The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-08-20
THE STRANGER
 WITHIN YOUR GATES

and now rs got ter tote this basket way out" but a sob finished the sentence and am still fin ignorance of his des- tination.
 But happily, this affair, had a sequel. Another besides myself had witnessed it. white man in a buggy, who knew the boy. His seat wns shared by a. darky driver, but there was room be- hind. Here. hop up behind there Jim. (are they all named "Jim'D I'll get you out all right" And the alacrity with which Jim accepted the lift did me good.
 Right in the business part of the city have seen negro boys eating wa- termelon. cut lengthwise. in what we up home" have been wont to call 'sou- venir postal style"
 Do any of you know what -Goolah" or "Geisha" is? Webster wasn't any smarter than you, or I am not smart enough to understand our laundress's vernaculaF. and haven't got the terms correctly. She who "has raised twelve heads of men childs'' says she Is mixed Goolah and Geisha. 'Hoccum you all don't know what Goolah and Geisha isT Goolah won't eat no homtny; Gefsha won'6t eat no rice Now rse noah Goolah than I am Gelsha, kase Tse my fathah's chile noah than I'se my moth- ah's, and that's what he is. Noam. you all kaint hiah me to eat no hominy, you kaint."
 Our laundross Is going to be a stu pendous study for me. The family say an expensive ons. also. She has al- ready borrowed enough to pay for the next two weeks work. Then she COW eted a chiffon hat. cost $5 when new wash it out" after she has washed out" the money she owes us. This morning she called to remind us that today was her birthday. Mrs. ----- dun guy me fifty cents and I como to see if you alls aint gwine guy me svras thin"
 We gus her somethin'.
 Incidently and accidently CD she ai- ways makes these between wash-day calls just at meal times. But she e@g- tainly is good laundress and 6o0s beautiful work and has promised to come and cook for me when I so 10 housekeeping.
 Our vegetable woman rang the bell as usual the other morning. She had very nice cantaloupes, Three for a dime, six for quarter. Our hostess wanted to purchase more than three, but she demurred at paying a quarter for six After vainly trying to per suade the woman that six were worth only 20 cents at the rate of three for ten, she turned to me and said aside, Do try to knock a little sense into that darky's head. She Is too ignorant to understand a thing"
 soon discovered that there was method in her mad-ignoranoe. for she in turn explained to me: "Yassum, six for a quattah. You alls isn't my only bestest customahs. and if I lets you aIla have six for twenty cents you alIs might take too many and I won't he=z enough fer my othah customahs kin let you alls have three today"
 haven't mentioned the old 1sscle on our square. who has charge of the Ear- den while his white folks are away from home; nor told of the beautiful Tosebuds he surreptitiously gives me, and just because I often stop for few minutes chat with him when pass and see him pottering around among his beloved flowers. some of which he assures me have come "clar from Moth Caliny."
 Nor have I spoken of the nurse- girls on our street. every one of whom know me. and not one of whom pre- sums to address me first. but seem pleased at the notice I take of them and their charges.
 But my favorte, tine dear old religious soul with one foot in the grave who breaches to me about the trouble she has trying to keep de debbiI fona ketchin' hold of de oddah foot" but no, she is worth chapter to herself Eva P. Brown.