Solomon Crow's Christmas Pockets and Other Tales

eggs in the nest, but she could not be quite sure, an

ic, and even fine mathematicians are said t

satisfied to begin sitting, there were exactly ten eggs in the nest

ay by day, behind the golden-rod, and blinked and reflected and listened for the dear "paddle, paddle" of Sir Sooty's feet, and his

IN' TO S

for a short walk in the glaring sun, she was apt to be dizzy and to see strange spots before

r eyes nineteen times, and even rubbed them with her web-feet, so that she might not see double, but it was all in vain. Before her dazzled eyes twenty little pointed eggs lay, and when she sat upon them they felt strange to he

was a very good quack, and she believed in

en confined too closely and was threatened with foie gras, she only sighed and closed her eyes,

ten by taking out one every day until poor Quackalina's patience was worn out-the same boy who had not used her as a decoy only because he wanted her to stay at home and raise little d

out as many eggs again as a guinea-hen will, an' the guinea 'll cov

r none but herself and the boy knew where her nest wa

PUT OUT

er breast-eggs so little that she could roll two at once under her foot-she did not know what to thin

f the reeds along shore, and she knew their little toy eggs. She knew the eggs of snakes,

den-rod for fully thirteen seconds. Then she got better, but it was not until she had taken a nip at the pepper-grass that she was sufficiently warmed up to hold up her head and think. And when she thought, she was comforted. Thes

And presently she had a funny, funny dream, which is much too long to go into this story, which is a

s little stirrings under her downy breast that it was almost over. At the first real movement against h

ll was only a soft "qua', qua'," to common ears, to those who have the finest hearing it was full of a heavenly tenderness. But there was a tremor in it, too-a tremor of fear; and the fear was so terrible that it kept her from looking down even when she knew a little head was thrusti

at long night for lit

ute; outside, the white moonlight; and always in sight across the yard, just

at her first glance into the nest must bring her grief. The tiny restless things beneath her brooding wings were chirping in an unknown tongue. But their wiry Japa

ef in seeing beautiful feathered things, at least, was greater than any other

ed-booted hatchlings, although she longed for her own dear, ugly, smoky, "beautiful" ducklings, she could not help feelin

own ducklings there? If these were only little "step-ducks," she was resolved that, in the language

was the place where she could best think qu

ing in the very centre of one of the feed-troughs in the yard, and letting the farmer turn the great mass of cooked "feed" all over him. Greedy ducks often act that way. Even the snow-white Pekins do it. It is bad enough any time, but on the great morning when one becomes a pap

t the cow-pond, for it is this that m

at the sight of the beautiful water. And then, plunging in, she took one delightful dive be

th

nd shook their heads. And then it was that Quackalina

hey seemed to enjoy quite as much as if they had been young ducks. And then Quackalina, seeing them quite happy, struck out for the very middle of the pond. She would have one glorious outing, at least. Oh, how sweet the water was! How it soothed the tender spots under her weary

this little black mother-duck-the part that is so ple

," she raised her eyes and looked before her to see just where she was. And then the vision she seemed to

le ugly, smoky, "beautiful" ducks! Ten little ducks that looked precisely like ever

wings and quacked aloud three times, and three time

s, hysterical guinea-hen was tearing along, and in a voice like a carving-knife screeching aloud with terror. It went through Quackalina's bosom like a neuralgia, but she didn't mind it very much. Indeed, she forgot it instantly when

tice that at its first note there were twenty little pocket-knife answers from over the pond, and that in a twinkling twenty pairs of red satin bo

herself, "Goodness gracious me!" she looked anxiously ashore for them, but not a red boot could she see. The whole

rieve more. She didn't understand it at all, and it made her almost afraid to g

very amusing thi

her wings, while Sir Sooty waddled proudly around her with the waddle that Quackalina thought the most graceful walk i

