The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1903-01-29

WE HAD REAL NICE ChRlS ID US ThEE
old plantation in Virginia, my missus-
Miss ClaytOn-she had all the novels l
guess that ever was printed, an I read
all of 'em that had purity paper covers
| printed in red an blue an yaller.
Hasn't you noticed that a novel amt
real good unless it has heap of color
ON the cover? Them plain covered
novels deals too much with po' folks.
Laws, don't have no occasion to read
about po' folks. 1 sees enough of them.
| What's the name of this here English
| much about?
George Elliott" 1 ventured.
mo, not him. It's somethin' like
Dickson or Dickerson."
"Dickens?' l said.
Eyes, that's the name. Now, tried
to read one of Mr. Dickens novels,
an he started off with po' boy livin'
with blacksmith. That was enough
for me. 1 don't want to read about
paupers an blacksmiths. Why, I can
see a blacksmith right down the street
here in this village, an the po'house
back of Tarrytown is jes' filed with
paupers.
Il wants to read about rich folks an
lords an ladies an princes, Twin in
style; about how the Prince Mortimer
rides up to the castle on his gayly COM
parisoned horse an carries off the Lady
Grenadine, an how the ole lord follers
'em with a hunderd men in armor, an
how Prince Mortimer gets away an
has the laugh on his father-in-law;
about the grand balls an maskerades;
about people who uses fine words an
men that's always bowin' an scrapin'
befo' the ladies an fightin' over 'em an
worshipin' 'em; about fine ladies in fine
clothes, with nothin' to bother 'em but
whole lot of men maxim love to 'em.
Eyes. l learned a heap from them
novels. From 'em 1 named my oldest
boy Roland. an the next Rupert, an
the last one Aubrey. An then named
the girls Claudia an Lucille an Rosa
lind an Geraldine. Them names do
sound grand. don't they?
ITO tell you the truth, Miss Glare, l
do like things fine an grand. 1 amt
got no patience with common things.
II was white an rich, I'd put on mo-
style than most any white woman in
New York, ] reckon. l wouldn't be
afraid to wear di'monds in the day
time, an lots of 'em, an feathers am
lace an furs. An I'd carry my head
high an throw out my chest an try to
look distinguished. tell you"
And Mary Ann did draw her tall fig
ure ito it's full height" as they say in
the novels, as she walked from the
stove to the ironing table with spar
king eyes and a distinguished air,
laughing merrily and thereby showing
mouth full of fine teeth.
l had known that Mary am, a mu-
latto with nice figure and comedy fea.
lures, was good looking, but l had not
realized her possibilities in the way OF
style before
MY lovin' grand things don't come
so much from the novels I've read az
from my Imagination. l don't suppose
Ii was white | could have mo- 'magi.
nation than has.
you see, in my 'magin alton can be
jes' as rich an fine an white-why, l
can be jes' as white as white folks,
Miss Glare, an pretty an young.
An then all the good times have in
my imagination! l don't have the trou-
bic that goes with really havin' things.
| build great, big. splendid houses, pal
aces an castles, an then jes' let 'em
go an don't bother about repairin' 'em
or payin' taxes. When 1 wants anoth-
er house, jes' build it out of my mind.
That's good deal easier an cheaper
than takin' care Of the old ones"
And Mary Ann laughed as she mois-
tened her finger and tried the heat of
the iron.
None of my horses ever has the collie
or goes lame" she continued, IAN no.
body has any finer ones. You jes' ought
to see me sailin' in my Imagination
through Fifth avenoo behind my pranc-
in steeds, while people stop to look at
me an say, 1 wo"L>r who that gor-
geous an lovely CT; acilUre is
AN then the tr;.vuliu'. While I'm
washin' an ironin' here in this ole
laundry jes' soar off to Saratogy an
Newport an England an Paris an
Asia an Afriky. Well 10, l don't go
much to Afriky. 1t amt stylish enough
for me- But go to the north pole hot |
days jes' to cool off. don't find no !