“No, an’ if I could I wouldn’t. What do you want of her, anyway? Hain’t she had enough trouble, without some new thing bobbin’ up?”
“I fear you misunderstand me; I want to see her for her own good.”
“Yes, I s’pose so. I know what you want and you won’t git her, neither. She’s all I got, an’ she loves me, if I am pore and miserable.”
I expressed my surprise at her remarks and followed up with the assurance that I knew she was the object of my search, but I said:
“If you will tell me where I can get something to eat, I will first satisfy the inner man, then I want to have a long talk with you.”
“My Lord, man, you don’t spect to find nothin’ to eat here, do you? Fer if you do, sir, you’re much mistaken. In the first place this hain’t no hotel nor ‘caffey.’ Why, we hain’t had a square meal in three months; fact; not sence her monkey died.”
“Whose monkey? Who is ‘her’?”
“Oh, that’s it, eh? Well, I guess you know.”
“No, indeed, I don’t know what you mean, but if you will tell me where to find something fit for a man to take into his stomach, I will go and eat and bring you something.”
“Oh, will you? Well, jes’ go to the next corner south, turn to the left and you will find ‘Peggy Pete’s’ place; I guess you can git about anything you want.”