The Tomahawk., 1903-05-14
THE WAY OF
"A WOMAN * ~
ry PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR.
1uupqqpuaququuuuur

pulsed time and time again. How
ever the capricious one may smile
at times, one mo" upsets the mem
ory of many days of smiles.
The structure of Gabe Harris
hopes mad fallen SO often that he had
begun to build it over again list1ess-
ly and mechanically enough, until
one momentous day, when it seemed
fallen for good.
He had come by, as usual, upon his
cart that evening after work, ana
paused, as was his wont, for chat
with his desired one, Anna Maria
Moore. He had been hard at work
all day hauling from the clay-plts,
and so was not a thing OF beauty as
to clothes. But if Anna Maria loved
him-and he believed she did-love
was blind, which left him all right in
his own eyes and hers.
Perhaps he was right even thus far,
and all would have gone we'll had not
the plump, brown beauty of the girl
overcome him as he stood chatting
with her.
The realization of her charm, of
her disturbances, swept over him
with a rush of emotion. Instinctively
he held out his arms to her. They were
in the front yard, too. "We'n-w'en
you gvine may me, honey? Tell me.
with a rush to her. They were in the
front yard, too. "We'n-w'en you
gwine may me, honey. Tell me-,
Anna Maria froze at once. She
grew as rigid as the seams in her
newly starched calico.
"W'y-w'y, what's de mattah, Anna
Maria?" stammered the discounted
Gabe.
"scuse me, Mistah Ha'is," said the
lady, with dignity, 'but Ise not in de
habit oh bein' spoke to in dat man.
nah.''
"W'y, what's I done, Anna Maria? ?"
"What's you done, sab? What's
you done? wy you's scandalized me.
so de eyes oh de whole neighbo'-
hood.'' and the calico swished itself
as well as it's stiffness would allow
into the house.
Gabe scratched his head. "Well,
III be dadburned!" he CALCULATED.
Just then Uncle Ike, Anna Maria's
father, came up. He was Gabe's
friend and ally, and the young fel-
lows bewilderment was not lost upon
him.
"What's de mattah, Brothah Gabe?"
he questioned.
"W'y, Unc' Ike, I done axed Anna
Maria to may, an she say Ise insulted
an scandalized de neighbo'hood. Hue
come dat?'' -.-4-.,,,--4
"Tsch, tsch, tsch, Brothah Gabe; you
sholy doesn't know depherloserphy OBJ
oomankin'."
.T reckon I amt up on dat, Unc' Ike;
seems ain had de spe'ence dat hab fell
to oyo'lot.''
The present was Uncle Ike's fourth
matrimonial venture, and he was sup
posed to know many things. He went
on: Nov, Brothah Gabe, in co'tin'
CONAN. less'n she's widdah CONAN,
dey's thee t'ings you got to do; you
got to satisfy huh soul, you got to
chawm huh yeah, an you got to please
huh eye. 'Tain't no use doin' one ner
tothah less'n you does all-dat is, I
say, pervided it amt a widdah lady;
dey bein' easiah to please an mo- un-
nerstannin' laik. Well, you come
hyeah, aftah yo' days wo'k, an you
talk to Anna Maria. She know you
been a-wo'kin, anil maxi a good per-
wider; dat satisfy huh SOUL"
eyes, sab; she smile wen was "a
talkin' to huh, an dat what max me
fu'git myself"
''Uh-huh," said the old man, wagging
his head sagely and stroking the strag-
CLING beard upon his chin, s'uh-huh, dat
mean dat you chawm huh yeah; but
hol' OH, hol' on, dey's one mo- ting.
How in de name oh common sense you
spec to please huh eye acomin' hyeah
in sich togs ez desc? ri, vi, now you
see."
Again Gabe had recourse to his sig
nal of perplexity, and woolly head and
grimy nails came together in a half
hearted scratch.
''Unc' Ike, you sholy hab opened my
eyes," he said, as he went slowly out
to his cart.
On Tie luOIIOW At aria GU AIIlSSAA III
his best, and hitching his mare to a
buggy not yet too rickety to awe some
of his less prosperous neighbors,
started toward the home of his inamo-
rata Old Suke, accustomed to moth
ing lighter than her cart on work
days, first set her ears doubtfully at
the unaccustomed vacation, and then,
seeming to realize that it was really a
vacation, a gala-day, she tossed her
head and stepped out bravely.
In the heart of Gabe Harris similar
exultation was present. What now
would check him in his quest of the
fair one? He had fulfilled all the re-
quirements laid down by Uncle Ike,
and Uncle Ike knew. He had already
satisfied her soul; he had done his duty
as to ''chawmin' huh yeah" now he
went forth a potential conqueror for