Sam Johnson liked Rose very well and he always was ready to do

anything she wanted. Sam was a tall, square shouldered, decent, a

serious, straightforward, simple, kindly, colored workman. They got

on very well together, Sam and Rose, when they were married. Rose

was lazy, but not dirty, and Sam was careful but not fussy. Sam was

a kindly, simple, earnest, steady workman, and Rose had good

common decent sense in her, of how to live regular, and not to have

excitements, and to be saving so you could be always sure to have

money, so as to have everything you wanted.

It was not very long that Rose knew Sam Johnson, before they were

regularly married. Sometimes Sam went into the country with all the

other young church people, and then he would be a great deal with Rose

and with her Melanctha Herbert. Sam did not care much about Melanctha

Herbert. He liked Rose's ways of doing, always better. Melanctha's

mystery had no charm for Sam ever. Sam wanted a nice little house to

come to when he was tired from his working, and a little baby all his

own he could be good to. Sam Johnson was ready to marry as soon as

ever Rose wanted he should do it. And so Sam Johnson and Rose one

day had a grand real wedding and were married. Then they furnished

completely, a little red brick house and then Sam went back to his

work as deck hand on a coasting steamer.

Rose had often talked to Sam about how good Melanctha was and how much

she always suffered. Sam Johnson never really cared about Melanctha

Herbert, but he always did almost everything Rose ever wanted, and

he was a gentle, kindly creature, and so he was very good to Rose's

friend Melanctha. Melanctha Herbert knew very well Sam did not like

her, and so she was very quiet, and always let Rose do the talking for

her. She only was very good to always help Rose, and to do anything

she ever wanted from her, and to be very good and listen and be quiet

whenever Sam had anything to say to her. Melanctha liked Sam Johnson,

and all her life Melanctha loved and wanted good and kind and

considerate people, and always Melanctha loved and wanted people to be

gentle to her, and always she wanted to be regular, and to have peace

and quiet in her, and always Melanctha could only find new ways to be

in trouble. And Melanctha needed badly to have Rose, to believe her,

and to let her cling to her. Rose was the only steady thing Melanctha

had to cling to and so Melanctha demeaned herself to be like a

servant, to wait on, and always to be scolded, by this ordinary,

sullen, black, stupid, childish woman.

Rose was always telling Sam he must be good to poor Melanctha. "You

know Sam," Rose said very often to him, "You certainly had ought to be

very good to poor Melanctha, she always do have so much trouble with

her. You know Sam how I told you she had such a bad time always with

that father, and he was awful mean to her always that awful black man,

and he never took no kind of care ever to her, and he never helped her

when her mother died so hard, that poor Melanctha. Melanctha's ma you

know Sam, always was just real religious. One day Melanctha was real

little, and she heard her ma say to her pa, it was awful sad to her,

Melanctha had not been the one the Lord had took from them stead of

the little brother who was dead in the house there from fever. That

hurt Melanctha awful when she heard her ma say it. She never could

feel it right, and I don't no ways blame Melanctha, Sam, for not

feeling better to her ma always after, though Melanctha, just like

always she is, always was real good to her ma after, when she was so

sick, and died so hard, and nobody never to help Melanctha do it, and

she just all alone to do everything without no help come to her no

way, and that ugly awful black man she have for a father never all the

time come near her. But that's always the way Melanctha is just doing

Sam, the way I been telling to you. She always is being just so good

to everybody and nobody ever there to thank her for it. I never did

see nobody ever Sam, have such bad luck, seems to me always with them,

like that poor Melanctha always has it, and she always so good with

it, and never no murmur in her, and never no complaining from her, and

just never saying nothing with it. You be real good to her Sam, now

you hear me, now you and me is married right together. He certainly

was an awful black man to her Sam, that father she had, acting always

just like a brute to her and she so game and never to tell anybody how

it hurt her. And she so sweet and good always to do anything anybody

ever can be wanting. I don't see Sam how some men can be to act so

awful. I told you Sam, how once Melanctha broke her arm bad and she

was so sick and it hurt her awful and he never would let no doctor

come near to her and he do some things so awful to her, she don't

never want to tell nobody how bad he hurt her. That's just the way Sam

with Melanctha always, you never can know how bad it is, it hurts

her. You hear me Sam, you always be real good to her now you and me is

married right to each other."

And so Rose and Sam Johnson were regularly married, and Rose sat at

home and bragged to all her friends how nice it was to be married

really to a husband.

Rose did not have Melanctha to live with her, now Rose was married.

Melanctha was with Rose almost as much as ever but it was a little

different now their being together.

Rose Johnson never asked Melanctha to live with her in the house, now

Rose was married. Rose liked to have Melanctha come all the time to

help her, Rose liked Melanctha to be almost always with her, but Rose

was shrewd in her simple selfish nature, she did not ever think to ask

Melanctha to live with her.

Rose was hard headed, she was decent, and she always knew what it was

she needed. Rose needed Melanctha to be with her, she liked to have

her help her, the quick, good Melanctha to do for the slow, lazy,

selfish, black girl, but Rose could have Melanctha to do for her and

she did not need her to live with her.

Sam never asked Rose why she did not have her. Sam always took what

Rose wanted should be done for Melanctha, as the right way he should

act toward her.

It could never come to Melanctha to ask Rose to let her. It never

could come to Melanctha to think that Rose would ask her. It would

never ever come to Melanctha to want it, if Rose should ask her, but

Melanctha would have done it for the safety she always felt when she

was near her. Melanctha Herbert wanted badly to be safe now, but this

living with her, that, Rose would never give her. Rose had strong

the sense for decent comfort, Rose had strong the sense for proper

conduct, Rose had strong the sense to get straight always what she

wanted, and she always knew what was the best thing she needed, and

always Rose got what she wanted.

And so Rose had Melanctha Herbert always there to help her, and she

sat and was lazy and she bragged and she complained a little and she

told Melanctha how she ought to do, to get good what she wanted like

she Rose always did it, and always Melanctha was doing everything Rose

ever needed. "Don't you bother so, doing that Melanctha, I do it or

Sam when he comes home to help me. Sure you don't mind lifting it

Melanctha? You is very good Melanctha to do it, and when you go out

Melanctha, you stop and get some rice to bring me to-morrow when you

come in. Sure you won't forget Melanctha. I never see anybody like

you Melanctha to always do things so nice for me." And then Melanctha

would do some more for Rose, and then very late Melanctha would go

home to the colored woman where she lived now.

And so though Melanctha still was so much with Rose Johnson, she had

times when she could not stay there. Melanctha now could not really

cling there. Rose had Sam, and Melanctha more and more lost the hold

she had had there.

Melanctha Herbert began to feel she must begin again to look and see

if she could find what it was she had always wanted. Now Rose Johnson

could no longer help her.

And so Melanctha Herbert began once more to wander and with men Rose

never thought it was right she should be with.

One day Melanctha had been very busy with the different kinds of ways

she wandered. It was a pleasant late afternoon at the end of a long

summer. Melanctha was walking along, and she was free and excited.

Melanctha had just parted from a white man and she had a bunch of

flowers he had left with her. A young buck, a mulatto, passed by and

snatched them from her. "It certainly is real sweet in you sister, to

be giving me them pretty flowers," he said to her.

"I don't see no way it can make them sweeter to have with you," said

Melanctha. "What one man gives, another man had certainly just as much

good right to be taking." "Keep your old flowers then, I certainly

don't never want to have them." Melanctha Herbert laughed at him and

took them. "No, I didn't nohow think you really did want to have them.

Thank you kindly mister, for them. I certainly always do admire to see

a man always so kind of real polite to people." The man laughed, "You

ain't nobody's fool I can say for you, but you certainly are a damned

pretty kind of girl, now I look at you. Want men to be polite to you?

All right, I can love you, that's real polite now, want to see me try

it." "I certainly ain't got no time this evening just only left to

thank you. I certainly got to be real busy now, but I certainly

always will admire to see you." The man tried to catch and stop her,

Melanctha Herbert laughed and dodged so that he could not touch her.

Melanctha went quickly down a side street near her and so the man for

that time lost her.

For some days Melanctha did not see any more of her mulatto. One day

Melanctha was with a white man and they saw him. The white man stopped

to speak to him. Afterwards Melanctha left the white man and she then

soon met him. Melanctha stopped to talk to him. Melanctha Herbert soon

began to like him.

Jem Richards, the new man Melanctha had begun to know now, was a

dashing kind of fellow, who had to do with fine horses and with

racing. Sometimes Jem Richards would be betting and would be good and

lucky, and be making lots of money. Sometimes Jem would be betting

badly, and then he would not be having any money.

Jem Richards was a straight man. Jem Richards always knew that by and

by he would win again and pay it, and so Jem mostly did win again, and

then he always paid it.

Jem Richards was a man other men always trusted. Men gave him money

when he lost all his, for they all knew Jem Richards would win again,

and when he did win they knew, and they were right, that he would pay

it.

Melanctha Herbert all her life had always loved to be with horses.

Melanctha liked it that Jem knew all about fine horses. He was a

reckless man was Jem Richards. He knew how to win out, and always all

her life, Melanctha Herbert loved successful power.

Melanctha Herbert always liked Jem Richards better. Things soon began

to be very strong between them.

Jem was more game even than Melanctha. Jem always had known what

it was to have real wisdom. Jem had always all his life been

understanding.

Jem Richards made Melanctha Herbert come fast with him. He never gave

her any time with waiting. Soon Melanctha always had Jem with her.

Melanctha did not want anything better. Now in Jem Richards, Melanctha

found everything she had ever needed to content her.

Melanctha was now less and less with Rose Johnson. Rose did not think

much of the way Melanctha now was going. Jem Richards was all right,

only Melanctha never had no sense of the right kind of way she should

be doing. Rose often was telling Sam now, she did not like the fast

way Melanctha was going. Rose told it to Sam, and to all the girls and

men, when she saw them. But Rose was nothing just then to Melanctha.

Melanctha Herbert now only needed Jem Richards to be with her.

And things were always getting stronger between Jem Richards and

Melanctha Herbert. Jem Richards began to talk now as if he wanted to

get married to her. Jem was deep in his love now for her. And as for

Melanctha, Jem was all the world now to her. And so Jem gave her a

ring, like white folks, to show he was engaged to her, and would by

and by be married to her. And Melanctha was filled full with joy to

have Jem so good to her.

Melanctha always loved to go with Jem to the races. Jem had been lucky

lately with his betting, and he had a swell turn-out to drive in, and

Melanctha looked very handsome there beside him.

Melanctha was very proud to have Jem Richards want her. Melanctha

loved it the way Jem knew how to do it. Melanctha loved Jem and

loved that he should want her. She loved it too, that he wanted to be

married to her. Jem Richards was a straight decent man, whom other

men always looked up to and trusted. Melanctha needed badly a man to

content her.

Melanctha's joy made her foolish. Melanctha told everybody about how

Jem Richards, that swell man who owned all those fine horses and was

so game, nothing ever scared him, was engaged to be married to her,

and that was the ring he gave her.

Melanctha let out her joy very often to Rose Johnson. Melanctha had

begun again now to go there.

Melanctha's love for Jem made her foolish. Melanctha had to have some

one always now to talk to and so she went often to Rose Johnson.

Melanctha put all herself into Jem Richards. She was mad and foolish

in the joy she had there.

