The Praline Woman

by Alice Dunbar-Nelson

　　

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The praline woman sits by the side of the Archbishop's quaintlittle old chapel on Royal Street, and slowly waves her latanierfan over the pink and brown wares."Pralines, pralines. Ah, ma'amzelle, you buy? S'il vous plait,ma'amzelle, ces pralines, dey be fine, ver' fresh."Mais non, maman, you are not sure?"Sho', chile, ma bebe, ma petite, she put dese up hissef. He'shans' so small, ma'amzelle, lak you's, mais brune. She put deseup dis morn'. You tak' none? No husban' fo' you den!"Ah, ma petite, you tak'? Cinq sous, bebe, may le bon Dieu keepyou good!"Mais oui, madame, I know you etranger. You don' look lak deseNew Orleans peop'. You lak' dose Yankee dat come down 'fo' dewar."Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong, chimes the Cathedral bell acrossJack- son Square, and the praline woman crosses herself."Hail, Mary, full of grace--"Pralines, madame? You buy lak' dat? Dix sous, madame, an' onelil' piece fo' lagniappe fo' madame's lil' bebe. Ah, c'est bon!"Pralines, pralines, so fresh, so fine! M'sieu would lak' somefo' he's lil' gal' at home? Mais non, what's dat you say? She'sdaid! Ah, m'sieu, 'tis my lil' gal what died long year ago.Misere, misere!"Here come dat lazy Indien squaw. What she good fo', anyhow? Shejes' sit lak dat in de French Market an' sell her file, an'sleep, sleep, sleep, lak' so in he's blanket. Hey, dere, you,Tonita, how goes you' beezness?"Pralines, pralines! Holy Father, you give me dat blessin' sho'?Tak' one, I know you lak dat w'ite one. It tas' good, I know,bien."Pralines, madame? I lak' you' face. What fo' you wear black?You' lil' boy daid? You tak' one, jes' see how it tas'. I hadone lil' boy once, he jes' grow 'twell he's big lak' dis, den oneday he tak' sick an' die. Oh, madame, it mos' brek my po' heart.I burn candle in St. Rocque, I say my beads, I sprinkle holywater roun' he's bed; he jes' lay so, he's eyes turn up, he say'Maman, maman,' den he die! Madame, you tak' one. Non, non, nol'argent, you tak' one fo' my lil' boy's sake."Pralines, pralines, m'sieu? Who mak' dese? My lil' gal,Didele, of co'se. Non, non, I don't mak' no mo'. Po' TanteMarie get too ol'. Didele? She's one lil' gal I 'dopt. I seeher one day in de strit. He walk so; hit col' she shiver, an' Isay, 'Where you gone, lil' gal?' and he can' tell. He jes' cripclose to me, an' cry so! Den I tak' her home wid me, and she sayhe's name Didele. You see dey wa'nt nobody dere. My lil' gal,she's daid of de yellow fever; my lil' boy, he's daid, po' TanteMarie all alone. Didele, she grow fine, she keep house an' mek'pralines. Den, when night come, she sit wid he's guitar an'sing, "'Tu l'aime ces trois jours,Tu l'aime ces trois jours,Ma coeur a toi,Ma coeur a toi,Tu l'aime ces trois jours!'"Ah, he's fine gal, is Didele!"Pralines, pralines! Dat lil' cloud, h'it look lak' rain, I hopeno."Here come dat lazy I'ishman down de strit. I don't lak'I'ishman, me, non, dey so funny. One day one I'ishman, he say tome, 'Auntie, what fo' you talk so?' and I jes' say back, 'Whatfo' you say "Faith an' be jabers"?' Non, I don' lak I'ishman,me!"Here come de rain! Now I got fo' to go. Didele, she be waitfo' me. Down h'it come! H'it fall in de Meesseesip, an' fillup--up--so, clean to de levee, den we have big crivasse, an' po'Tante Marie float away. Bon jour, madame, you come again?Pralines! Pralines!"

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