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54
CREOLE SKETCHES

such way as I find myself have to sleep on one floor much hard and all vat dere vas of dirty. And never again I not noting see of de woman of color vat owe to me near twenty of dollaire.

. . . But I stay in de house, for one oder woman of color enter in morning; and she have much of furnitures. I explique myself to her, and she tell me in Creole — "To s'ré resté 'vec moue, mo to donné belle chamb' garni asteur, pou' même prix."[1] And I myself dere install. She ask me dat I pay in advance; and I not like for refuse, like I not have time for look for more rooms. C'est égal, say to myself I.

Sometime she clean well my room; and sometime she not it clean not of all. Sometime she permit to strange mens of color dat dey enter my room; and dey

  1. Editor's Note: The Gumbo, or Creole, given above may best be rendered into the Gullah of our English-speaking coast thus:
    "You be stay wid me, me gib yo' fine fuhnish' room now-now, fuh same price."