o tell it on him, but he actually burst out laughing, and told her, with

UTIFUL DUCKS WER

d a very long word for a quack doctor. It sounded like 'lucination. And he told Quackalina never, on any account, to tell any one else so absurd

n all honest ducks, excepting somnambulists and such as have vindications on hand, are asleep, Quackalina led the way back to the old nest. But when she got

oy had cleared

ly her own ten ducks always near, and never sighting such a thing as little, flecke

again is another story. But while Quackalina sits and blinks upon the bank among the mallows, with all her ugly "bea

ery word true. If anybody doesn't

EA

EA

wiry, cracked voice that would have been pitiful to hear had it not been so merry and so constantly heard in the funny high laughter th

r way along the uneven banquettes with her stick. But then her feet were tied up in so many rags that even if they had been young and strong it would have been hard for her to walk well with them. Sometimes the rags were worn inside her shoes and sometime

ough, continue in this fashion: "You all young trash forgits dat I dates back ter de snake days in dis town. Why, when I was a li'l' gal, about so high, I was walkin' al

d her would start and look about them, half expecting to see a

EA

rpents there now that they couldn't see, because they had only "single sight," and that many times w

children would gather abou

fo'," or, "Don't you reckon I mus' be purty nigh on to nineteen?" And then, when she saw from her questioner's face that she had made a mistake, she

eemed to be acceptable, she would

nty-fo' hund'ed years

as born on that day, and so she always claimed Easter Sunday as her birthday,

Ef it comes soon, I gits my birfday presents dat much quicker; an' ef it comes late, you all got

ay I keeps a-livin' on-an' a-livin' on-an' a-livin' on-maybe deze heah slip-aroun' bi

thout lifting her feet from the ground, go through a number of quick and comical

ed palm-nobody remembered the time when it wasn't wrinkled-in the old days, just because of some witty answer s

NTY FO' HOND'ED YEARS O

person who could distinctly recall General Jackson and Governor Claiborne, who would tell blood-curdling tales of

demand, it would not be fair to blame her too severely. Indeed, it is not at all certain that, as the ye

wasn't nothin' but a alligator swamp-no houses-no fences-no s

ver, she would have kept the faith of her hearer

d the snakes, I suppose?" So a boy answered

gators an' Gineral Jackson an'

evous fellow, still determin

ig p'isonous fork-tailed snake wha' snatch de apple dat M

ching for her basket, that she had set down upon the banquette. Lifting

e's agoin' roun' hear right now; an' de favoristest dinner dat he craves

g and a peal of saw-teeth laughter, she started off, while h

s amusing herself-when she was sensible or when she wandered in her

ionless and alone, would sometimes wonder about her, and, saying a kind and encouraging word, drop a few coins in her slim, black hand witho

the golden disk itself. Of course, if any one had cared to insist upon knowing how she lived or where she stayed at nights, he might have followed her at a distance. But it is sometimes very easy for a very insignificant and needy person to rebuff those who honestly believe themselves eager to help. And so, when Old Easter, the candy-woman, would say, in answer to inquiri

and the old Red Church, by the riverside above Carrollton, are several miles apart. People know this as well as they know that the latanier is the palmetto palm of the Southern wood, with its comb-like, many-toothed leaves, and that the Old Basin is a great pool of

denly to name the very poorest and most miserable person in New Orleans, they would almost without d

recommend her but herself-her poor, insignificant, ragged self-

led with loose paper parcels of cold victuals, which she was always sure to get at certain kitchen doors from kindly people who didn't care for her poor brown twists. There had been days in the pa

te pralines at the same time. If the people who had ears to listen had known the thing to value, this old, old woman

meagre confections grew poorer as her stories waxed in richne

misery, one day was observed to crouch beside her, and, seeing him, she

ralyzed black boy, who begged along the streets, Easter had stepped before him, and, after receiving a few of their clods in her face, had struck out into

ce at any particular time can hardly be missed, even when the time comes when he himself misses the here and the there where he

