The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1916-02-17
A Powerful
Stirrlulant
By OSCAR cox

Miss Brown, eff yo' dom mind I like
to have 20 come take keer o. de chill
len. Ma wife's powerful weak and
can't do nothin' at all. She's goin' to
de hospittle dis afternoon"
Miss Brown. colored girl twenty
years Of age. said she wouldn't mind
obliging Mr.. Jones. 1t occurred to her
that II Mrs. Jones should die she might
be Mrs. Jones herself. Jones was 4
well to do darby on the shady side OF
forty and had three pickaninnies. Miss
Brown supported herself by washing
and ironing and thought that IL she
could permanently change her oceupa-
ton to taking care Of family It would
be an advantage.
when do 20 want me to come. Mr..
Jones?" she inquired.
MA wife's gwine to de hospittle
about o'clock. Reckon yo' mought
come round about half past T."
"All right, Mr.. Jones; I'll be dar."
Mrs. Jones was removed in the hos
pital ambulance on time. and half an
hour later Miss Brown, who was com
monty called Sue by her employers,
settled herself down in her place. The
children were playing In the street,
and Sue did not disturb them. She
was taking an eye inventory of the
premises and making a mental rear
rangement Of the furniture when Mrs.
Jones would be removed from the hos
pital to the cemetery. Mr.. Jones, whose
name. stripped Of euphony, was simply
Nose. returned from conveying his
wife with solemn countenance to
ind that Sue had prepared cup Of
tea for him and had 1t set out on tho
table with piece Of corn pone.
Il thought yo'd come home needin'
somepin to brace 20 up. Mr.. Jones'"
said the girl.
Her thOughtfulness braced up Mosl
us much az the refreshments.
How did yo' leave yo' po' wife?" she
asked.
"POrely."
us she gwine to pull through?"
"Don' know; she's powerful sick"
Mrs. Jones lost instead Of gained.
She was worried about her children,
and Nose found it necessary to tell her
that ne had secured the services Of
some one to take care Of them. He did
not tell her that he had got a young
woman. for he had seen evidences al
ready that she was expecting to step
into his wife's shoes. and he knew that
this would worry her.
Perhaps 1t would have gone well
with Sue had she curbed her impa-
fence. Though Mrs. Jones was report
ed getting weaker every day, she hung
on in very aggravating way. Sue got
tired asking Nose after his visits to
the hospital how he had found his wife,
hearing only the repetition, "Porely,
very porely; she's gwine down hill pow
erful fast" So 1t occurred to the girl
to go to the hospital and ask questions
on her own account. She bought five
cent posy and, appearing at the hospi-
tai door, was received by an attendant.
"Tell Mrs. JONES'" she said, Offering
the posy, dat a frien' OBJ de family
brought her de flowers and hopes she's
gettin' BETTER"
The attendant took the flowers and
was turning away when Sue asked:
Mrs. Jones mighty sick?"
"Shes very low"
Not long to lib. 1 reckon?"
Not long,"
Bout how long she gwine to las'1"
THE doctor doesn't expect her to live
the week OUT
Sue took her departure, greatly CON-
forted. The attendant took the posy 10
Mrs. Jones with the message. Mrs.
Jones was too Ill to appreciate the kind
attention. but the faculty of curiosity
had not yet deserted her, and she asked
If the friend Of the family had left a
name. The nurse said she had not.
whereupon Mrs. Jones asked for de-
scription Of her and was told that she
was trim cOlOred girl about twenty
years old.
That night a hurry call was sent for
Nose to come to the hospital to see his
wife before she died. Nose obeyed the
summons and found the invalid in
state of collapse. When told that her
husband was there she rallied. and
Nose went to her bedside.
"sIose." she said. "tak' good care OBJ
de chillen when I'm daid."
"Sartin."
"Gib all my frien's my Tub. and
thank de Guild gal TO- de flowers she
brung me de udder day."
"Wha' Guild gal?"
Dunno. SHE said she was frien'
Of de family"
II wond'r"-
Nose checked himself. but too late.
Urged to tell what he wondered at. he
admitted that Sue might have left the
flowers, and when asked who Sue was
he admitted that she was the woman
who was taking care of the children.
Perhaps it was Noses evident desire
to keep something back. At any rate.
the mother took fright. She raised her
self with marvellous strength consid-
ering her condition and between the
nurse and her husband got the story.
including some admissions from the
latter as to Sues kind solicitude In his
behalf.
"Yo' Mose," she said, "yo' waitin'
TO- me to die to marry dat galv'
II hain't no sech thing"