Three Lives: Stories of The Good Anna, Melanctha and The Gentle LenaStein, Gertrude
General
Three Lives: Stories of The Good Anna, Melanctha and The Gentle Lena
Stein, Gertrude
Working class women -- Fiction
At last Jefferson began to talk about how the lamp was smelling.
Jefferson began to explain what it is that makes a lamp get to
smelling. Melanctha let him talk. She did not answer, and then he
stopped in his talking. Soon Melanctha began to sit up straighter and
then she started in to question.
"About what you was just saying Dr. Campbell about living regular and
all that, I certainly don't understand what you meant by what you was
just saying. You ain't a bit like good people Dr. Campbell, like
the good people you are always saying are just like you. I know good
people Dr. Campbell, and you ain't a bit like men who are good and
got religion. You are just as free and easy as any man can be Dr.
Campbell, and you always like to be with Jane Harden, and she is a
pretty bad one and you don't look down on her and you never tell her
she is a bad one. I know you like her just like a friend Dr. Campbell,
and so I certainly don't understand just what it is you mean by all
that you was just saying to me. I know you mean honest Dr. Campbell,
and I am always trying to believe you, but I can't say as I see just
what you mean when you say you want to be good and real pious, because
I am very certain Dr. Campbell that you ain't that kind of a man at
all, and you ain't never ashamed to be with queer folks Dr. Campbell,
and you seem to be thinking what you are doing is just like what you
are always saying, and Dr. Campbell, I certainly don't just see what
you mean by what you say."
Dr. Campbell almost laughed loud enough to wake 'Mis' Herbert. He did
enjoy the way Melanctha said these things to him. He began to feel
very strongly about it that perhaps Melanctha really had a good mind.
He was very free now in his laughing, but not so as to make Melanctha
angry. He was very friendly with her in his laughing, and then he
made his face get serious, and he rubbed his head to help him in his
thinking.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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