reet dog. It seemed to her a pretty act, and so she told it when she went home. And she told it ag

ndy-woman, came to be written upon their little book

gument. There were several of the ten who could not easily consent to give up the idea of sendin

n his nimble feet. Most young people take readily to the idea of educating a picturesque savage and teaching him that the cast-

an, Easter, was than any of these, but she did not seem so to the ten good little maidens who

pity-an act so pure in its motive

proaching, and there was a pleasing fitness in the old woman's name when it was pr

rning to find the old woman, Easter, they were full of interest in their new object, and chatte

kson Street and St. Charles Avenue corner, or down near Lee Circle, or at the doo

ad inquired of the grocery-man at the corner where she often rested-of the portresses of several schools where she sometimes peddled her cand

at she turned out over the bridge along Melpomene Street, stopping to collect stray bits of cabbage leaves and refuse vegetables where the bridgeway leads t

hree little "Daughters of the King" started out a second time,

in which, following the bridged road, and inqu

lmost discouraged when across a field, limping along before a

friends for the old woman, and so, perhaps, from an association of ideas, they crossed the fi

e social fellow began wagging his little stump of a tail, and with a sor

se from her chair as they entered her little room, motioned to them to be seated on her bed. There was no other seat

dst, with what seemed a broad grin upon his face, and then it was that the little maid who had

ey came in, and there were several cats lying huddled together in

les in the floor-holes in the roof-cracks everywhere. It was, indeed, not considered

covered from her surprise at her unexpected visitors, she began to explain that

ouse itself and its location, "away outside

' room an' space fur my family." And here she laughed-a high, cracked p

ghts is lit in de tower market and de moon is lit in de sky. An' Crazy Jake-why, when de moon's on de full, Crazy Jake he can talk knowledge good ez you kin. I fetched him out here about a

soak de dry bread in it for him, an' to-morrer I'm gwine out ag'in. Yas, to-morrer I'm bleeged to go, caze you know to-morrer dats my birfday, an' all my family dey looks for

addressed to t

ONEY, DEY WELCOME

kin' sperit, an' he can't work, an' I keeps him caze a sinkin' sperit what ain't got no git-up to it hit's a heap wuss 'n blin'ness. He's got deze heah yaller-whited eyes, an' when he draps his leds over 'em an' tri

picked 'em up here an' dar 'caze dey was whinin'. Any breathin' thing dat I sees d

hen I got my pervisions in, why I'll show you how de ladies intertain

before been known in the little shanty on the Easter followi

rked that it carried her away back to old times when she stood behind the governor's chair "while he h'isted his wineglass an' drink ter de ladies' side curls." And Crazy Jake said yes, h

IDYL'S

IDYL'S

of thirteen years who stood in her faded gown of checkered homespun on the brow of th

sun gleaming through her fair hair seems to transform i

and the outlines of her upper arms, dimly seen through the flimsy

yful derision, might have been long ago forgotte

ren, colored and white together, had been saying, as

nother a "fine white 'oman wid long black curls an' ear-rings,"

e child of the group-the adopted orp

with light shinin' from my head. I'd walk all night up and down the 'road

huddered and felt

tallded yo'se'f

s in de canebra

terole'd s

ou was a walkin' sperit

gleaming eyes of the little negroes had

uch the mud, and when the runaways looked into my face, they'd try to be good and go back to their ma

as a matter of habit, she had c

the levee this evening, one is reminded in looking a

ces-voices new, strange, and solem

n Farragut's fleet was storming the blockade at Fort Jackson. Al

s as they went about, and all night long sang mournfully and shouted and

upon the sky at night, and all day long

om-m-m! Tomb-b

e vibratory tremor, "M-m-m!" since

he trembling lips of the black mothers, as they pressed

ll had fallen, burying itself in the earth, and, exploding, had sen

s by a miracle, was preac

long enough to get 'ligion." He had "gone up a lo

crowds, while he descanted upon the text: "Then two shal

vival was

evee at Bijou had been t

efence here was a volunteer artillery company of "Exempts." Old "Captain Doc," their leader, also local druggist and postmaster (doctor and minister onl

