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
"Why, Miss Melanctha," said Campbell slowly, "why you see I just can't
say that right out that way to you. Why sure you know Miss Melanctha,
I will be very glad if it comes by and by that we are always
friends together, but you see, Miss Melanctha, I certainly am a very
slow-minded quiet kind of fellow though I do say quick things all the
time to everybody, and when I certainly do want to mean it what I am
saying to you, I can't say things like that right out to everybody
till I know really more for certain all about you, and how I like you,
and what I really mean to do better for you. You certainly do see what
I mean, Miss Melanctha." "I certainly do admire you for talking honest
to me, Jeff Campbell," said Melanctha. "Oh, I am always honest,
Miss Melanctha. It's easy enough for me always to be honest, Miss
Melanctha. All I got to do is always just to say right out what I am
thinking. I certainly never have got any real reason for not saying it
right out like that to anybody."
They sat together, very silent. "I certainly do wonder, Miss
Melanctha," at last began Jeff Campbell, "I certainly do wonder, if
we know very right, you and me, what each other is really thinking.
I certainly do wonder, Miss Melanctha, if we know at all really what
each other means by what we are always saying." "That certainly do
mean, by what you say, that you think I am a bad one, Jeff Campbell,"
flashed out Melanctha. "Why no, Miss Melanctha, why sure I don't mean
any thing like that at all, by what I am saying to you. You know well
as I do, Miss Melanctha, I think better of you every day I see you,
and I like to talk with you all the time now, Miss Melanctha, and I
certainly do think we both like it very well when we are together,
and it seems to me always more, you are very good and sweet always
to everybody. It only is, I am really so slow-minded in my ways, Miss
Melanctha, for all I talk so quick to everybody, and I don't like to
say to you what I don't know for very sure, and I certainly don't know
for sure I know just all what you mean by what you are always saying
to me. And you see, Miss Melanctha, that's what makes me say what I
was just saying to you when you asked me."
"I certainly do thank you again for being honest to me, Dr. Campbell,"
said Melanctha. "I guess I leave you now, Dr. Campbell. I think I go
in the other room and rest a little. I leave you here, so perhaps if I
ain't here you will maybe sleep and rest yourself a little. Good night
now, Dr. Campbell, I call you if I need you later to help me, Dr.
Campbell, I hope you rest well, Dr. Campbell."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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