Rose never liked the way Melanctha did it. "No Sam I don't say never

Melanctha ain't engaged to Jem Richards the way she always says it,

and Jem he is all right for that kind of man he is, though he do think

himself so smart and like he owns the earth and everything he can get

with it, and he sure gave Melanctha a ring like he really meant he

should be married right soon with it, only Sam, I don't ever like it

the way Melanctha is going. When she is engaged to him Sam, she ain't

not right to take on so excited. That ain't no decent kind of a way a

girl ever should be acting. There ain't no kind of a man going stand

that, not like I knows men Sam, and I sure does know them. I knows

them white and I knows them colored, for I was raised by white folks,

and they don't none of them like a girl to act so. That's all right to

be so when you is just only loving, but it ain't no ways right to be

acting so when you is engaged to him, and when he says, all right he

get really regularly married to you. You see Sam I am right like I am

always and I knows it. Jem Richards, he ain't going to the last to get

real married, not if I knows it right, the way Melanctha now is acting

to him. Rings or anything ain't nothing to them, and they don't never

do no good for them, when a girl acts foolish like Melanctha always

now is acting. I certainly will be right sorry Sam, if Melanctha has

real bad trouble come now to her, but I certainly don't no ways like

it Sam the kind of way Melanctha is acting to him. I don't never say

nothing to her Sam. I just listens to what she is saying always, and

I thinks it out like I am telling to you Sam but I don't never say

nothing no more now to Melanctha. Melanctha didn't say nothing to me

about that Jem Richards till she was all like finished with him, and

I never did like it Sam, much, the way she was acting, not coming

here never when she first ran with those men and met him. And I didn't

never say nothing to her, Sam, about it, and it ain't nothing ever to

me, only I don't never no more want to say nothing to her, so I just

listens to what she got to tell like she wants it. No Sam, I don't

never want to say nothing to her. Melanctha just got to go her own

way, not as I want to see her have bad trouble ever come hard to her,

only it ain't in me never Sam, after Melanctha did so, ever to say

nothing more to her how she should be acting. You just see Sam like I

tell you, what way Jem Richards will act to her, you see Sam I just am

right like I always am when I knows it."

Melanctha Herbert never thought she could ever again be in trouble.

Melanctha's joy had made her foolish.

And now Jem Richards had some bad trouble with his betting. Melanctha

sometimes felt now when she was with him that there was something

wrong inside him. Melanctha knew he had had trouble with his betting

but Melanctha never felt that that could make any difference to them.

Melanctha once had told Jem, sure he knew she always would love to be

with him, if he was in jail or only just a beggar. Now Melanctha

said to him, "Sure you know Jem that it don't never make any kind of

difference you're having any kind of trouble, you just try me Jem and

be game, don't look so worried to me. Jem sure I know you love me like

I love you always, and its all I ever could be wanting Jem to me, just

your wanting me always to be with you. I get married Jem to you

soon ever as you can want me, if you once say it Jem to me. It ain't

nothing to me ever, anything like having any money Jem, why you look

so worried to me."

Melanctha Herbert's love had surely made her mad and foolish. She

thrust it always deep into Jem Richards and now that he had trouble

with his betting, Jem had no way that he ever wanted to be made to

feel it. Jem Richards never could want to marry any girl while he had

trouble. That was no way a man like him should do it. Melanctha's love

had made her mad and foolish, she should be silent now and let him do

it. Jem Richards was not a kind of man to want a woman to be strong to

him, when he was in trouble with his betting. That was not the kind of

a time when a man like him needed to have it.

Melanctha needed so badly to have it, this love which she had always

wanted, she did not know what she should do to save it. Melanctha saw

now, Jem Richards always had something wrong inside him. Melanctha

soon dared not ask him. Jem was busy now, he had to sell things and

see men to raise money. Jem could not meet Melanctha now so often.

It was lucky for Melanctha Herbert that Rose Johnson was coming now to

have her baby. It had always been understood between them, Rose should

come and stay then in the house where Melanctha lived with an old

colored woman, so that Rose could have the Doctor from the hospital

near by to help her, and Melanctha there to take care of her the way

Melanctha always used to do it.

Melanctha was very good now to Rose Johnson. Melanctha did everything

that any woman could, she tended Rose, and she was patient,

submissive, soothing and untiring, while the sullen, childish,

cowardly, black Rosie grumbled, and fussed, and howled, and made

herself to be an abomination and like a simple beast.

All this time Melanctha was always being every now and then with Jem

Richards. Melanctha was beginning to be stronger with Jem Richards.

Melanctha was never so strong and sweet and in her nature as when she

was deep in trouble, when she was fighting so with all she had, she

could not do any foolish thing with her nature.

Always now Melanctha Herbert came back again to be nearer to Rose

Johnson. Always now Melanctha would tell all about her troubles to

Rose Johnson. Rose had begun now a little again to advise her.

Melanctha always told Rose now about the talks she had with Jem

Richards, talks where they neither of them liked very well what the

other one was saying. Melanctha did not know what it was Jem Richards

wanted. All Melanctha knew was, he did not like it when she wanted to

be good friends and get really married, and then when Melanctha would

say, "all right, I never wear your ring no more Jem, we ain't not any

more to meet ever like we ever going to get really regular married,"

then Jem did not like it either. What was it Jem Richards really

wanted?

Melanctha stopped wearing Jem's ring on her finger. Poor Melanctha,

she wore it on a string she tied around her neck so that she could

always feel it, but Melanctha was strong now with Jem Richards, and he

never saw it. And sometimes Jem seemed to be awful sorry for it, and

sometimes he seemed kind of glad of it. Melanctha never could make out

really what it was Jem Richards wanted.

There was no other woman yet to Jem, that Melanctha knew, and so she

always trusted that Jem would come back to her, deep in his love, the

way once he had had it and had made all the world like she once had

never believed anybody could really make it. But Jem Richards was more

game than Melanctha Herbert. He knew how to fight to win out, better.

Melanctha really had already lost it, in not keeping quiet and waiting

for Jem to do it.

Jem Richards was not yet having better luck in his betting. He never

before had had such a long time without some good coming to him in

his betting. Sometimes Jem talked as if he wanted to go off on a trip

somewhere and try some other place for luck with his betting. Jem

Richards never talked as if he wanted to take Melanctha with him.

And so Melanctha sometimes was really trusting, and sometimes she was

all sick inside her with her doubting. What was it Jem really wanted

to do with her? He did not have any other woman, in that Melanctha

could be really trusting, and when she said no to him, no she never

would come near him, now he did not want to have her, then Jem would

change and swear, yes sure he did want her, now and always right here

near him, but he never now any more said he wanted to be married soon

to her. But then Jem Richards never would marry a girl, he said that

very often, when he was in this kind of trouble, and now he did not

see any way he could get out of his trouble. But Melanctha ought to

wear his ring, sure she knew he never had loved any kind of woman like

he loved her. Melanctha would wear the ring a little while, and then

they would have some more trouble, and then she would say to him, no

she certainly never would any more wear anything he gave her, and then

she would wear it on the string so nobody could see it but she could

always feel it on her.

Poor Melanctha, surely her love had made her mad and foolish.

And now Melanctha needed always more and more to be with Rose Johnson,

and Rose had commenced again to advise her, but Rose could not help

her. There was no way now that anybody could advise her. The time when

Melanctha could have changed it with Jem Richards was now all past

for her. Rose knew it, and Melanctha too, she knew it, and it almost

killed her to let herself believe it.

The only comfort Melanctha ever had now was waiting on Rose till

she was so tired she could hardly stand it. Always Melanctha did

everything Rose ever wanted. Sam Johnson began now to be very gentle

and a little tender to Melanctha. She was so good to Rose and Sam was

so glad to have her there to help Rose and to do things and to be a

comfort to her.

Rose had a hard time to bring her baby to its birth and Melanctha did

everything that any woman could.

The baby though it was healthy after it was born did not live long.

Rose Johnson was careless and negligent and selfish and when Melanctha

had to leave for a few days the baby died. Rose Johnson had liked her

baby well enough and perhaps she just forgot it for a while, anyway

the child was dead and Rose and Sam were very sorry, but then these

things came so often in the negro world in Bridgepoint that they

neither of them thought about it very long. When Rose had become

strong again she went back to her house with Sam. And Sam Johnson was

always now very gentle and kind and good to Melanctha who had been so

good to Rose in her bad trouble.

Melanctha Herbert's troubles with Jem Richards were never getting any

better. Jem always now had less and less time to be with her. When

Jem was with Melanctha now he was good enough to her. Jem Richards was

worried with his betting. Never since Jem had first begun to make a

living had he ever had so much trouble for such a long time together

with his betting. Jem Richards was good enough now to Melanctha but he

had not much strength to give her. Melanctha could never any more now

make him quarrel with her. Melanctha never now could complain of his

treatment of her, for surely, he said it always by his actions to her,

surely she must know how a man was when he had trouble on his mind

with trying to make things go a little better.

Sometimes Jem and Melanctha had long talks when they neither of

them liked very well what the other one was saying, but mostly now

Melanctha could not make Jem Richards quarrel with her, and more and

more, Melanctha could not find any way to make it right to blame him

for the trouble she now always had inside her. Jem was good to her,

and she knew, for he told her, that he had trouble all the time now

with his betting. Melanctha knew very well that for her it was all

wrong inside Jem Richards, but Melanctha had now no way that she could

really reach him.

Things between Melanctha and Jem Richards were now never getting any

better. Melanctha now more and more needed to be with Rose Johnson.

Rose still liked to have Melanctha come to her house and do things

for her, and Rose liked to grumble to her and to scold her and to tell

Melanctha what was the way Melanctha always should be doing so

she could make things come out better and not always be so much in

trouble. Sam Johnson in these days was always very good and gentle to

Melanctha. Sam was now beginning to be very sorry for her.

Jem Richards never made things any better for Melanctha. Often Jem

would talk so as to make Melanctha almost certain that he never any

more wanted to have her. Then Melanctha would get very blue, and she

would say to Rose, sure she would kill herself, for that certainly now

was the best way she could do.

Rose Johnson never saw it the least bit that way. "I don't see

Melanctha why you should talk like you would kill yourself just

because you're blue. I'd never kill myself Melanctha cause I was blue.

I'd maybe kill somebody else but I'd never kill myself. If I ever

killed myself, Melanctha it'd be by accident and if I ever killed

myself by accident, Melanctha, I'd be awful sorry. And that certainly

is the way you should feel it Melanctha, now you hear me, not just

talking foolish like you always do. It certainly is only your way just

always being foolish makes you all that trouble to come to you always

now, Melanctha, and I certainly right well knows that. You certainly

never can learn no way Melanctha ever with all I certainly been

telling to you, ever since I know you good, that it ain't never no way

like you do always is the right way you be acting ever and talking,

the way I certainly always have seen you do so Melanctha always. I

certainly am right Melanctha about them ways you have to do it, and

I knows it; but you certainly never can noways learn to act right

Melanctha, I certainly do know that, I certainly do my best Melanctha

to help you with it only you certainly never do act right Melanctha,

not to nobody ever, I can see it. You never act right by me Melanctha

no more than by everybody. I never say nothing to you Melanctha when

you do so, for I certainly never do like it when I just got to say it

to you, but you just certainly done with that Jem Richards you always

say wanted real bad to be married to you, just like I always said to

Sam you certainly was going to do it. And I certainly am real kind of

sorry like for you Melanctha, but you certainly had ought to have come

to see me to talk to you, when you first was engaged to him so I could

show you, and now you got all this trouble come to you Melanctha

like I certainly know you always catch it. It certainly ain't never

Melanctha I ain't real sorry to see trouble come so hard to you, but

I certainly can see Melanctha it all is always just the way you always

be having it in you not never to do right. And now you always talk

like you just kill yourself because you are so blue, that certainly

never is Melanctha, no kind of a way for any decent kind of a girl to

do."