ntly distinguishing?-was by common consent the leading man with a certain under-population along the coast. And when, three months befor

hemselves-rheumatic, deaf, palsied, halt, lame, and one or two nearly blind, had represented "the cause," "the standing

said that but one would carry a ball. Certainly, of the remaining seven, one was of wood, a

n possible. They were quite as good for everything excepting a battle, and in that

had smiled, and if anybody realized that their captain wore the

lordly strut, and was in keeping with the ste

the Riffraffs marched quite as often to the stirring me

good captain had been disporting himself i

but when this afternoon the Riffraffs had planted their artillery along the levee front, whil

ears his anvil had been silent for twenty years, throwing up his hat with the rest, w

ching the peril of th

re on the gunboats!

; women with babies in their arms gathered about Captai

st had been that one tear from a woman's eyes

st with the "Coast Defenders"-since gone into active service-and they seemed

all the excitement the little girl Idyl had stood apart, silent. No one h

ived, had forgotten to hurry or to scold her. What emot

her ear-something suggestive of strength and courage.

voices and red faces had come to be to her in the place of father and mother, that the Magwire babies were heavy to carry

e was, somehow, in her life at the Magwires' something that made her great

blue eyes-when their mother pressed them lovingly to her bosom. She even e

black or white or r

reotype-a slender youth beside a pale, girlish woman, who clasp

ing stitches in the old blanket-and to a something in the refined faces in

use of Mrs. Magwire, whose most merciless taunt

aternal kindnesses to the hungry-hearted orphan beneath h

er were all of abstractions-sel

al benefactress that she was an idealist, an

n, a sudden sense of utter desolation and loneliness came to her. She o

back upon the nest of cabins. If she could only save t

in the women's fears. Should the Riffraffs fire upon

pail, and then at the

into them! It was too

e mind of a timid, delicate child who had never

l, wiping her dishes in the little kitchen, would step to the door and peer out at the l

ssly out and started towards the levee, pail in han

le, she sat down in a dark shadow by the roadside-studied the movin

risis in the battle, when, suddenly, there came the rattle of appr

a wagon-load of ammunition

as a pillar of fire, rising against the sky northward t

ng in the shadow, could see groups of people weeping, wringing their hands

od-stood unseen, seeing the sorrow of the people, hee

her thin arms heavenward, she plunged

tory wa

n was now tender sur

of a dozen "Riffraffs," laid over the cannon-balls in the wagon, made her a hero's bed; and Capta

Riffraffs" were forgotten in the pres

her, and while his eager company became surge

n she opened her eyes the captain knelt beside

sked, when at length

ndering, raised her head, and pointed

burning cotton, and the great ship meeting the

shoot? And are t

acia bushes, where you hang your little lantern on dark nights. Some o

I got hurt you would stop and cure me, and not fir

ss to the child's lips his hand shook

Not a gun would have fired. I wet all the powder. I didn't want anybody to say the Riffraffs flinched at th

nders

ing up-and up-through the red-into the blue. And the moon is coming sideways to me. And her face-it is in it-just like th

aloud, fell upon her

this worrld. Sure, an' I love ye, darlint, jist the same as Mary Ann an' K

hild, and that heavenly light which seems a forec

Mrs. Magwire's head, buried

blanket on me, p

her eyes up

ing' on it. The moon is coming

sky, up into the blue, passed the

ire now with floati

upward into this fie

onflagration revealed an almost unbroken line on either side of the r

-sat astride the cannon, over the mouths

us-sized men. Look at de big eye-holes 'longs

holes, chillen. Dey gun-holes! Dat what dey is! An' ef you don't k

half a dozen following. The old man sat unmoved. P

dat fust man-o'

out moving. "Freedom comin' wid guns in '

ount niggers is gwine be sol'

