hough Melanctha
still always tried to be good to her. And Rose, she hated that stuck
up, mean speaking, nasty, drunk thing, Jane Harden. Rose did not see
how Melanctha could bear to ever see her, but Melanctha always was so
good to everybody, she never would know how to act to people the way
they deserved that she should do it.

Rose did not know much about Melanctha, and Jeff Campbell and Jane
Harden. All Rose knew about Melanctha was her old life with her mother
and her father. Rose was always glad to be good to poor Melanctha, who
had had such an awful time with her mother and her father, and now she
was alone and had nobody who could help her. "He was a awful black man
to you Melanctha, I like to get my hands on him so he certainly could
feel it. I just would Melanctha, now you hear me."

Perhaps it was this simple faith and simple anger and simple moral way
of doing in Rose, that Melanctha now found such a comfort to her. Rose
was selfish and was stupid and was lazy, but she was decent and knew
always what was the right way she should do, and what she wanted, and
she certainly did admire how bright was her friend Melanctha Herbert,
and she certainly did feel how very much it was she always suffered
and she scolded her to keep her from more trouble, and she never was
angry when she found some of the different ways Melanctha Herbert
sometimes had to do it.

And so always Rose and Melanctha were more and more together, and Jeff
Campbell could now hardly ever any more be alone with Melanctha.

Once Jeff had to go away to another town to see a sick man. "When I
come back Monday Melanctha, I come Monday evening to see you. You be
home alone once Melanctha to see me." "Sure Jeff, I be glad to see
you!"

When Jeff Campbell came to his house on Monday there was a note
there from Melanctha. Could Jeff come day after to-morrow, Wednesday?
Melanctha was so sorry she had to go out that evening. She was awful
sorry and she hoped Jeff would not be angry.

Jeff was angry and he swore a little, and then he laughed, and then he
sighed. "Poor Melanctha, she don't know any way to be real honest, but
no matter, I sure do love her and I be good if only she will let me."

Jeff Campbell went Wednesday night to see Melanctha. Jeff Campbell
took her in his arms and kissed her. "I certainly am awful sorry not
to see you Jeff Monday, the way I promised, but I just couldn't Jeff,
no way I could fix it." Jeff looked at her and then he l