don't understand what you meant by what you was
just saying. You ain't a bit like good people Dr. Campbell, like
the good people you are always saying are just like you. I know good
people Dr. Campbell, and you ain't a bit like men who are good and
got religion. You are just as free and easy as any man can be Dr.
Campbell, and you always like to be with Jane Harden, and she is a
pretty bad one and you don't look down on her and you never tell her
she is a bad one. I know you like her just like a friend Dr. Campbell,
and so I certainly don't understand just what it is you mean by all
that you was just saying to me. I know you mean honest Dr. Campbell,
and I am always trying to believe you, but I can't say as I see just
what you mean when you say you want to be good and real pious, because
I am very certain Dr. Campbell that you ain't that kind of a man at
all, and you ain't never ashamed to be with queer folks Dr. Campbell,
and you seem to be thinking what you are doing is just like what you
are always saying, and Dr. Campbell, I certainly don't just see what
you mean by what you say."

Dr. Campbell almost laughed loud enough to wake 'Mis' Herbert. He did
enjoy the way Melanctha said these things to him. He began to feel
very strongly about it that perhaps Melanctha really had a good mind.
He was very free now in his laughing, but not so as to make Melanctha
angry. He was very friendly with her in his laughing, and then he
made his face get serious, and he rubbed his head to help him in his
thinking.

"I know Miss Melanctha" he began, "It ain't very easy for you to
understand what I was meaning by what I was just saying to you, and
perhaps some of the good people I like so wouldn't think very much,
any more than you do, Miss Melanctha, about the ways I have to be
good. But that's no matter Miss Melanctha. What I mean Miss Melanctha
by what I was just saying to you is, that I don't, no, never, believe
in doing things just to get excited. You see Miss Melanctha I mean the
way so many of the colored people do it. Instead of just working hard
and caring about their working and living regular with their families
and saving up all their money, so they will have some to bring up
their children better, instead of living regular and doing like that
and getting all their new ways from just decent living, the colored
people just keep running around and perhaps drinking and doing
everything bad they can ever think of, and not jus