'isself. An' a mighty onery, low-do

in Doc, pale and haggard, jo

n, fearing the provocation of his m

provoke

ptain turned and solemn

nd his voice trembled, "the

ng far out upon the water.

o enter-yonder." A sob closed his

ands-and, by the help of G

re playthings-we

us

e light of a rising sun, arose the voice of prayer-prayer first for forgiveness of fals

solemnity, it was supplied with a tender potency reaching all hearts,

as the voice had reached, came fe

ry, all but their largest gun, was, by the

ards, by the roadside on the site of the tra

k turn of the "road bend," began thrusting a pine torch into the cannon's mouth on dark nights as

and until his death, ten years later, the old man never failed

orch of pine, and grateful wayfarers alongshore, by rein or

s well that time and its sweet symbol, the peace-loving river, shoul

ictory is told, the simple story of little Saint Idyl should someti

LI

LI

se a dim lamp burned, and here, in a big arm-chair before a waning fire, Evelyn Bruce, a fair

tiom done sol', baby,

the old pla

aby? I know he an' ole marster sot up all en

losed the mortgage, an

is we gw

etter. I wish the

uts is we gw

ng tells me that father will never be able to attend t

w-w-work! Wh-wh-why, baby, what sort o'

re earning their livi

by, ur is yer des a-bluffin

hatever I suggest we will do, and I am sure it is be

what 'bout me, baby?" Mammy wou

mammy, o

when he was a-quizzifyin' me so sergacious, I b'lieve I'd o' upped an' sassed 'im, I des couldn't 'a' helt in. I 'lowed he was teckin' a mig

did he ask

was buried in we's graves-he did fur a fac'. Yer r

n's feet, and her eager brown fac

nd is mortg

helly scuze de graves out'n de morg

, but after a while we

lock on the mant

y. You needs a res', but I ain' gwine sleep none, 'caze all dis heah news what you b

llet in Evelyn's room, while the sleepl

he had worn for years had passed away, and the flickering fire revealed the ghost of a smile upon his placid face. In t

isaster, and at the opening of each year since there had been a flaring up of hope and expendit

irs, and when the crash came he was too old to change. When he bought, he bought heavily. He planted

her knees at his side, she engaged for a moment in silent prayer, consecrating herself in love to the

nd as these attracted her, she turned her chair, and fell to w

ey all found their way back to her. With each failure, however, she had become more determined to succeed, but in the meantime-now-she must earn a living. This was not practicable here. In the city all things were possible, and to the city she would go

but she was up early next morning. There was muc

ng, but his invariable answer, "Just as you say,

ous matters, and Evelyn soon found herself in the vortex of a move. She had a wise, clear head and a steady, resolute hand, and in old mammy a most capable servant. The old woman seemed, indeed, to forge

eply to Evelyn's protest against her packing that ponderous article. "How

have a gar

inued, in a troubled voice, "co'se you know I ain't got educatiom, an' I ain't claim knowledge; b-b-b-but ain't you better study on it good 'fo' we goes ter

at we should do only right.

l me dat ef yer des nachelly blows out yer light ter go ter bed, dat dis heah some'h'n' what stan' fu

, you see, we won't blow

ers, baby, ur des fling it on de

into the houses, and is turned on and off with a val

o' water what put out de light, hit's in'ard

act

tay berhime, is she? An' is we gwine leave all de gyar

of the homestead are mortgaged. We mus

e homestid, baby? You forgits

use, mammy. There are the carria

n' who gwine drive 'em int

we must se

y-handed, same as po' white trash? D-d-d-don't yer reck'n we b-b-better teck de chickens, b

o refuse. Mammy loved ev

and after a while, when I grow rich and fam

e morrow. Mammy had just returned from a last tour throu

on fo'teen eggs, down in de cotton-seed. W-w-we can't g'way f'm heah an' leave Muffly a-sett'n', hit des na

story. Mammy would n

kets are bou

e Muffly orf de nes' an' spile de whole sett'n'. Tut!

