The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-01-16
MANS LITTLE WAYS.
~, the Em.meipatea womaa.

vT-HERE was trouble In the marital
camp of Mr.. and Mrs. Erastus
u Strawberry, Afro-American. 'Ras-
tus nuedthemeetine OF theSColored
Citizens Rights association uad came
home at o'clock I'm the morning 80
full Of his rights or of something else
that he ordered his wife. 'Iizabeth Are
donia, 10 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 10 Rastus that crown
of headship and intellectual masculine
superiority which the Afro American
husband believes in as he believes In
possunl and sweet taters. But now
'Lizabeth belonged 10 a wDlnan'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. | wouldn't git
up at 3 O'clock in de mawnin to fix yo'
CLOGS IL you went out on the street and
policeman arrested you for naked
ness, / amt a-goin 10 quarrel with no
nigger this time o. night because i got
10 git my res and git up early 10 go TO
work, but ain't a-goin TO put up with
no more Niger ways. 70 de Lawdl
Don't you be comin home ontoxicated
and maxim 'sturbance with me no mo-
now. you nindur
'Rastus was stunned. This thing that
had come upon him was unorthodox.
He determined TO discipline 'Lizabeth
Aredonia. But he was little tired
then. He turned his face TO the wall
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 ne 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 beaks at Nat stone. after
the won't of hens pecking at the remains
Of n feast. He saw and understood.
He turned as near white with rage as
a velvet black man can. He exclaimed,
and half the town could hear him roar:
'Iizabeth Aredonia Strawberry, how
dar' youl You been a-feedin my Gavin
meal TO yo' wuthless chickens and
a-starvin my pore da~g! Ill 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 colored peo
pie and thar's niggers. Colored people
has white principles. and niggers has
nigger principles. and you got 'em all
over iazin round all day. stayin out all
night andsoneasin me from my sleep
You do il ag'in. and j won't suppote
you no mo- l don't have to, nohow!
You black tarpot. What did l ever
marry you for. anyhow? Look at you'll
Look at them nappy headed chillen!"
''weli, amt no cream colored mig
ger. anyway" replied 'Rastus.
ON the whole. he replied meekly.
There was a threat in 'LiZabeth's ora
tion. Suppose she should execute il ?
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 IL,
white folks antebreakfast fashion.
'Rastus was relieved. He remarked
soothingly:
That's right Hot wattah's good for
yo indigestion. honey"
But Lizabeth was "on her high
horse" She stopped slipping. waved
her right hand up and down and laid II
down to him thus:
"Befo' 1 married you lived with a
Episcopal rectahs family. and my mad
am she give me clo'es and brickerbrack
and all wanted. Her husband he was
pasture of n 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
steyin out nights and comm home on
toxicated at o'clock i'm de mawnin
like low, common niggers and me sup
po'tin you, Yah, IL / was once rid of
you wouldn't marry de best man de
Lawd ever blowed de breath OF life in
10. And you mind yo'self. or I'll git a
revorce and put de chillen in the 'sylum
and 60 and work for Slstah Lavender,
de keeterer. Folks. has tole me many a
time got De makin's Of cook into me.
] won't put up with no mo nigger
ways. 'Rastus Strawberry"
And 'Rastus could only answer still
more soothingly:
Hot wsftah's mighty fine for yo' in
digestion, honey"