17

A WORD
WITH THE WOMEN

(By Elia W. Peattie.)

I have a little boy 4 years of age, and
sometimes he talks to me. He is especially
fond of doing this in the morning,
when, awaking, as fresh as any rose
with the dew in its heart, he puts his
arms around my neck for an early morning
hug.

The other morning the following conversation
occurred:
"Dat ooo, mamma?"
"That's who it is. Going to wake up?"
"Me are wake. Mamma, what me
wake up for?"
Because the morning has come, I
suppose,"
"What make mornin' come?"
"God makes it come,"
"How he do dat, me like 'a know"
"He turns the big world round so the
sun can shine on it."
"Oh! Do oo lobe me, mamma?"
"More than anything in the world,
You are the sweetest thing in the world,
you know."
"Yes, me is, Me lobe oo too. Mamma,
what is women?"
"Women? Why-why, ladies, you
know."
"No, dey is woman. Me wants to
know what is women."
"A woman is one lady, Women means
several ladies."
"Oh! mamma, what is rattlesnakes
for?"
"I'm blessed if I know. What are little
boys for?"
"Oh, little boys-oh! ho! he!
hah! ha! Why little boys is made to libe,
and to play and to kiss and to habe
fun?"
"Are they, indeed?"
"But rattlesnakes can no play, and
kiss and habe fun."
"Perhaps they do. I have seen snakes
that run along happily, and seemed to
be having a beautiful time in the sun."
"Are it naughty to kill happy things?"
"I think so."
"Are it bad to kill bears?"
"Well, yes, if they are doing no harm.
They have a right to live."
"Maybe bears feel bad-maybe they
no happy. How you fin' out if bears
happy before you shoot?"
"I never shot a bear, I don't know."
"Mamma, why you no know eberything?"
"My head isn't big enough."
"Mamma, what is difference 'tween a
nigger and a niggerbocker like what me
wear on my legs?"
"There is no such thing as a nigger.
You mean a negro-an African? He is
a colored man."
"Oh! An' a niggerbocker?"
"A knickerbocker. Those are short
trousers. Negroes and knickerbockers
have nothing to do with one another."
"Mamma!"
"What?"
"He! He! Ha! Sometimes they do!"
"When?"
"When a little colored boy wears short
pants!"
"You rascal! Get right out of this bed
this minute and get dressed. Get out!"
"No, me get out before oo do!"
"You certainly the most ridiculous
boy in the world."
"Yes, me is."