Rose had begun to be strong now to scold Melanctha and she was

impatient very often with her, but Rose could now never any more be a

help to her. Melanctha Herbert never could know now what it was right

she should do. Melanctha always wanted to have Jem Richards with her

and now he never seemed to want her, and what could Melanctha do.

Surely she was right now when she said she would just kill herself,

for that was the only way now she could do.

Sam Johnson always, more and more, was good and gentle to Melanctha.

Poor Melanctha, she was so good and sweet to do anything anybody ever

wanted, and Melanctha always liked it if she could have peace and

quiet, and always she could only find new ways to be in trouble. Sam

often said this now to Rose about Melanctha.

"I certainly don't never want Sam to say bad things about Melanctha,

for she certainly always do have most awful kind of trouble come hard

to her, but I never can say I like it real right Sam the way Melanctha

always has to do it. Its now just the same with her like it is always

she has got to do it, now the way she is with that Jem Richards. He

certainly now don't never want to have her but Melanctha she ain't got

no right kind of spirit. No Sam I don't never like the way any more

Melanctha is acting to him, and then Sam, she ain't never real right

honest, the way she always should do it. She certainly just don't kind

of never Sam tell right what way she is doing with it. I don't never

like to say nothing Sam no more to her about the way she always has

to be acting. She always say, yes all right Rose, I do the way you say

it, and then Sam she don't never noways do it. She certainly is right

sweet and good, Sam, is Melanctha, nobody ever can hear me say she

ain't always ready to do things for everybody anyway she ever can see

to do it, only Sam some ways she never does act real right ever, and

some ways, Sam, she ain't ever real honest with it. And Sam sometimes

I hear awful kind of things she been doing, some girls know about her

how she does it, and sometimes they tell me what kind of ways she

has to do it, and Sam it certainly do seem to me like more and more I

certainly am awful afraid Melanctha never will come to any good.

And then Sam, sometimes, you hear it, she always talk like she kill

herself all the time she is so blue, and Sam that certainly never is

no kind of way any decent girl ever had ought to do. You see Sam, how

I am right like I always is when I knows it. You just be careful, Sam,

now you hear me, you be careful Sam sure, I tell you, Melanctha more

and more I see her I certainly do feel Melanctha no way is really

honest. You be careful, Sam now, like I tell you, for I knows it, now

you hear to me, Sam, what I tell you, for I certainly always is right,

Sam, when I knows it."

At first Sam tried a little to defend Melanctha, and Sam always was

good and gentle to her, and Sam liked the ways Melanctha had to be

quiet to him, and to always listen as if she was learning, when she

was there and heard him talking, and then Sam liked the sweet way she

always did everything so nicely for him; but Sam never liked to fight

with anybody ever, and surely Rose knew best about Melanctha and

anyway Sam never did really care much about Melanctha. Her mystery

never had had any interest for him. Sam liked it that she was sweet

to him and that she always did everything Rose ever wanted that she

should be doing. But Melanctha never would be important to him. All

Sam ever wanted was to have a little house and to live regular and to

work hard and to come home to his dinner, when he was tired with his

working and by and by he wanted to have some children all his own to

be good to, and so Sam was real sorry for Melanctha, she was so good

and so sweet always to them, and Jem Richards was a bad man to behave

so to her, but that was always the way a girl got it when she liked

that kind of fast fellow. Anyhow Melanctha was Rose's friend, and Sam

never cared to have anything to do with the kind of trouble always

came to women, when they wanted to have men, who never could know how

to behave good and steady to their women.

And so Sam never said much to Rose about Melanctha. Sam was always

very gentle to her, but now he began less and less to see her. Soon

Melanctha never came any more to the house to see Rose and Sam never

asked Rose anything about her.

Melanctha Herbert was beginning now to come less and less to the house

to be with Rose Johnson. This was because Rose seemed always less and

less now to want her, and Rose would not let Melanctha now do things

for her. Melanctha was always humble to her and Melanctha always

wanted in every way she could to do things for her. Rose said no,

she guessed she do that herself like she likes to have it better.

Melanctha is real good to stay so long to help her, but Rose guessed

perhaps Melanctha better go home now, Rose don't need nobody to help

her now, she is feeling real strong, not like just after she had all

that trouble with the baby, and then Sam, when he comes home for his

dinner he likes it when Rose is all alone there just to give him his

dinner. Sam always is so tired now, like he always is in the summer,

so many people always on the steamer, and they make so much work so

Sam is real tired now, and he likes just to eat his dinner and never

have people in the house to be a trouble to him.

Each day Rose treated Melanctha more and more as if she never wanted

Melanctha any more to come there to the house to see her. Melanctha

dared not ask Rose why she acted in this way to her. Melanctha badly

needed to have Rose always there to save her. Melanctha wanted badly

to cling to her and Rose had always been so solid for her. Melanctha

did not dare to ask Rose if she now no longer wanted her to come and

see her.

Melanctha now never any more had Sam to be gentle to her. Rose always

sent Melanctha away from her before it was time for Sam to come home

to her. One day Melanctha had stayed a little longer, for Rose

that day had been good to let Melanctha begin to do things for her.

Melanctha then left her and Melanctha met Sam Johnson who stopped a

minute to speak kindly to her.

The next day Rose Johnson would not let Melanctha come in to her. Rose

stood on the steps, and there she told Melanctha what she thought now

of her.

"I guess Melanctha it certainly ain't no ways right for you to come

here no more just to see me. I certainly don't Melanctha no ways like

to be a trouble to you. I certainly think Melanctha I get along better

now when I don't have nobody like you are, always here to help me, and

Sam he do so good now with his working, he pay a little girl something

to come every day to help me. I certainly do think Melanctha I don't

never want you no more to come here just to see me." "Why Rose, what

I ever done to you, I certainly don't think you is right Rose to be so

bad now to me." "I certainly don't no ways Melanctha Herbert think you

got any right ever to be complaining the way I been acting to you. I

certainly never do think Melanctha Herbert, you hear me, nobody

ever been more patient to you than I always been to like you, only

Melanctha, I hear more things now so awful bad about you, everybody

always is telling to me what kind of a way you always have been doing

so much, and me always so good to you, and you never no ways, knowing

how to be honest to me. No Melanctha it ain't ever in me, not to want

you to have good luck come to you, and I like it real well Melanctha

when you some time learn how to act the way it is decent and right

for a girl to be doing, but I don't no ways ever like it the kind of

things everybody tell me now about you. No Melanctha, I can't never

any more trust you. I certainly am real sorry to have never any more

to see you, but there ain't no other way, I ever can be acting to

you. That's all I ever got any more to say to you now Melanctha." "But

Rose, deed; I certainly don't know, no more than the dead, nothing I

ever done to make you act so to me. Anybody say anything bad about

me Rose, to you, they just a pack of liars to you, they certainly

is Rose, I tell you true. I certainly never done nothing I ever been

ashamed to tell you. Why you act so bad to me Rose. Sam he certainly

don't think ever like you do, and Rose I always do everything I can,

you ever want me to do for you." "It ain't never no use standing there

talking, Melanctha Herbert. I just can tell it to you, and Sam, he

don't know nothing about women ever the way they can be acting. I

certainly am very sorry Melanctha, to have to act so now to you, but I

certainly can't do no other way with you, when you do things always so

bad, and everybody is talking so about you. It ain't no use to you

to stand there and say it different to me Melanctha. I certainly am

always right Melanctha Herbert, the way I certainly always have been

when I knows it, to you. No Melanctha, it just is, you never can have

no kind of a way to act right, the way a decent girl has to do, and I

done my best always to be telling it to you Melanctha Herbert, but it

don't never do no good to tell nobody how to act right; they certainly

never can learn when they ain't got no sense right to know it, and you

never have no sense right Melanctha to be honest, and I ain't never

wishing no harm to you ever Melanctha Herbert, only I don't never want

any more to see you come here. I just say to you now, like I always

been saying to you, you don't know never the right way, any kind of

decent girl has to be acting, and so Melanctha Herbert, me and Sam, we

don't never any more want you to be setting your foot in my house

here Melanctha Herbert, I just tell you. And so you just go along now,

Melanctha Herbert, you hear me, and I don't never wish no harm to come

to you."

Rose Johnson went into her house and closed the door behind her.

Melanctha stood like one dazed, she did not know how to bear this blow

that almost killed her. Slowly then Melanctha went away without even

turning to look behind her.

Melanctha Herbert was all sore and bruised inside her. Melanctha had

needed Rose always to believe her, Melanctha needed Rose always to let

her cling to her, Melanctha wanted badly to have somebody who could

make her always feel a little safe inside her, and now Rose had sent

her from her. Melanctha wanted Rose more than she had ever wanted all

the others. Rose always was so simple, solid, decent, for her. And now

Rose had cast her from her. Melanctha was lost, and all the world went

whirling in a mad weary dance around her.

Melanctha Herbert never had any strength alone ever to feel safe

inside her. And now Rose Johnson had cast her from her, and Melanctha

could never any more be near her. Melanctha Herbert knew now, way

inside her, that she was lost, and nothing any more could ever help

her.

Melanctha went that night to meet Jem Richards who had promised to be

at the old place to meet her. Jem Richards was absent in his manner to

her. By and by he began to talk to her, about the trip he was going

to take soon, to see if he could get some luck back in his betting.

Melanctha trembled, was Jem too now going to leave her. Jem Richards

talked some more then to her, about the bad luck he always had now,

and how he needed to go away to see if he could make it come out any

better.

Then Jem stopped, and then he looked straight at Melanctha.

"Tell me Melanctha right and true, you don't care really nothing more

about me now Melanctha," he said to her.

"Why you ask me that, Jem Richards," said Melanctha.

"Why I ask you that Melanctha, God Almighty, because I just don't give

a damn now for you any more Melanctha. That the reason I was asking."

Melanctha never could have for this an answer. Jem Richards waited and

then he went away and left her.

Melanctha Herbert never again saw Jem Richards. Melanctha never again

saw Rose Johnson, and it was hard to Melanctha never any more to see

her. Rose Johnson had worked in to be the deepest of all Melanctha's

emotions.

"No, I don't never see Melanctha Herbert no more now," Rose would say

to anybody who asked her about Melanctha. "No, Melanctha she never

comes here no more now, after we had all that trouble with her acting

so bad with them kind of men she liked so much to be with. She don't

never come to no good Melanctha Herbert don't, and me and Sam don't

want no more to see her. She didn't do right ever the way I told her.

Melanctha just wouldn't, and I always said it to her, if she don't be

more kind of careful, the way she always had to be acting, I never

did want no more she should come here in my house no more to see me. I

ain't no ways ever against any girl having any kind of a way, to have

a good time like she wants it, but not that kind of a way Melanctha

always had to do it. I expect some day Melanctha kill herself, when

she act so bad like she do always, and then she got so awful blue.

