to her Sam, that father she had, acting always
just like a brute to her and she so game and never to tell anybody how
it hurt her. And she so sweet and good always to do anything anybody
ever can be wanting. I don't see Sam how some men can be to act so
awful. I told you Sam, how once Melanctha broke her arm bad and she
was so sick and it hurt her awful and he never would let no doctor
come near to her and he do some things so awful to her, she don't
never want to tell nobody how bad he hurt her. That's just the way Sam
with Melanctha always, you never can know how bad it is, it hurts
her. You hear me Sam, you always be real good to her now you and me is
married right to each other."

And so Rose and Sam Johnson were regularly married, and Rose sat at
home and bragged to all her friends how nice it was to be married
really to a husband.

Rose did not have Melanctha to live with her, now Rose was married.
Melanctha was with Rose almost as much as ever but it was a little
different now their being together.

Rose Johnson never asked Melanctha to live with her in the house, now
Rose was married. Rose liked to have Melanctha come all the time to
help her, Rose liked Melanctha to be almost always with her, but Rose
was shrewd in her simple selfish nature, she did not ever think to ask
Melanctha to live with her.

Rose was hard headed, she was decent, and she always knew what it was
she needed. Rose needed Melanctha to be with her, she liked to have
her help her, the quick, good Melanctha to do for the slow, lazy,
selfish, black girl, but Rose could have Melanctha to do for her and
she did not need her to live with her.

Sam never asked Rose why she did not have her. Sam always took what
Rose wanted should be done for Melanctha, as the right way he should
act toward her.

It could never come to Melanctha to ask Rose to let her. It never
could come to Melanctha to think that Rose would ask her. It would
never ever come to Melanctha to want it, if Rose should ask her, but
Melanctha would have done it for the safety she always felt when she
was near her. Melanctha Herbert wanted badly to be safe now, but this
living with her, that, Rose would never give her. Rose had strong
the sense for decent comfort, Rose had strong the sense for proper
conduct, Rose had strong the sense to get straight always what she
wanted, and she always knew what was the best thing she needed, and
always Rose got what she wanted.

And so Rose