elieved when, with his now habitual tranquillity, he smilingly assisted both he

looking backward. "Or-oh, I forgot," he added,

yn answered, hardly knowing what she s

he had read but half the truth? Was her fa

xiety alone, and during the day her anxious eyes were often

bling of the train, a weak, bird-like chirp was heard, faint b

down the coach, and fell again to paper or bo

aby," she whispered, in Evelyn's ear; "but dis heah chicken

th surprise, as mammy continued by

risindenter look like he eyed me so berseechin' I des nachelly couldn't leave 'im. Look like he knowed he warn't righteously in d

ry silence, and right here arose agai

ingly up and down the coach, she exclaimed, aloud, "Som

te, peering around over his spectacles. "And whoever y

lthough the chicken developed duly as to vocal powers, the only q

n her self-control, the sit

a mannish movemint a'ready. Muffly's eggs allus hatches out sech invig'rous chickens. I gwi

the interest of her hatchling, mammy's serene face h

tling ride over cobble-stones, granite, and unpaved streets; a sudden halt before a low-browed cottage;

ideas of women-ladies-going out as bread-winners, Madame knew nothing. For twenty years she had gone only to the cathedral, the French Market, the cemetery, and the Chapel of St. Roche. As to all this unconventional American city above Canal Street, it was there and spreading (like the

oof, but cool and roomy within as uninviting without. A small inland garden surprised the eye as one entered the battened

with familiar objects, and pointing out the novelties of the view from its window, s

listenin' good, an' I hear 'em jabber, jabber, jabber all dey fanciful lingoes, but I 'ain't heern nair one say polly fronsay, an' yit I know dats de riverend book French." The Indian squaws in the market, sitting flat on the ground, surrounded by their wares, she held in

'is mouf," she continued, eying him proudly, "'caze he know eye-speech set on a chicken a heap better'n human words, mo' inspecial on a yo'ng half-hatched chicken like Blink was dat day, cramped wid

ious journey, Blink was a vigorous young chicken, with what m

ng for the market folk, decorating palmetto fans and Easter eggs, which mammy peddled in the big houses, she had earned small sums of m

These first descriptions she afterwards rewrote, discarding weakening detail, elaborating the occasional triviality which seem

have been a most able and affectionate critic; but now-She rejoiced when a da

rown into stories, to mammy. The very exercise of reading aloud-the sound of it-was helpful. That

de way hit reads orf, des like a pus

ad just come back, returned from an editor. Evelyn

s unreal. The English seemed good, the c

nking. She laid aside this, and

know you had educatiom, de way you

, mammy?" she asked, quick

erstan' all dat granjer. I des ketches de

le. The tide of popular writing was, she knew, in t

on sent her

g words" in the simplest English she could command, bidding

y was necessarily changed, but the exerc

one. You better fix it up des like it was befo', honey. Hit 'minds me o' some o' deze heah fine folks what

atire of her criticism! This story, shorn of its gran

aimed Evelyn, "you don't k

atiom befo', but now, look like I'd like ter be king of all de smartness, a

n knew it

native story-"look ter me like ef-ef-ef you'd des write down some truly truth what is

" said Evelyn, reflectively,

ked, a week later, when, taking up a

gnize the characters. Blink, however, was unmistakable, and when he announced himself from the old woman's bosom his identity flashed upon mammy, and she tumbled over on the floor, laughing and crying alternately. Evelyn had writte