Melanctha always says that's the only way she ever can think it a easy

way for her to do. No, I always am real sorry for Melanctha, she never

was no just common kind of nigger, but she don't never know not with

all the time I always was telling it to her, no she never no way could

learn, what was the right way she should do. I certainly don't never

want no kind of harm to come bad to Melanctha, but I certainly do

think she will most kill herself some time, the way she always say it

would be easy way for her to do. I never see nobody ever could be so

awful blue."

But Melanctha Herbert never really killed herself because she was so

blue, though often she thought this would be really the best way for

her to do. Melanctha never killed herself, she only got a bad fever

and went into the hospital where they took good care of her and cured

her.

When Melanctha was well again, she took a place and began to work

and to live regular. Then Melanctha got very sick again; she began to

cough and sweat and be so weak she could not stand to do her work.

Melanctha went back to the hospital, and there the Doctor told her she

had the consumption, and before long she would surely die. They sent

her where she would be taken care of, a home for poor consumptives,

and there Melanctha stayed until she died.

FINIS

THE GENTLE LENA

Lena was patient, gentle, sweet and german. She had been a servant for

four years and had liked it very well.

Lena had been brought from Germany to Bridgepoint by a cousin and had

been in the same place there for four years.

This place Lena had found very good. There was a pleasant, unexacting

mistress and her children, and they all liked Lena very well.

There was a cook there who scolded Lena a great deal but Lena's german

patience held no suffering and the good incessant woman really only

scolded so for Lena's good.

Lena's german voice when she knocked and called the family in the

morning was as awakening, as soothing, and as appealing, as a delicate

soft breeze in midday, summer. She stood in the hallway every morning

a long time in her unexpectant and unsuffering german patience calling

to the young ones to get up. She would call and wait a long time and

then call again, always even, gentle, patient, while the young ones

fell back often into that precious, tense, last bit of sleeping that

gives a strength of joyous vigor in the young, over them that have

come to the readiness of middle age, in their awakening.

Lena had good hard work all morning, and on the pleasant, sunny

afternoons she was sent out into the park to sit and watch the little

two year old girl baby of the family.

The other girls, all them that make the pleasant, lazy crowd, that

watch the children in the sunny afternoons out in the park, all liked

the simple, gentle, german Lena very well. They all, too, liked very

well to tease her, for it was so easy to make her mixed and troubled,

and all helpless, for she could never learn to know just what the

other quicker girls meant by the queer things they said.

The two or three of these girls, the ones that Lena always sat with,

always worked together to confuse her. Still it was pleasant, all this

life for Lena.

The little girl fell down sometimes and cried, and then Lena had to

soothe her. When the little girl would drop her hat, Lena had to pick

it up and hold it. When the little girl was bad and threw away her

playthings, Lena told her she could not have them and took them from

her to hold until the little girl should need them.

It was all a peaceful life for Lena, almost as peaceful as a pleasant

leisure. The other girls, of course, did tease her, but then that only

made a gentle stir within her.

Lena was a brown and pleasant creature, brown as blonde races

often have them brown, brown, not with the yellow or the red or the

chocolate brown of sun burned countries, but brown with the clear

color laid flat on the light toned skin beneath, the plain, spare

brown that makes it right to have been made with hazel eyes, and not

too abundant straight, brown hair, hair that only later deepens itself

into brown from the straw yellow of a german childhood.

Lena had the flat chest, straight back and forward falling shoulders

of the patient and enduring working woman, though her body was now

still in its milder girlhood and work had not yet made these lines too

clear.

The rarer feeling that there was with Lena, showed in all the even

quiet of her body movements, but in all it was the strongest in the

patient, old-world ignorance, and earth made pureness of her brown,

flat, soft featured face. Lena had eyebrows that were a wondrous

thickness. They were black, and spread, and very cool, with their dark

color and their beauty, and beneath them were her hazel eyes, simple

and human, with the earth patience of the working, gentle, german

woman.

Yes it was all a peaceful life for Lena. The other girls, of course,

did tease her, but then that only made a gentle stir within her.

"What you got on your finger Lena," Mary, one of the girls she always

sat with, one day asked her. Mary was good natured, quick, intelligent

and Irish.

Lena had just picked up the fancy paper made accordion that the little

girl had dropped beside her, and was making it squeak sadly as she

pulled it with her brown, strong, awkward finger.

"Why, what is it, Mary, paint?" said Lena, putting her finger to her

mouth to taste the dirt spot.

"That's awful poison Lena, don't you know?" said Mary, "that green

paint that you just tasted."

Lena had sucked a good deal of the green paint from her finger. She

stopped and looked hard at the finger. She did not know just how much

Mary meant by what she said.

"Ain't it poison, Nellie, that green paint, that Lena sucked just

now," said Mary. "Sure it is Lena, its real poison, I ain't foolin'

this time anyhow."

Lena was a little troubled. She looked hard at her finger where the

paint was, and she wondered if she had really sucked it.

It was still a little wet on the edges and she rubbed it off a long

time on the inside of her dress, and in between she wondered and

looked at the finger and thought, was it really poison that she had

just tasted.

"Ain't it too bad, Nellie, Lena should have sucked that," Mary said.

Nellie smiled and did not answer. Nellie was dark and thin, and looked

Italian. She had a big mass of black hair that she wore high up on her

head, and that made her face look very fine.

Nellie always smiled and did not say much, and then she would look at

Lena to perplex her.

And so they all three sat with their little charges in the pleasant

sunshine a long time. And Lena would often look at her finger and

wonder if it was really poison that she had just tasted and then she

would rub her finger on her dress a little harder.

Mary laughed at her and teased her and Nellie smiled a little and

looked queerly at her.

Then it came time, for it was growing cooler, for them to drag

together the little ones, who had begun to wander, and to take each

one back to its own mother. And Lena never knew for certain whether it

was really poison, that green stuff that she had tasted.

During these four years of service, Lena always spent her Sundays out

at the house of her aunt, who had brought her four years before to

Bridgepoint.

This aunt, who had brought Lena, four years before, to Bridgepoint,

was a hard, ambitious, well meaning, german woman. Her husband was a

grocer in the town, and they were very well to do. Mrs. Haydon, Lena's

aunt, had two daughters who were just beginning as young ladies,

and she had a little boy who was not honest and who was very hard to

manage.

Mrs. Haydon was a short, stout, hard built, german woman. She always

hit the ground very firmly and compactly as she walked. Mrs. Haydon

was all a compact and well hardened mass, even to her face, reddish

and darkened from its early blonde, with its hearty, shiny cheeks, and

doubled chin well covered over with the up roll from her short, square

neck.

The two daughters, who were fourteen and fifteen, looked like

unkneaded, unformed mounds of flesh beside her.

The elder girl, Mathilda, was blonde, and slow, and simple, and quite

fat. The younger, Bertha, who was almost as tall as her sister, was

dark, and quicker, and she was heavy, too, but not really fat.

These two girls the mother had brought up very firmly. They were well

taught for their position. They were always both well dressed, in the

same kinds of hats and dresses, as is becoming in two german sisters.

The mother liked to have them dressed in red. Their best clothes were

red dresses, made of good heavy cloth, and strongly trimmed with braid

of a glistening black. They had stiff, red felt hats, trimmed with

black velvet ribbon, and a bird. The mother dressed matronly, in a

bonnet and in black, always sat between her two big daughters, firm,

directing, and repressed.

The only weak spot in this good german woman's conduct was the way she

spoiled her boy, who was not honest and who was very hard to manage.

The father of this family was a decent, quiet, heavy, and

uninterfering german man. He tried to cure the boy of his bad ways,

and make him honest, but the mother could not make herself let the

father manage, and so the boy was brought up very badly.

Mrs. Haydon's girls were now only just beginning as young ladies, and

so to get her niece, Lena, married, was just then the most important

thing that Mrs. Haydon had to do.

Mrs. Haydon had four years before gone to Germany to see her parents,

and had taken the girls with her. This visit had been for Mrs. Haydon

most successful, though her children had not liked it very well.

Mrs. Haydon was a good and generous woman, and she patronized her

parents grandly, and all the cousins who came from all about to see

her. Mrs. Haydon's people were of the middling class of farmers. They

were not peasants, and they lived in a town of some pretension, but

it all seemed very poor and smelly to Mrs. Haydon's american born

daughters.

Mrs. Haydon liked it all. It was familiar, and then here she was so

wealthy and important. She listened and decided, and advised all of

her relations how to do things better. She arranged their present and

their future for them, and showed them how in the past they had been

wrong in all their methods.

Mrs. Haydon's only trouble was with her two daughters, whom she could

not make behave well to her parents. The two girls were very nasty to

all their numerous relations. Their mother could hardly make them kiss

their grandparents, and every day the girls would get a scolding. But

then Mrs. Haydon was so very busy that she did not have time to really

manage her stubborn daughters.

These hard working, earth-rough german cousins were to these american

born children, ugly and dirty, and as far below them as were italian

or negro workmen, and they could not see how their mother could ever

bear to touch them, and then all the women dressed so funny, and were

worked all rough and different.

The two girls stuck up their noses at them all, and always talked in

English to each other about how they hated all these people and how

they wished their mother would not do so. The girls could talk some

German, but they never chose to use it.

It was her eldest brother's family that most interested Mrs. Haydon.

Here there were eight children, and out of the eight, five of them

were girls.

Mrs. Haydon thought it would be a fine thing to take one of these

girls back with her to Bridgepoint and get her well started. Everybody

liked that she should do so and they were all willing that it should

be Lena.

Lena was the second girl in her large family. She was at this time

just seventeen years old. Lena was not an important daughter in the

family. She was always sort of dreamy and not there. She worked hard

and went very regularly at it, but even good work never seemed to

bring her near.

Lena's age just suited Mrs. Haydon's purpose. Lena could first go

out to service, and learn how to do things, and then, when she was a

little older, Mrs. Haydon could get her a good husband. And then Lena

was so still and docile, she would never want to do things her own

way. And then, too, Mrs. Haydon, with all her hardness had wisdom, and

she could feel the rarer strain there was in Lena.

Lena was willing to go with Mrs. Haydon. Lena did not like her german

life very well. It was not the hard work but the roughness that

disturbed her. The people were not gentle, and the men when they were

glad were very boisterous, and would lay hold of her and roughly tease

her. They were good people enough around her, but it was all harsh and

dreary for her.

Lena did not really know that she did not like it. She did not know

that she was always dreamy and not there. She did not think whether it

would be different for her away off there in Bridgepoint. Mrs. Haydon

took her and got her different kinds of dresses, and then took her

with them to the steamer. Lena did not really know what it was that

had happened to her.

Mrs. Haydon, and her daughters, and Lena traveled second class on the

steamer. Mrs. Haydon's daughters hated that their mother should take

Lena. They hated to have a cousin, who was to them, little better than

a nigger, and then everybody on the steamer there would see her. Mrs.

Haydon's daughters said things like this to their mother, but she

never stopped to hear them, and the girls did not dare to make their

meaning very clear. And so they could only go on hating Lena hard,

together. They could not stop her from going back with them to

Bridgepoint.

Lena was very sick on the voyage. She thought, surely before it was

over that she would die. She was so sick she could not even wish that

she had not started. She could not eat, she could not moan, she was

just blank and scared, and sure that every minute she would die. She

could not hold herself in, nor help herself in her trouble. She just

staid where she had been put, pale, and scared, and weak, and sick,

and sure that she was going to die.

Mathilda and Bertha Haydon had no trouble from having Lena for a

cousin on the voyage, until the last day that they were on the ship,

and by that time they had made their friends and could explain.

