way everybody always did it. It's certainly no use to me
Melanctha, I certainly can't ever keep mad with you Melanctha, my dear
one. But don't you ever be thinking it's because I think you right
in what you been just saying to me. I don't Melanctha really think it
that way, honest, though I certainly can't get mad the way I ought to.
No Melanctha, little girl, really truly, you ain't right the way you
think it. I certainly do know that Melanctha, honest. You certainly
don't do me right Melanctha, the way you say you are thinking.
Good-bye Melanctha, though you certainly is my own little girl for
always." And then they were very good a little to each other, and then
Jeff went away for that evening, from her.

Melanctha had begun now once more to wander. Melanctha did not yet
always wander, but a little now she needed to begin to look for
others. Now Melanctha Herbert began again to be with some of the
better kind of black girls, and with them she sometimes wandered.
Melanctha had not yet come again to need to be alone, when she
wandered.

Jeff Campbell did not know that Melanctha had begun again to wander.
All Jeff knew, was that now he could not be so often with her.

Jeff never knew how it had come to happen to him, but now he never
thought to go to see Melanctha Herbert, until he had before, asked
her if she could be going to have time then to have him with her. Then
Melanctha would think a little, and then she would say to him, "Let me
see Jeff, to-morrow, you was just saying to me. I certainly am awful
busy you know Jeff just now. It certainly does seem to me this week
Jeff, I can't anyways fix it. Sure I want to see you soon Jeff. I
certainly Jeff got to do a little more now, I been giving so much
time, when I had no business, just to be with you when you asked me.
Now I guess Jeff, I certainly can't see you no more this week Jeff,
the way I got to do things." "All right Melanctha," Jeff would answer
and he would be very angry. "I want to come only just certainly as
you want me now Melanctha." "Now Jeff you know I certainly can't be
neglecting always to be with everybody just to see you. You come see
me next week Tuesday Jeff, you hear me. I don't think Jeff I certainly
be so busy, Tuesday." Jeff Campbell would then go away and leave her,
and he would be hurt and very angry, for it was hard for a man with a
great pride in himself, like Jeff Campbell, to feel himself no better
than a beggar. And yet he always ca