The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-01-12
MANS LITTLE WAYS.


~ HERE was trouble in the marital
camp Of Mr.. and Mrs. Erastus
4 Strawberry, Afro-American- 'Ras-
tus attended the meeting of the Colored
Citizens Rights association and came
home at o'clock in the morning SO
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 sLizabeth 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
'Lfzabeth 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 to 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 at o'clock in de mawnin to fix yo'
clo'es if you went out on the street and
a policeman arrested you for naked
nessl I amt a-goin to quarrel with no
to git my res and git UP early to go to
work, but amt a-goin to put up with
no more niger ways, TO de Lawd!
Don't you be comm home Intoxicated
and maxim 'sturbance with me no mo,
now, you nindi'
'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 Wau
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 q 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
were cluck- clucking contentedly in the
back yard making little dabs with
their horny beaRs at a fat 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
velvet black man can. He exclaimed,
and half the town could hear him roar;
'Lfzabeth Aredonia Strawberry, how
dar' you! You been a-feedin my Gavin
meal to yo' wuth1ess chickens and
a-starvin my pore dawgi I'll 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 prepare
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. lazin round all day, stayin out all
night and oneasin me from my sleepl
You do it ag'in, and won't suppote
you no mo-! don't have to, nohowl
You black tarpotl What did I ever
marry you for, anyhow Look at you'll
Look at them nappy headed chilleni"
ssWe1l, 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 it?
She advanced toward the boiling tea
kettle. She poured out 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 ION her high
horse She stopped slipping, waved
her right hand up and down and laid it
down to him thus:
s'Befo' I married you lived with a
Episcopal 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 Pts
copa1 rectahs 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
Pc tin you'll Yah, if I was once rid of
you I wouldn't marry de best man de
Lawd ever blowed de breath of life in
to. And you mind yo' self, or I'll git
revorce and put de chiIlen in the 'sylum
and go and work for Sistah Lavender,
de keeterer. Folks has tole me many
time got de makin's of a cook into me-
I won't put up with no mo Niger
ways, 'Rastus Strawberry"
And sRastus could only answer still
more soothingly:
Hot wattah's mighty hne for yo' in
digestion honey"
a nrrnz~rr,e-