Mrs. Haydon went down every day to Lena, gave her things to make her

better, held her head when it was needful, and generally was good and

did her duty by her.

Poor Lena had no power to be strong in such trouble. She did not know

how to yield to her sickness nor endure. She lost all her little sense

of being in her suffering. She was so scared, and then at her best,

Lena, who was patient, sweet and quiet, had not self-control, nor any

active courage.

Poor Lena was so scared and weak, and every minute she was sure that

she would die.

After Lena was on land again a little while, she forgot all her bad

suffering. Mrs. Haydon got her the good place, with the pleasant

unexacting mistress, and her children, and Lena began to learn some

English and soon was very happy and content.

All her Sundays out Lena spent at Mrs. Haydon's house. Lena would have

liked much better to spend her Sundays with the girls she always sat

with, and who often asked her, and who teased her and made a

gentle stir within her, but it never came to Lena's unexpectant and

unsuffering german nature to do something different from what was

expected of her, just because she would like it that way better. Mrs.

Haydon had said that Lena was to come to her house every other Sunday,

and so Lena always went there.

Mrs. Haydon was the only one of her family who took any interest in

Lena. Mr. Haydon did not think much of her. She was his wife's cousin

and he was good to her, but she was for him stupid, and a little

simple, and very dull, and sure some day to need help and to be in

trouble. All young poor relations, who were brought from Germany to

Bridgepoint were sure, before long, to need help and to be in trouble.

The little Haydon boy was always very nasty to her. He was a hard

child for any one to manage, and his mother spoiled him very badly.

Mrs. Haydon's daughters as they grew older did not learn to like Lena

any better. Lena never knew that she did not like them either. She

did not know that she was only happy with the other quicker girls, she

always sat with in the park, and who laughed at her and always teased

her.

Mathilda Haydon, the simple, fat, blonde, older daughter felt very

badly that she had to say that this was her cousin Lena, this Lena who

was little better for her than a nigger. Mathilda was an overgrown,

slow, flabby, blonde, stupid, fat girl, just beginning as a woman;

thick in her speech and dull and simple in her mind, and very jealous

of all her family and of other girls, and proud that she could have

good dresses and new hats and learn music, and hating very badly to

have a cousin who was a common servant. And then Mathilda remembered

very strongly that dirty nasty place that Lena came from and that

Mathilda had so turned up her nose at, and where she had been made

so angry because her mother scolded her and liked all those rough

cow-smelly people.

Then, too, Mathilda would get very mad when her mother had Lena at

their parties, and when she talked about how good Lena was, to certain

german mothers in whose sons, perhaps, Mrs. Haydon might find Lena a

good husband. All this would make the dull, blonde, fat Mathilda very

angry. Sometimes she would get so angry that she would, in her thick,

slow way, and with jealous anger blazing in her light blue eyes, tell

her mother that she did not see how she could like that nasty Lena;

and then her mother would scold Mathilda, and tell her that she knew

her cousin Lena was poor and Mathilda must be good to poor people.

Mathilda Haydon did not like relations to be poor. She told all her

girl friends what she thought of Lena, and so the girls would never

talk to Lena at Mrs. Haydon's parties. But Lena in her unsuffering

and unexpectant patience never really knew that she was slighted. When

Mathilda was with her girls in the street or in the park and would see

Lena, she always turned up her nose and barely nodded to her, and then

she would tell her friends how funny her mother was to take care of

people like that Lena, and how, back in Germany, all Lena's people

lived just like pigs.

The younger daughter, the dark, large, but not fat, Bertha Haydon, who

was very quick in her mind, and in her ways, and who was the favorite

with her father, did not like Lena, either. She did not like her

because for her Lena was a fool and so stupid, and she would let those

Irish and Italian girls laugh at her and tease her, and everybody

always made fun of Lena, and Lena never got mad, or even had sense

enough to know that they were all making an awful fool of her.

Bertha Haydon hated people to be fools. Her father, too, thought Lena

was a fool, and so neither the father nor the daughter ever paid

any attention to Lena, although she came to their house every other

Sunday.

Lena did not know how all the Haydons felt. She came to her aunt's

house all her Sunday afternoons that she had out, because Mrs. Haydon

had told her she must do so. In the same way Lena always saved all of

her wages. She never thought of any way to spend it. The german cook,

the good woman who always scolded Lena, helped her to put it in the

bank each month, as soon as she got it. Sometimes before it got into

the bank to be taken care of, somebody would ask Lena for it. The

little Haydon boy sometimes asked and would get it, and sometimes some

of the girls, the ones Lena always sat with, needed some more money;

but the german cook, who always scolded Lena, saw to it that this did

not happen very often. When it did happen she would scold Lena very

sharply, and for the next few months she would not let Lena touch her

wages, but put it in the bank for her on the same day that Lena got

it.

So Lena always saved her wages, for she never thought to spend them,

and she always went to her aunt's house for her Sundays because she

did not know that she could do anything different.

Mrs. Haydon felt more and more every year that she had done right to

bring Lena back with her, for it was all coming out just as she had

expected. Lena was good and never wanted her own way, she was learning

English, and saving all her wages, and soon Mrs. Haydon would get her

a good husband.

All these four years Mrs. Haydon was busy looking around among all the

german people that she knew for the right man to be Lena's husband,

and now at last she was quite decided.

The man Mrs. Haydon wanted for Lena was a young german-american

tailor, who worked with his father. He was good and all the family

were very saving, and Mrs. Haydon was sure that this would be just

right for Lena, and then too, this young tailor always did whatever

his father and his mother wanted.

This old german tailor and his wife, the father and the mother of

Herman Kreder, who was to marry Lena Mainz, were very thrifty, careful

people. Herman was the only child they had left with them, and he

always did everything they wanted. Herman was now twenty-eight years

old, but he had never stopped being scolded and directed by his father

and his mother. And now they wanted to see him married.

Herman Kreder did not care much to get married. He was a gentle soul

and a little fearful. He had a sullen temper, too. He was obedient to

his father and his mother. He always did his work well. He often went

out on Saturday nights and on Sundays, with other men. He liked it

with them but he never became really joyous. He liked to be with men

and he hated to have women with them. He was obedient to his mother,

but he did not care much to get married.

Mrs. Haydon and the elder Kreders had often talked the marriage over.

They all three liked it very well. Lena would do anything that Mrs.

Haydon wanted, and Herman was always obedient in everything to his

father and his mother. Both Lena and Herman were saving and good

workers and neither of them ever wanted their own way.

The elder Kreders, everybody knew, had saved up all their money, and

they were hard, good german people, and Mrs. Haydon was sure that with

these people Lena would never be in any trouble. Mr. Haydon would not

say anything about it. He knew old Kreder had a lot of money and owned

some good houses, and he did not care what his wife did with that

simple, stupid Lena, so long as she would be sure never to need help

or to be in trouble.

Lena did not care much to get married. She liked her life very well

where she was working. She did not think much about Herman Kreder. She

thought he was a good man and she always found him very quiet. Neither

of them ever spoke much to the other. Lena did not care much just then

about getting married.

Mrs. Haydon spoke to Lena about it very often. Lena never answered

anything at all. Mrs. Haydon thought, perhaps Lena did not like Herman

Kreder. Mrs. Haydon could not believe that any girl not even Lena,

really had no feeling about getting married.

Mrs. Haydon spoke to Lena very often about Herman. Mrs. Haydon

sometimes got very angry with Lena. She was afraid that Lena, for

once, was going to be stubborn, now when it was all fixed right for

her to be married.

"Why you stand there so stupid, why don't you answer, Lena," said Mrs.

Haydon one Sunday, at the end of a long talking that she was giving

Lena about Herman Kreder, and about Lena's getting married to him.

"Yes ma'am," said Lena, and then Mrs. Haydon was furious with this

stupid Lena. "Why don't you answer with some sense, Lena, when I ask

you if you don't like Herman Kreder. You stand there so stupid and

don't answer just like you ain't heard a word what I been saying to

you. I never see anybody like you, Lena. If you going to burst out at

all, why don't you burst out sudden instead of standing there so silly

and don't answer. And here I am so good to you, and find you a good

husband so you can have a place to live in all your own. Answer me,

Lena, don't you like Herman Kreder? He is a fine young fellow, almost

too good for you, Lena, when you stand there so stupid and don't make

no answer. There ain't many poor girls that get the chance you got now

to get married."

"Why, I do anything you say, Aunt Mathilda. Yes, I like him. He don't

say much to me, but I guess he is a good man, and I do anything you

say for me to do."

"Well then Lena, why you stand there so silly all the time and not

answer when I asked you."

"I didn't hear you say you wanted I should say anything to you. I

didn't know you wanted me to say nothing. I do whatever you tell me

it's right for me to do. I marry Herman Kreder, if you want me."

And so for Lena Mainz the match was made.

Old Mrs. Kreder did not discuss the matter with her Herman. She never

thought that she needed to talk such things over with him. She just

told him about getting married to Lena Mainz who was a good worker and

very saving and never wanted her own way, and Herman made his usual

little grunt in answer to her.

Mrs. Kreder and Mrs. Haydon fixed the day and made all the

arrangements for the wedding and invited everybody who ought to be

there to see them married.

In three months Lena Mainz and Herman Kreder were to be married.

Mrs. Haydon attended to Lena's getting all the things that she needed.

Lena had to help a good deal with the sewing. Lena did not sew very

well. Mrs. Haydon scolded because Lena did not do it better, but then

she was very good to Lena, and she hired a girl to come and help her.

Lena still stayed on with her pleasant mistress, but she spent all her

evenings and her Sundays with her aunt and all the sewing.

Mrs. Haydon got Lena some nice dresses. Lena liked that very well.

Lena liked having new hats even better, and Mrs. Haydon had some made

for her by a real milliner who made them very pretty.

Lena was nervous these days, but she did not think much about getting

married. She did not know really what it was, that, which was always

coming nearer.

Lena liked the place where she was with the pleasant mistress and the

good cook, who always scolded, and she liked the girls she always sat

with. She did not ask if she would like being married any better. She

always did whatever her aunt said and expected, but she was always

nervous when she saw the Kreders with their Herman. She was excited

and she liked her new hats, and everybody teased her and every day her

marrying was coming nearer, and yet she did not really know what it

was, this that was about to happen to her.

Herman Kreder knew more what it meant to be married and he did not

like it very well. He did not like to see girls and he did not want

to have to have one always near him. Herman always did everything that

his father and his mother wanted and now they wanted that he should be

married.

Herman had a sullen temper; he was gentle and he never said much. He

liked to go out with other men, but he never wanted that there should

be any women with them. The men all teased him about getting married.

Herman did not mind the teasing but he did not like very well the

getting married and having a girl always with him.

Three days before the wedding day, Herman went away to the country to

be gone over Sunday. He and Lena were to be married Tuesday afternoon.

When the day came Herman had not been seen or heard from.

The old Kreder couple had not worried much about it. Herman always did

everything they wanted and he would surely come back in time to get

married. But when Monday night came, and there was no Herman, they

went to Mrs. Haydon to tell her what had happened.

Mrs. Haydon got very much excited. It was hard enough to work so as

to get everything all ready, and then to have that silly Herman go off

that way, so no one could tell what was going to happen. Here was Lena

and everything all ready, and now they would have to make the wedding

later so that they would know that Herman would be sure to be there.

