Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-05-01
THE WHY OF "A WOMAN >* &
By PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR.
ttx4 ptHa<r1SsSres

how hard it is to have his suit re- pulsed time and time again. How ever the capricious one may smile at times, one "no'' 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 listless- 1y 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, and paused, as was his wont. for a chat with his desired one, Anna Maria Moore. He had been hard at work all day hauling from the clay-pits, , 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.
 l 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 desirableness, swept over him with rush of emotion. 1nstinctively he held out his arms to her. They were in the front yard, too.. ''We'n-w'en you gwine 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 discomfted Gabe. F<
 "Scuse. me, Mistah Hais," said the lady, with dignity, 'but Ise not in de habit ob bein' spoke to in dat man. nah"
 "W'y, what's I done, Anna Maria ?'' 'What's you done, sah? Whats you done? Wy you's scandalized me 'fo' de eyes ob de whole neighbo'- hood,'' and the calico swished itself as we'll as it's stiffness would allow into the house.
 Gabe scratched his head. "Well, I'll be dadburned!" he ejaculated.
 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 e?'' he questioned. ..
 "W'y, Unc' Ike, I done axed Anna Maria to may, an she say 1se insulted an scandalized de neighbo'hood. Hue come dat?"
 'Tsch, tsch, tsch, Brothah Gabe; you sholy doesn't know de pherloserphy ob oomankin'."
 'EI reckon I ain't up on dat, Unc' Ike; seemsI ain had de spe'ence dat hab fell to yo' lot"
 The present was Uncle 1ke's fourth matrimonial venture, and he was sup posed to know many things. He went on: ''Now, Br9thah Gabe, in co'tin' 8 ooman, Iess'n she's a widdah ooman, dey's th'ee 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. Faint no use doin' one ner tothah less'n you does all-dat is, I say, pervided it ain't widdah lady; dey bein' easiah to please an mo- un- 1 nerstannin' laik. We'll, you come hyeah, aftah yo' days wo'k, an you talk to Anna Maria. She know you been a-wo'kin, an'll mak' good per- wider; dat satisfy huh soul.' ".
 "Yes, sah; she smile wen I was a. talkin' to huh, an dat what mak' me fu'git myself"
 "Uh-huh,' said the old man, wa agging g l his head sagely and stroking the strag- gling beard upon his chin, "uh-huh, dat mean dat you chawm huh yeah; but 1 hoP on, hol' on, dey's one mo- ting. How in de name ob common sense you spec to please huh eye a-comin' hyeah in sich togs ez desc? Xxi, vi, now you see" ..
 Again Gabe had, recourse to his sig nal of perplexity, and woolly head and l grimy nails came together in a half l hearted scratch.
 ''Unc' Ike, you sholy hab opened my eyes," he said, as he went slowly out to his cart. .
 On the morrow he arrayed hims self in his best, and hitching his mare to a l 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 noth- 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 potential conqueror for the last great feat-the pleasing o1 her eyes. Gone were the marks and the memory of the clay-pits, gone was the ashiness of dust from his hardened hands. His sself-abasing cap was re placed by an aggressive "stiff hat while his black coat and waistcoat | with drah trousers eompIatAd an in,