The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-06-21
A World
OF Injustice
BY OSCAR COX


I'm one OBJ de new wmen yo' hearn
talkin about. De new women don't
get married"
why not?'
"Fo' plenty reasons. In de fus' place,
day hab to promise to lub, honah and
obey. YO' fink a woman dat hab any
respec' TO herself gwine promise to
| obey a good fo' nothin' man? In de
secon' place. de law make de woman
leabe of her own name an take de
name OBJ de man she maaries. S'pose
I'u gwine to drop de name OBJ John
sing and take de name oh Skinner?"
But, Miss Johnsing, yo' mus be
powerful lonesome out yere on dis IN
all alone by yOself."
Reckon l am lonesome sometimes
| especially nights when de wind blows
had. l keep thinkin' ebery time a
big gust O wind comes dat hants is
passin'. ! cober up nah haid with de
blankets and wait 70 'em to 60 by.
OATS de only use kin see To- fool
man-to keep de hants off,"
"S'posin. Miss Johnsing, dat l bring
20 a man what amt afraid O. hants,
| what don't keer about yo promisin' to
obey him and what don't objec' to
| yo' calm yoself any name yo' please
Do yo' think yo' could bring yo'self to
MARY dat MANI"
Miss johnson scratched her head in
thought.
WAL. eff 20 bring me a might fine
man not afraid O. hants and don't keer
about nah obeyin' or takin' his name
mebby l might bring mahself to MARY
him. Who de MANI"
Reckon I'm de man TO- to max yo'
happy"
"Glong! Yo' foolin'!'
| mo, Miss Johnsing, amt foolin'
Ef yo' marry me yo' needn't promise
to obey me- Yo' may be Miss John
sing all de same. And when de wind
blow in de night, and de house shake.
and de fire done gone out, and de
Ceilin' crack. and de-
Shut up. niggah! Amt yo' tryin' to
scare me into matrimony?"
Oar go pa'son Bill Jones. Shall
call him."
Before the lady could stop him Sam
Skinner had called the clergyman and
In presence OF Susan johnson instruct
ed him to marry them, leaving out tho
word obey from the ceremony and to
! introduce clause giving Susan the
I right to keep her own name after the
wedding.
1t was tempestuous night Mr.
Skinner and his wife suddenly awoke
to hear a great gust Of wind strike
the house and shake 1t like cat get
ting the life out of a mouse, then 60
shrieking over the plain till, striking
| a deserted barn. 1t demolished It with
q crash.
What datY' said Sam, sitting up in
bed and his hair standing on end.
DE hants,' replied his wife.
Sam ducked under the covers.
What de matter with yo'T' cried
Suean. Thought yo' want afraid O.
hants."
There was no reply. for Sam was
buried under the bedclothing. Susan's
timidity gave place to indignation.
See hayar, yo' low down niggah,"
she cried. Didn't l marry yo' 70
perfection? Didn't yo' say dat yo'
want afeared O hants? Yo' been
nbin' yere all dis time, eain' all de
con pone and sassages yo wanted,
not doin' a stroke o. wo'k, and when
de time comes to brace yo' wife up
agin de hants whar are yo'? Under
| de bedclothes"
By this time the gust had gone too
far on its way to be heard. Sam put
his head out from under the covers.
Did yo' hear wha' said" asked his
wife in no uncertain tones.
"Wha' yo' say, Mrs. JohnsingT'
Susan repeated what she had said,
adding to 1t number of statements
| by no means complimentary.
MRS. Johnsing," said Sam. when
you married me didn't yo' say yo'
must keep your own namer'
"S'posen didf"
And didn't yo' say yo' wouldn't
obey mef"
"Cose | did
Oats two out o three points in yo
favor"
At this moment old Boreas came
tearing along like mile a minute rail-
road train, breaking. shrieking, strik-
ing the house as storm wave will
break against a sand dune. Sam Gov
cred his head again and contracted
himself in the center of the bed. Susan
got up pulled the covers of him and.
selling a broom. began to lambaste
him.
Cit out o. dis. yo' good To- nothin'
niggahw she cried.
Mrs. Johnsing'- began Sam piu.
fully.
"Yo' git out o. dat bed and put ON
yo' clothes, and yo' go find anudder
place. Yo' amt no use to me- Wha'
1 want yo' To-? Perfection agin hants.
Wha' kind o perfection air 20 any
wayT"
Even the worm will turn at last
Sam sprang out OF bed. hustled his
wife out through the door. locked It
and went back to bed.