Mrs. Haydon was very much excited, and then she could not say much to

the old Kreder couple. She did not want to make them angry, for she

wanted very badly now that Lena should be married to their Herman.

At last it was decided that the wedding should be put off a week

longer. Old Mr. Kreder would go to New York to find Herman, for it was

very likely that Herman had gone there to his married sister.

Mrs. Haydon sent word around, about waiting until a week from that

Tuesday, to everybody that had been invited, and then Tuesday morning

she sent for Lena to come down to see her.

Mrs. Haydon was very angry with poor Lena when she saw her. She

scolded her hard because she was so foolish, and now Herman had gone

off and nobody could tell where he had gone to, and all because Lena

always was so dumb and silly. And Mrs. Haydon was just like a mother

to her, and Lena always stood there so stupid and did not answer what

anybody asked her, and Herman was so silly too, and now his father

had to go and find him. Mrs. Haydon did not think that any old people

should be good to their children. Their children always were so

thankless, and never paid any attention, and older people were always

doing things for their good. Did Lena think it gave Mrs. Haydon any

pleasure, to work so hard to make Lena happy, and get her a good

husband, and then Lena was so thankless and never did anything that

anybody wanted. It was a lesson to poor Mrs. Haydon not to do things

any more for anybody. Let everybody take care of themselves and never

come to her with any troubles; she knew better now than to meddle to

make other people happy. It just made trouble for her and her husband

did not like it. He always said she was too good, and nobody ever

thanked her for it, and there Lena was always standing stupid and not

answering anything anybody wanted. Lena could always talk enough to

those silly girls she liked so much, and always sat with, but who

never did anything for her except to take away her money, and here was

her aunt who tried so hard and was so good to her and treated her just

like one of her own children and Lena stood there, and never made any

answer and never tried to please her aunt, or to do anything that her

aunt wanted. "No, it ain't no use your standin' there and cryin',

now, Lena. Its too late now to care about that Herman. You should have

cared some before, and then you wouldn't have to stand and cry now,

and be a disappointment to me, and then I get scolded by my husband

for taking care of everybody, and nobody ever thankful. I am glad you

got the sense to feel sorry now, Lena, anyway, and I try to do what

I can to help you out in your trouble, only you don't deserve to have

anybody take any trouble for you. But perhaps you know better next

time. You go home now and take care you don't spoil your clothes and

that new hat, you had no business to be wearin' that this morning, but

you ain't got no sense at all, Lena. I never in my life see anybody be

so stupid."

Mrs. Haydon stopped and poor Lena stood there in her hat, all trimmed

with pretty flowers, and the tears coming out of her eyes, and Lena

did not know what it was that she had done, only she was not going to

be married and it was a disgrace for a girl to be left by a man on the

very day she was to be married.

Lena went home all alone, and cried in the street car.

Poor Lena cried very hard all alone in the street car. She almost

spoiled her new hat with her hitting it against the window in her

crying. Then she remembered that she must not do so.

The conductor was a kind man and he was very sorry when he saw her

crying. "Don't feel so bad, you get another feller, you are such a

nice girl," he said to make her cheerful. "But Aunt Mathilda said now,

I never get married," poor Lena sobbed out for her answer. "Why you

really got trouble like that," said the conductor, "I just said that

now to josh you. I didn't ever think you really was left by a feller.

He must be a stupid feller. But don't you worry, he wasn't much good

if he could go away and leave you, lookin' to be such a nice girl. You

just tell all your trouble to me, and I help you." The car was empty

and the conductor sat down beside her to put his arm around her, and

to be a comfort to her. Lena suddenly remembered where she was, and if

she did things like that her aunt would scold her. She moved away from

the man into the corner. He laughed, "Don't be scared," he said, "I

wasn't going to hurt you. But you just keep up your spirit. You are a

real nice girl, and you'll be sure to get a real good husband. Don't

you let nobody fool you. You're all right and I don't want to scare

you."

The conductor went back to his platform to help a passenger get on

the car. All the time Lena stayed in the street car, he would come

in every little while and reassure her, about her not to feel so bad

about a man who hadn't no more sense than to go away and leave her.

She'd be sure yet to get a good man, she needn't be so worried, he

frequently assured her.

He chatted with the other passenger who had just come in, a very well

dressed old man, and then with another who came in later, a good sort

of a working man, and then another who came in, a nice lady, and he

told them all about Lena's having trouble, and it was too bad there

were men who treated a poor girl so badly. And everybody in the car

was sorry for poor Lena and the workman tried to cheer her, and the

old man looked sharply at her, and said she looked like a good girl,

but she ought to be more careful and not to be so careless, and things

like that would not happen to her, and the nice lady went and sat

beside her and Lena liked it, though she shrank away from being near

her.

So Lena was feeling a little better when she got off the car, and the

conductor helped her, and he called out to her, "You be sure you keep

up a good heart now. He wasn't no good that feller and you were lucky

for to lose him. You'll get a real man yet, one that will be better

for you. Don't you be worried, you're a real nice girl as I ever see

in such trouble," and the conductor shook his head and went back into

his car to talk it over with the other passengers he had there.

The german cook, who always scolded Lena, was very angry when she

heard the story. She never did think Mrs. Haydon would do so much for

Lena, though she was always talking so grand about what she could

do for everybody. The good german cook always had been a little

distrustful of her. People who always thought they were so much never

did really do things right for anybody. Not that Mrs. Haydon wasn't

a good woman. Mrs. Haydon was a real, good, german woman, and she

did really mean to do well by her niece Lena. The cook knew that

very well, and she had always said so, and she always had liked and

respected Mrs. Haydon, who always acted very proper to her, and Lena

was so backward, when there was a man to talk to, Mrs. Haydon did have

hard work when she tried to marry Lena. Mrs. Haydon was a good woman,

only she did talk sometimes too grand. Perhaps this trouble would

make her see it wasn't always so easy to do, to make everybody do

everything just like she wanted. The cook was very sorry now for Mrs.

Haydon. All this must be such a disappointment, and such a worry to

her, and she really had always been very good to Lena. But Lena had

better go and put on her other clothes and stop all that crying. That

wouldn't do nothing now to help her, and if Lena would be a good girl,

and just be real patient, her aunt would make it all come out right

yet for her. "I just tell Mrs. Aldrich, Lena, you stay here yet a

little longer. You know she is always so good to you, Lena, and I know

she let you, and I tell her all about that stupid Herman Kreder. I got

no patience, Lena, with anybody who can be so stupid. You just stop

now with your crying, Lena, and take off them good clothes and put

them away so you don't spoil them when you need them, and you can help

me with the dishes and everything will come off better for you. You

see if I ain't right by what I tell you. You just stop crying now Lena

quick, or else I scold you."

Lena still choked a little and was very miserable inside her but she

did everything just as the cook told her.

The girls Lena always sat with were very sorry to see her look so sad

with her trouble. Mary the Irish girl sometimes got very angry with

her. Mary was always very hot when she talked to Lena's aunt Mathilda,

who thought she was so grand, and had such stupid, stuck up daughters.

Mary wouldn't be a fat fool like that ugly tempered Mathilda Haydon,

not for anything anybody could ever give her. How Lena could keep on

going there so much when they all always acted as if she was just dirt

to them, Mary never could see. But Lena never had any sense of how she

should make people stand round for her, and that was always all the

trouble with her. And poor Lena, she was so stupid to be sorry for

losing that gawky fool who didn't ever know what he wanted and just

said "ja" to his mamma and his papa, like a baby, and was scared to

look at a girl straight, and then sneaked away the last day like as

if somebody was going to do something to him. Disgrace, Lena talking

about disgrace! It was a disgrace for a girl to be seen with the likes

of him, let alone to be married to him. But that poor Lena, she never

did know how to show herself off for what she was really. Disgrace to

have him go away and leave her. Mary would just like to get a chance

to show him. If Lena wasn't worth fifteen like Herman Kreder, Mary

would just eat her own head all up. It was a good riddance Lena had of

that Herman Kreder and his stingy, dirty parents, and if Lena didn't

stop crying about it,--Mary would just naturally despise her.

Poor Lena, she knew very well how Mary meant it all, this she was

always saying to her. But Lena was very miserable inside her. She felt

the disgrace it was for a decent german girl that a man should go away

and leave her. Lena knew very well that her aunt was right when she

said the way Herman had acted to her was a disgrace to everyone that

knew her. Mary and Nellie and the other girls she always sat with were

always very good to Lena but that did not make her trouble any better.

It was a disgrace the way Lena had been left, to any decent family,

and that could never be made any different to her.

And so the slow days wore on, and Lena never saw her Aunt Mathilda. At

last on Sunday she got word by a boy to go and see her aunt Mathilda.

Lena's heart beat quick for she was very nervous now with all this

that had happened to her. She went just as quickly as she could to see

her Aunt Mathilda.

Mrs. Haydon quick, as soon as she saw Lena, began to scold her for

keeping her aunt waiting so long for her, and for not coming in all

the week to see her, to see if her aunt should need her, and so her

aunt had to send a boy to tell her. But it was easy, even for Lena,

to see that her aunt was not really angry with her. It wasn't Lena's

fault, went on Mrs. Haydon, that everything was going to happen all

right for her. Mrs. Haydon was very tired taking all this trouble

for her, and when Lena couldn't even take trouble to come and see

her aunt, to see if she needed anything to tell her. But Mrs. Haydon

really never minded things like that when she could do things for

anybody. She was tired now, all the trouble she had been taking to

make things right for Lena, but perhaps now Lena heard it she would

learn a little to be thankful to her. "You get all ready to be married

Tuesday, Lena, you hear me," said Mrs. Haydon to her. "You come here

Tuesday morning and I have everything all ready for you. You wear your

new dress I got you, and your hat with all them flowers on it, and

you be very careful coming you don't get your things all dirty, you so

careless all the time, Lena, and not thinking, and you act sometimes

you never got no head at all on you. You go home now, and you tell

your Mrs. Aldrich that you leave her Tuesday. Don't you go forgetting

now, Lena, anything I ever told you what you should do to be careful.

You be a good girl, now Lena. You get married Tuesday to Herman

Kreder." And that was all Lena ever knew of what had happened all this

week to Herman Kreder. Lena forgot there was anything to know about

it. She was really to be married Tuesday, and her Aunt Mathilda said

she was a good girl, and now there was no disgrace left upon her.

Lena now fell back into the way she always had of being always dreamy

and not there, the way she always had been, except for the few days

she was so excited, because she had been left by a man the very day

she was to have been married. Lena was a little nervous all these last

days, but she did not think much about what it meant for her to be

married.

Herman Kreder was not so content about it. He was quiet and was sullen

and he knew he could not help it. He knew now he just had to let

himself get married. It was not that Herman did not like Lena Mainz.

She was as good as any other girl could be for him. She was a little

better perhaps than other girls he saw, she was so very quiet, but

Herman did not like to always have to have a girl around him. Herman

had always done everything that his mother and his father wanted. His

father had found him in New York, where Herman had gone to be with his

married sister.

Herman's father when he had found him coaxed Herman a long time and

went on whole days with his complaining to him, always troubled but

gentle and quite patient with him, and always he was worrying to

Herman about what was the right way his boy Herman should always do,

always whatever it was his mother ever wanted from him, and always

Herman never made him any answer.

