making ready in her
mind for this attack for two hours and
had the advantage of careful prepara-
ton.
You stop right thar, 'Rastus Straw
berry," she said. "Thar's .coiored peo-
pie and thar's niggers. Colored people
has white principles, and niggers has
niger principles, and you got 'em all
over, lain round all day, stayin out all
night and oneasin me from my sleepi
You do it ag'in, and I won't suppote
you no MOI 1 don't have to. nohOw!
You black tarpotl What did I ever
marry you for, anyhow? Look at you'll
Look at them happy headed chilleni"
'Weu, I amt no cream cOlOred mig
ger. anyway" replied 'Rastus.
on the whole, he replied meekly.
There was a threat in 'Lizabeth's ora
ton. Suppose she should execute tt2
She advanced toward the boiling tea
kettle She poured out a cup of water.
He eyed her warily and slid toward the
door. But she only began to sip it,
white folks antebreakfast fashion.
'Rastus was relieved. He remarked
soothingly;
That's right. Hot wattah's good for
20 indigestion, honey"
But 'Lizabeth was con her high
horse" She stopped slipping, waved
her right hand up and down and laid il
down TO him thus:
"Befo- married you I lived with a
'Piscopal rectah's family. and my mad
am she give me clo'es and brickerbrack
and all wanted. Her husband he was
pasture of a church till he died Of so
rosis of de liver. then she was a Pts
cOpal rectah's widow. And then I mar
ried you. you ole black thing and you
stayin out nights and comm home on
toxicated at 3 o'clock in de mawnin
like low, common niggers. and me sup
20 TIN you. yam IL was once Fll OF
you I wouldn't marry de best man de
Lawd ever blowed de breath of life in
TO. And you mind yosef or III git
revorce and put de chillen in the 'sylum
and 90 and work for Sistah Lavender,
de keeterer. Folks has tOie me many
time 7 got de makin's Of cook into me.
I won't put up with no mo niger
ways 'Rastus Strawberry"
And 'Rastus could only answer still
more soothingly:
Hot wattah's mighty fine for 80 in
digestion, honey"