Sally by J. Schlenker

Author:J. Schlenker [Schlenker, J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: J. Schlenker

“Miss Sally, what happened that made you so proud?” Alice asked.

“Mr. John have a farm up the road. He and his wife mighty fine people, and he always ax’n me to come and clean. His wife was a frail little thing. She was a hard worker but wore out easy. But she was always so kind. I just loved her to death. And, Mr. John, he pay me well. He paid me by the job, a little somethin’ for cleanin’ and a little somethin’ for laundry. He be a generous man. Too generous fer his own good. So’s on weekends I take Sally May with me. She a grown woman by then. She work as a cook durin’ the week at the St. Charles Hotel in Vanceburg. Oh, Sally May be a mighty fine cook.”

“I’ve heard a lot about your cooking. Mr. Bonzo mentioned your fried chicken and cornbread one day when I talked to him. I guess your daughter came by it naturally.”

Sally laughed. “Aw, well, I don’t know ‘bout that, but I did teach her how to make pies. She had the flakiest crusts of anybody ‘round. Sometimes she made pies on the side and sold ‘em. Mr. John loved her apple pies.”

“I’ll bet.”

“Then one day, we’s got the news that Mr. John’s wife up and died. Doctor said she had a bad heart, the reason she tired so easily. Well, Mr. John went away fer a while. Was Cincinnati, I think. Come back with a new wife. A younger one. People’s tongues wagged. They’s liked their gossip. A young woman, and she painted her lips red. I see's the other men lookin’ at her, too. I guess all men get their heads turned by a purty face, even a good one like Mr. John. The second was nothin’ like his first wife. God rest her soul. She was a good woman. But the second one—I don’t like to talk ‘bout people, but she had a sharp tongue on her. And lazy. Oh, that woman was lazy.

“Mr. John all but begged me and Sally May to come help. I ne’er liked to believe in the gossip. It was somethin’ in my gut that say stay away. But, I’s thought of poor Mr. John. So’s, I ignored that feelin’ in the pit of my belly, and we went. That house had gotten into a terrible state.

“The new wife was actin’ ugly to us right from the start. She liked to have company o’er while we worked. She rang her little bell, sayin’ fetch this or fetch that. While we’s in the next room, we hear her boast to the company, I don't have to work now ‘cause I got two niggers to do the work.

“Sally May, when she hears this, she be seething. She say to me, Mama, we don’t have to take this. She holds her head up high, walks right past them women through the main room. We always come and leave through the back door. Sally May stops for a moment and says, This nigger is a leavin’.

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