Old Mr. Kreder kept on saying to him, he did not see how Herman could

think now, it could be any different. When you make a bargain you just

got to stick right to it, that was the only way old Mr. Kreder could

ever see it, and saying you would get married to a girl and she got

everything all ready, that was a bargain just like one you make in

business and Herman he had made it, and now Herman he would just have

to do it, old Mr. Kreder didn't see there was any other way a good boy

like his Herman had, to do it. And then too that Lena Mainz was such

a nice girl and Herman hadn't ought to really give his father so much

trouble and make him pay out all that money, to come all the way to

New York just to find him, and they both lose all that time from their

working, when all Herman had to do was just to stand up, for an hour,

and then he would be all right married, and it would be all over for

him, and then everything at home would never be any different to him.

And his father went on; there was his poor mother saying always how

her Herman always did everything before she ever wanted, and now just

because he got notions in him, and wanted to show people how he could

be stubborn, he was making all this trouble for her, and making them

pay all that money just to run around and find him. "You got no idea

Herman, how bad mama is feeling about the way you been acting Herman,"

said old Mr. Kreder to him. "She says she never can understand how

you can be so thankless Herman. It hurts her very much you been so

stubborn, and she find you such a nice girl for you, like Lena Mainz

who is always just so quiet and always saves up all her wages, and she

never wanting her own way at all like some girls are always all the

time to have it, and you mama trying so hard, just so you could be

comfortable Herman to be married, and then you act so stubborn Herman.

You like all young people Herman, you think only about yourself, and

what you are just wanting, and your mama she is thinking only what is

good for you to have, for you in the future. Do you think your mama

wants to have a girl around to be a bother, for herself, Herman. Its

just for you Herman she is always thinking, and she talks always about

how happy she will be, when she sees her Herman married to a nice

girl, and then when she fixed it all up so good for you, so it never

would be any bother to you, just the way she wanted you should like

it, and you say yes all right, I do it, and then you go away like this

and act stubborn, and make all this trouble everybody to take for you,

and we spend money, and I got to travel all round to find you. You

come home now with me Herman and get married, and I tell your mama she

better not say anything to you about how much it cost me to come all

the way to look for you--Hey Herman," said his father coaxing, "Hey,

you come home now and get married. All you got to do Herman is just to

stand up for an hour Herman, and then you don't never to have any more

bother to it--Hey Herman!--you come home with me to-morrow and get

married. Hey Herman."

Herman's married sister liked her brother Herman, and she had always

tried to help him, when there was anything she knew he wanted. She

liked it that he was so good and always did everything that their

father and their mother wanted, but still she wished it could be that

he could have more his own way, if there was anything he ever wanted.

But now she thought Herman with his girl was very funny. She wanted

that Herman should be married. She thought it would do him lots of

good to get married. She laughed at Herman when she heard the story.

Until his father came to find him, she did not know why it was Herman

had come just then to New York to see her. When she heard the story

she laughed a good deal at her brother Herman and teased him a good

deal about his running away, because he didn't want to have a girl to

be all the time around him.

Herman's married sister liked her brother Herman, and she did not want

him not to like to be with women. He was good, her brother Herman, and

it would surely do him good to get married. It would make him stand up

for himself stronger. Herman's sister always laughed at him and always

she would try to reassure him. "Such a nice man as my brother Herman

acting like as if he was afraid of women. Why the girls all like a man

like you Herman, if you didn't always run away when you saw them. It

do you good really Herman to get married, and then you got somebody

you can boss around when you want to. It do you good Herman to get

married, you see if you don't like it, when you really done it. You

go along home now with papa, Herman and get married to that Lena. You

don't know how nice you like it Herman when you try once how you can

do it. You just don't be afraid of nothing, Herman. You good enough

for any girl to marry, Herman. Any girl be glad to have a man like you

to be always with them Herman. You just go along home with papa and

try it what I say, Herman. Oh you so funny Herman, when you sit there,

and then run away and leave your girl behind you. I know she is crying

like anything Herman for to lose you. Don't be bad to her Herman.

You go along home with papa now and get married Herman. I'd be awful

ashamed Herman, to really have a brother didn't have spirit enough

to get married, when a girl is just dying for to have him. You always

like me to be with you Herman. I don't see why you say you don't

want a girl to be all the time around you. You always been good to me

Herman, and I know you always be good to that Lena, and you soon feel

just like as if she had always been there with you. Don't act like as

if you wasn't a nice strong man, Herman. Really I laugh at you Herman,

but you know I like awful well to see you real happy. You go home and

get married to that Lena, Herman. She is a real pretty girl and real

nice and good and quiet and she make my brother Herman very happy. You

just stop your fussing now with Herman, papa. He go with you to-morrow

papa, and you see he like it so much to be married, he make everybody

laugh just to see him be so happy. Really truly, that's the way

it will be with you Herman. You just listen to me what I tell you

Herman." And so his sister laughed at him and reassured him, and his

father kept on telling what the mother always said about her Herman,

and he coaxed him and Herman never said anything in answer, and his

sister packed his things up and was very cheerful with him, and she

kissed him, and then she laughed and then she kissed him, and his

father went and bought the tickets for the train, and at last late on

Sunday he brought Herman back to Bridgepoint with him.

It was always very hard to keep Mrs. Kreder from saying what she

thought, to her Herman, but her daughter had written her a letter, so

as to warn her not to say anything about what he had been doing, to

him, and her husband came in with Herman and said, "Here we are come

home mama, Herman and me, and we are very tired it was so crowded

coming," and then he whispered to her. "You be good to Herman, mama,

he didn't mean to make us so much trouble," and so old Mrs. Kreder,

held in what she felt was so strong in her to say to her Herman. She

just said very stiffly to him, "I'm glad to see you come home to-day,

Herman." Then she went to arrange it all with Mrs. Haydon.

Herman was now again just like he always had been, sullen and very

good, and very quiet, and always ready to do whatever his mother and

his father wanted. Tuesday morning came, Herman got his new clothes

on and went with his father and his mother to stand up for an hour and

get married. Lena was there in her new dress, and her hat with all

the pretty flowers, and she was very nervous for now she knew she was

really very soon to be married. Mrs. Haydon had everything all ready.

Everybody was there just as they should be and very soon Herman Kreder

and Lena Mainz were married.

When everything was really over, they went back to the Kreder house

together. They were all now to live together, Lena and Herman and

the old father and the old mother, in the house where Mr. Kreder had

worked so many years as a tailor, with his son Herman always there to

help him.

Irish Mary had often said to Lena she never did see how Lena could

ever want to have anything to do with Herman Kreder and his dirty

stingy parents. The old Kreders were to an Irish nature, a stingy,

dirty couple. They had not the free-hearted, thoughtless, fighting,

mud bespattered, ragged, peat-smoked cabin dirt that irish Mary knew

and could forgive and love. Theirs was the german dirt of saving, of

being dowdy and loose and foul in your clothes so as to save them and

yourself in washing, having your hair greasy to save it in the soap

and drying, having your clothes dirty, not in freedom, but because so

it was cheaper, keeping the house close and smelly because so it cost

less to get it heated, living so poorly not only so as to save money

but so they should never even know themselves that they had it,

working all the time not only because from their nature they just had

to and because it made them money but also that they never could be

put in any way to make them spend their money.

This was the place Lena now had for her home and to her it was very

different than it could be for an irish Mary. She too was german and

was thrifty, though she was always so dreamy and not there. Lena was

always careful with things and she always saved her money, for that

was the only way she knew how to do it. She never had taken care of

her own money and she never had thought how to use it.

Lena Mainz had been, before she was Mrs. Herman Kreder, always clean

and decent in her clothes and in her person, but it was not because

she ever thought about it or really needed so to have it, it was the

way her people did in the german country where she came from, and her

Aunt Mathilda and the good german cook who always scolded, had kept

her on and made her, with their scoldings, always more careful to keep

clean and to wash real often. But there was no deep need in all this

for Lena and so, though Lena did not like the old Kreders, though she

really did not know that, she did not think about their being stingy

dirty people.

Herman Kreder was cleaner than the old people, just because it was his

nature to keep cleaner, but he was used to his mother and his father,

and he never thought that they should keep things cleaner. And Herman

too always saved all his money, except for that little beer he drank

when he went out with other men of an evening the way he always liked

to do it, and he never thought of any other way to spend it. His

father had always kept all the money for them and he always was doing

business with it. And then too Herman really had no money, for he

always had worked for his father, and his father had never thought to

pay him.

And so they began all four to live in the Kreder house together, and

Lena began soon with it to look careless and a little dirty, and to be

more lifeless with it, and nobody ever noticed much what Lena wanted,

and she never really knew herself what she needed.

The only real trouble that came to Lena with their living all four

there together, was the way old Mrs. Kreder scolded. Lena had always

been used to being scolded, but this scolding of old Mrs. Kreder was

very different from the way she ever before had had to endure it.

Herman, now he was married to her, really liked Lena very well. He did

not care very much about her but she never was a bother to him being

there around him, only when his mother worried and was nasty to them

because Lena was so careless, and did not know how to save things

right for them with their eating, and all the other ways with money,

that the old woman had to save it.

Herman Kreder had always done everything his mother and his father

wanted but he did not really love his parents very deeply. With Herman

it was always only that he hated to have any struggle. It was all

always all right with him when he could just go along and do the same

thing over every day with his working, and not to hear things, and not

to have people make him listen to their anger. And now his marriage,

and he just knew it would, was making trouble for him. It made him

hear more what his mother was always saying, with her scolding. He had

to really hear it now because Lena was there, and she was so scared

and dull always when she heard it. Herman knew very well with his

mother, it was all right if one ate very little and worked hard all

day and did not hear her when she scolded, the way Herman always had

done before they were so foolish about his getting married and having

a girl there to be all the time around him, and now he had to help her

so the girl could learn too, not to hear it when his mother scolded,

and not to look so scared, and not to eat much, and always to be sure

to save it.

Herman really did not know very well what he could do to help Lena

to understand it. He could never answer his mother back to help Lena,

that never would make things any better for her, and he never could

feel in himself any way to comfort Lena, to make her strong not to

hear his mother, in all the awful ways she always scolded. It just

worried Herman to have it like that all the time around him. Herman

did not know much about how a man could make a struggle with a mother,

to do much to keep her quiet, and indeed Herman never knew much how to

make a struggle against anyone who really wanted to have anything very

badly. Herman all his life never wanted anything so badly, that he

would really make a struggle against any one to get it. Herman all his

life only wanted to live regular and quiet, and not talk much and to

do the same way every day like every other with his working. And now

his mother had made him get married to this Lena and now with his

mother making all that scolding, he had all this trouble and this

worry always on him.

Mrs. Haydon did not see Lena now very often. She had not lost her

interest in her niece Lena, but Lena could not come much to her house

to see her, it would not be right, now Lena was a married woman.

And then too Mrs. Haydon had her hands full just then with her two

daughters, for she was getting them ready to find them good husbands,

and then too her own husband now worried her very often about her

always spoiling that boy of hers, so he would be sure to turn out no

good and be a disgrace to a german family, and all because his mother

always spoiled him. All these things were very worrying now to Mrs.

Haydon, but still she wanted to be good to Lena, though she could not

see her very often. She only saw her when Mrs. Haydon went to call

on Mrs. Kreder or when Mrs. Kreder came to see Mrs. Haydon, and that

never could be very often. Then too these days Mrs. Haydon could not

scold Lena, Mrs. Kreder was always there with her, and it would not be

right to scold Lena, when Mrs. Kreder was there, who had now the real

right to do it. And so her aunt always said nice things now to Lena,

and though Mrs. Haydon sometimes was a little worried when she saw

Lena looking sad and not careful, she did not have time just then to

really worry much about it.

