Untitled story (“Yessah!” said Mrs. . . )

Introduction

(“Yessah!” said Mrs. . . “) is an unfinished and untitled short fragment featuring a conversation between two women, with one recounting her success in ending her husband’s extramarital affair. Despite its brevity, the piece highlights themes of loyalty, determination, and assertiveness within a domestic context.

Summary

The story opens with Mrs. ______ stating confidently that the “Harper woman” will no longer be romantically pursuing her husband. She declares that she has put an end to the affair, using the metaphor of “put[ting] the exit sign on dat affair.”

Her friend, intrigued by this statement, reacts with curiosity and admiration. She acknowledges the reputation of the Harper woman as someone difficult to dissuade once she has set her sights on a man. The friend’s eagerness underscores the perceived challenge Mrs. ______ overcame.

Mrs. ______ responds with satisfaction, proudly gesturing to her strong and substantial arm. She asserts that while her husband “ain’t much account,” she has invested considerable effort into securing him and refuses to allow another woman to take him away. Her words reveal both her practicality and her resolve to protect what she considers hers.

The fragment ends with this assertion of dominance and finality, leaving the impression of a strong-willed woman who takes matters into her own hands when her domestic stability is threatened.

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