The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-14
A Powerful
Stirnulant
By OSCAR cox

len. Ma wife's powerful weak an,
can't do nothin' at all. She's goin' +
de hospittle dis afternoon"
Miss Brown. colored girl twent,
years of age. said she wouldn't mint
obliging Mr.. Jones. 1t occurred to he
that If Mrs. Jones should die she nigh
be Mrs. Jones herself. Jones was
well to do darky on the shady side o
forty and had three pickaninnies. Mis-.
Brown supported herself by washins
and ironing and thought that II she
could permanently change her occupa
ton to taking care Of family 1t would
be an advantage.
when do yo' want me to come, Mr.
1onesT abe inquired.
Ma wife's gwine to de hospittle
about O'Clock. Reckon yo' mought
come round about half past A."
"All right, Mr.. Jones; I'll be dar."
MIS-. 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
raneement of the furniture when Mrs.
Jones would be removed from the hos
pttal to the cemetery. Mr.. Jones, whose
name, stripped Of euphony, was simply
Nose, returned from conveying his
wife with solemn countenance to
find that Sue had prepared a cup of
tea for him and had it set out ON the
table with piece Of corn pone.
4 thought yo'd come home needin
somepin to brace 20 up. Mr.. Jones'"
said the girl.
Her thoughtfulness braced I'D Nose
as much as the refreshments.
How did yo' leave yo' po' wife?" she
asked
"Porely."
Is she gwiAe to pull throughY"
Don know; she's powerful sick"
Mrs. Jones lost instead of gained.
She was worried about her children,
and Nose found 1t necessary to tell her
that he 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 irnpa-
tience. Though Mrs. Jones was report
ed getting weaker every day, she hung
On In very aggrayating 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 DOW
srful fast" So it occurred to the girl
% go to the hospital and ask questions
IN her own account. She bought.a Ave
cent posy and. appearing at the hospi-
al door, was received by an attendant
Tell Mrs. JONES'" she said, Offering
he posy. dat frien' OBJ de family
brought her de flowers and hopes she's |
settin' better"
The attendant took the flowers and
vas turning away when Sue asked: /,
Mrs. Jones mighty sick?"
Shes very low"
mot long to lib. reckon?"
mot long"
Bout how long she gwine to las'f"
The doctor doesn't expect her to live
he week out"
sue took her departure, greatly COM H
orted. The attendant took the posy 10
irs. Jones with the message. Mrs.
ones was too Ill to appreciate the kind
ttention, but the faculty Of curiosity |
ad not yet deserted her, and she asked
the friend of the family had left a
anne. The nurse said she had not.
'hereupon Mrs. Jones asked for de-
:r1ption OF her and was told that she
'as trim colored girl about twenty
ears old.
mat night hurry call was sent for
lose TO come to the hospital to see his
lie before she died. Nose obeyed the
immons and found the invalid In a
ate OF collapse. When told that her
nsband was there she rallied, and
ose went to her bedside. III
Nose" she said. ''tak' good care oh 4
chillen when I'm daid."
"Sartin."
"Gib all my frien's my Iub, and
ank de Guild gal TO- de flowers she
lng me de udder day"
VIVA Guild galf"
Dunno. She said she was a frien'
de family"
4 wond'r''-
Nose checked himself, but too lata
'ged to tell what he wondered at, he
United that Sue might have left the
wers, and when asked who Sue was
admitted that she was the woman
10 was taking care Of the children.
rhaps It was Moses evident desire
keep something back. At any rate,
mother took fright She raised her.
with marvellous strength consid-
ng her condition and between the
rse and her husband got the story, =
luding some admissions from the III
ter as to Sues kind solicitude in his III
ialf. HI
Yo' Nose" she said, 20 waitiu' iii
me to die to marry dat galF' HI
hain't no sech thing" HI
De gals waitin' 70 me to die to iii
rry 20. Yo' s'pose / gwine to turn III
chillen ober to a gal like dat7 No. HI
: rs gwine to get well. Call de HI
bulance. rs gwine home right on" HI
he was not permitted to carry out U!
assertion. but she rallied from
moment and a week later was :
< In her own domicile. Miss Brown -
warned by Nose OF her coming
departed in time to avoid a scene.