Lena now never any more saw the girls she always used to sit with. She

had no way now to see them and it was not in Lena's nature to search

out ways to see them, nor did she now ever think much of the days when

she had been used to see them. They never any of them had come to the

Kreder house to see her. Not even Irish Mary had ever thought to come

to see her. Lena had been soon forgotten by them. They had soon passed

away from Lena and now Lena never thought any more that she had ever

known them.

The only one of her old friends who tried to know what Lena liked and

what she needed, and who always made Lena come to see her, was the

good german cook who had always scolded. She now scolded Lena hard for

letting herself go so, and going out when she was looking so untidy.

"I know you going to have a baby Lena, but that's no way for you to be

looking. I am ashamed most to see you come and sit here in my kitchen,

looking so sloppy and like you never used to Lena. I never see anybody

like you Lena. Herman is very good to you, you always say so, and he

don't treat you bad even though you don't deserve to have anybody good

to you, you so careless all the time, Lena, letting yourself go like

you never had anybody tell you what was the right way you should know

how to be looking. No, Lena, I don't see no reason you should let

yourself go so and look so untidy Lena, so I am ashamed to see you sit

there looking so ugly, Lena. No Lena that ain't no way ever I see a

woman make things come out better, letting herself go so every way and

crying all the time like as if you had real trouble. I never wanted to

see you marry Herman Kreder, Lena, I knew what you got to stand with

that old woman always, and that old man, he is so stingy too and he

don't say things out but he ain't any better in his heart than his

wife with her bad ways, I know that Lena, I know they don't hardly

give you enough to eat, Lena, I am real sorry for you Lena, you know

that Lena, but that ain't any way to be going round so untidy Lena,

even if you have got all that trouble. You never see me do like that

Lena, though sometimes I got a headache so I can't see to stand to

be working hardly, and nothing comes right with all my cooking, but I

always see Lena, I look decent. That's the only way a german girl can

make things come out right Lena. You hear me what I am saying to you

Lena. Now you eat something nice Lena, I got it all ready for you, and

you wash up and be careful Lena and the baby will come all right to

you, and then I make your Aunt Mathilda see that you live in a house

soon all alone with Herman and your baby, and then everything go

better for you. You hear me what I say to you Lena. Now don't let me

ever see you come looking like this any more Lena, and you just stop

with that always crying. You ain't got no reason to be sitting there

now with all that crying, I never see anybody have trouble it did them

any good to do the way you are doing, Lena. You hear me Lena. You go

home now and you be good the way I tell you Lena, and I see what I can

do. I make your Aunt Mathilda make old Mrs. Kreder let you be till you

get your baby all right. Now don't you be scared and so silly Lena. I

don't like to see you act so Lena when really you got a nice man and

so many things really any girl should be grateful to be having. Now

you go home Lena to-day and you do the way I say, to you, and I see

what I can do to help you."

"Yes Mrs. Aldrich" said the good german woman to her mistress later,

"Yes Mrs. Aldrich that's the way it is with them girls when they want

so to get married. They don't know when they got it good Mrs. Aldrich.

They never know what it is they're really wanting when they got it,

Mrs. Aldrich. There's that poor Lena, she just been here crying and

looking so careless so I scold her, but that was no good that marrying

for that poor Lena, Mrs. Aldrich. She do look so pale and sad now Mrs.

Aldrich, it just break my heart to see her. She was a good girl was

Lena, Mrs. Aldrich, and I never had no trouble with her like I got

with so many young girls nowadays, Mrs. Aldrich, and I never see any

girl any better to work right than our Lena, and now she got to stand

it all the time with that old woman Mrs. Kreder. My! Mrs. Aldrich, she

is a bad old woman to her. I never see Mrs. Aldrich how old people can

be so bad to young girls and not have no kind of patience with them.

If Lena could only live with her Herman, he ain't so bad the way men

are, Mrs. Aldrich, but he is just the way always his mother wants him,

he ain't got no spirit in him, and so I don't really see no help for

that poor Lena. I know her aunt, Mrs. Haydon, meant it all right for

her Mrs. Aldrich, but poor Lena, it would be better for her if her

Herman had stayed there in New York that time he went away to leave

her. I don't like it the way Lena is looking now, Mrs. Aldrich. She

looks like as if she don't have no life left in her hardly, Mrs.

Aldrich, she just drags around and looks so dirty and after all the

pains I always took to teach her and to keep her nice in her ways and

looking. It don't do no good to them, for them girls to get married

Mrs. Aldrich, they are much better when they only know it, to stay in

a good place when they got it, and keep on regular with their working.

I don't like it the way Lena looks now Mrs. Aldrich. I wish I knew

some way to help that poor Lena, Mrs. Aldrich, but she she is a bad

old woman, that old Mrs. Kreder, Herman's mother. I speak to Mrs.

Haydon real soon, Mrs. Aldrich, I see what we can do now to help that

poor Lena."

These were really bad days for poor Lena. Herman always was real

good to her and now he even sometimes tried to stop his mother from

scolding Lena. "She ain't well now mama, you let her be now you hear

me. You tell me what it is you want she should be doing, I tell her. I

see she does it right just the way you want it mama. You let be, I say

now mama, with that always scolding Lena. You let be, I say now, you

wait till she is feeling better." Herman was getting really strong

to struggle, for he could see that Lena with that baby working hard

inside her, really could not stand it any longer with his mother and

the awful ways she always scolded.

It was a new feeling Herman now had inside him that made him feel he

was strong to make a struggle. It was new for Herman Kreder really to

be wanting something, but Herman wanted strongly now to be a father,

and he wanted badly that his baby should be a boy and healthy, Herman

never had cared really very much about his father and his mother,

though always, all his life, he had done everything just as they

wanted, and he had never really cared much about his wife, Lena,

though he always had been very good to her, and had always tried to

keep his mother off her, with the awful way she always scolded, but to

be really a father of a little baby, that feeling took hold of Herman

very deeply. He was almost ready, so as to save his baby from all

trouble, to really make a strong struggle with his mother and with his

father, too, if he would not help him to control his mother.

Sometimes Herman even went to Mrs. Haydon to talk all this trouble

over. They decided then together, it was better to wait there all four

together for the baby, and Herman could make Mrs. Kreder stop a little

with her scolding, and then when Lena was a little stronger, Herman

should have his own house for her, next door to his father, so he

could always be there to help him in his working, but so they could

eat and sleep in a house where the old woman could not control them

and they could not hear her awful scolding.

And so things went on, the same way, a little longer. Poor Lena was

not feeling any joy to have a baby. She was scared the way she had

been when she was so sick on the water. She was scared now every time

when anything would hurt her. She was scared and still and lifeless,

and sure that every minute she would die. Lena had no power to be

strong in this kind of trouble, she could only sit still and be

scared, and dull, and lifeless, and sure that every minute she would

die.

Before very long, Lena had her baby. He was a good, healthy little

boy, the baby. Herman cared very much to have the baby. When Lena was

a little stronger he took a house next door to the old couple, so he

and his own family could eat and sleep and do the way they wanted.

This did not seem to make much change now for Lena. She was just the

same as when she was waiting with her baby. She just dragged around

and was careless with her clothes and all lifeless, and she acted

always and lived on just as if she had no feeling. She always did

everything regular with the work, the way she always had had to do it,

but she never got back any spirit in her. Herman was always good and

kind, and always helped her with her working. He did everything he

knew to help her. He always did all the active new things in the house

and for the baby. Lena did what she had to do the way she always had

been taught it. She always just kept going now with her working, and

she was always careless, and dirty, and a little dazed, and lifeless.

Lena never got any better in herself of this way of being that she had

had ever since she had been married.

Mrs. Haydon never saw any more of her niece, Lena. Mrs. Haydon had now

so much trouble with her own house, and her daughters getting married,

and her boy, who was growing up, and who always was getting so much

worse to manage. She knew she had done right by Lena. Herman Kreder

was a good man, she would be glad to get one so good, sometimes,

for her own daughters, and now they had a home to live in together,

separate from the old people, who had made their trouble for them.

Mrs. Haydon felt she had done very well by her niece, Lena, and she

never thought now she needed any more to go and see her. Lena would do

very well now without her aunt to trouble herself any more about her.

The good german cook who had always scolded, still tried to do her

duty like a mother to poor Lena. It was very hard now to do right by

Lena. Lena never seemed to hear now what anyone was saying to her.

Herman was always doing everything he could to help her. Herman

always, when he was home, took good care of the baby. Herman loved

to take care of his baby. Lena never thought to take him out or to do

anything she didn't have to.

The good cook sometimes made Lena come to see her. Lena would come

with her baby and sit there in the kitchen, and watch the good woman

cooking, and listen to her sometimes a little, the way she used to,

while the good german woman scolded her for going around looking so

careless when now she had no trouble, and sitting there so dull, and

always being just so thankless. Sometimes Lena would wake up a little

and get back into her face her old, gentle, patient, and unsuffering

sweetness, but mostly Lena did not seem to hear much when the good

german woman scolded. Lena always liked it when Mrs. Aldrich her good

mistress spoke to her kindly, and then Lena would seem to go back

and feel herself to be like she was when she had been in service.

But mostly Lena just lived along and was careless in her clothes, and

dull, and lifeless.

By and by Lena had two more little babies. Lena was not so much scared

now when she had the babies. She did not seem to notice very much

when they hurt her, and she never seemed to feel very much now about

anything that happened to her.

They were very nice babies, all these three that Lena had, and Herman

took good care of them always. Herman never really cared much about

his wife, Lena. The only things Herman ever really cared for were his

babies. Herman always was very good to his children. He always had a

gentle, tender way when he held them. He learned to be very handy with

them. He spent all the time he was not working, with them. By and by

he began to work all day in his own home so that he could have his

children always in the same room with him.

Lena always was more and more lifeless and Herman now mostly never

thought about her. He more and more took all the care of their three

children. He saw to their eating right and their washing, and he

dressed them every morning, and he taught them the right way to do

things, and he put them to their sleeping, and he was now always every

minute with them. Then there was to come to them, a fourth baby. Lena

went to the hospital near by to have the baby. Lena seemed to be going

to have much trouble with it. When the baby was come out at last, it

was like its mother lifeless. While it was coming, Lena had grown very

pale and sicker. When it was all over Lena had died, too, and nobody

knew just how it had happened to her.

The good german cook who had always scolded Lena, and had always to

the last day tried to help her, was the only one who ever missed

her. She remembered how nice Lena had looked all the time she was

in service with her, and how her voice had been so gentle and

sweet-sounding, and how she always was a good girl, and how she never

had to have any trouble with her, the way she always had with all the

other girls who had been taken into the house to help her. The good

cook sometimes spoke so of Lena when she had time to have a talk with

Mrs. Aldrich, and this was all the remembering there now ever was of

Lena.

Herman Kreder now always lived very happy, very gentle, very quiet,

very well content alone with his three children. He never had a woman

any more to be all the time around him. He always did all his own

work in his house, when he was through every day with the work he was

always doing for his father. Herman always was alone, and he always

worked alone, until his little ones were big enough to help him.

Herman Kreder was very well content now and he always lived very

regular and peaceful, and with every day just like the next one,

always alone now with his three good, gentle children.

FINIS