Dey warn't nothin' on top o' dis roun' worl' what fetched me 'long wid y' all but 'cep' 'caze I des nachelly love yer, an' all dat book granjer what you done laid on me I don' know nothin' 't all about it, an' yer got ter teck it orf, an' write me down like I is

me like he ain't no disgrace ter de story, no way. Seem like he sets orf de book. Yer ain't gw

t know i

, 'caze we 'ain't nuver is had no frizzly stock 'mongs' our chickens. Sometimes I b'lieve Blink tumbled 'isse'f up dat-a-way tryin' ter wri

mmy considered under her especial super

m-"yer better walk straight an' step high, 'caze ye

s peace of mind, before he had been missed. He raised his wings a moment as he e

learn fureign speech, Blinky, like de res' o' dis mixed-talkin' settlemint? Is you 'shamed o' yo' country voice, honey, an' tryin' ter ketch a French crow? No, he ain't," she added, putting him

e had, indeed, never proclaimed his roosterhood

on. I seed Blink 'istidday stan' an' look at' im, an' den look down at 'isse'f, same as ter say, 'Is I a polly, or what?' An' den 'e open an' shet 'is mouf, like 'e tryin' ter twis' it, polly fashion, an' hit won't twis', a

was biding

strictest economy, money was g

nk de bes' thing you can do is ter hire me out. I can cook you alls breckfus' soon, an' go out an' mak

u mustn't thin

aby? We des can't get ou

ken that position as la

yo' pa, when you de onlies' lig

y only offer, and

' work right heah in the house? You go 'long now, an' cheer up yo' pa, des like you been doin', an' study yo' books, an' write down true joy an' true sorrer in yo' stories, an' glorify Gord wid yo' sense, an' do

, and it was on the day after this conversation that she dressed hers

on, however, for upon her old head she bo

elyn; but before she could voice

n' my own lesson. Huccome we got dis heah nice sunny back yard, an' dis bustin' cisternful o' rain-water? Huccome de boa'din'-house folks at de corner keeps a-passi

e in washing. You are too old;

uch money's a-comin' out'n dat bundle, baby? Five dollars!" This in a stage-whisp

ou manage

an'-an' my business face, an' I helt up my head an' walked in, an' axed good prices, an' de ladies, dee des

d so, after a moment, Evelyn

ore she could protest, mammy had gathered her into her arms, and carri

hin' lef fur me ter do but 'cep'n' ter set down

y, I must

wine play de pianner on de washboa'd, an' to-night you can read off what yer done put down, an' ef yer done written it

t, she put her arms around mammy's neck and kissed her old face, and as she

ather, to see that he wanted nothing. He sat,

e, as she entered,

nswered, startled

h flags flying. But there is the German too, and English, and last week there

everywhere come to this port, you know. Let us walk out to the levee thi

comes. She might com

k. "Surely," she thought, "there is much need that I shall do my best." Almost re

in' 'bout it, an' de finer that ole 'oman ac', an' de mo' granjer yer lay on 'er, de better yer gwine meck de book, 'caze de ole gemplum wha' stan' fur ole marster, his times an' seasons is done past, an' h

h, m

dis ole 'oman wha' stan' fur me, ef-ef-ef she got a weak spot in 'er, dey won't be

g, mammy. There isn't a grain

de same day, is yer? An' how de ole 'oman nussed 'em bofe des like twins? An'-an' how folks 'cused 'er o' starvin' 'er own baby

it spoil

right-minded pusson is gwine ter deny dey own heart. Yer better leave all dat out, honey. B-b-but deys some'h'n' else wha' been lef out, wha' b'long in de book. Yer 'ain't named de way de little mistus sot up all nights an' nussed

ion the stor

mammy?" said Evelyn, when finally, having done he

eem some way like I loves it. Co'se I couldn't read it; but my min' been on it so long, s

k of it; but I'm going to try it. A New York magazine has offered five hundred dol

back, would it, baby?" Mammy h

ir own; we should put a nice sum in bank; you shouldn't do any more washing; and if w

es like I been doin' f'om de start, an' ef hit's Gord's will,

he story

hter. The pending decision was now a fixed p

k; and during the long summer, while in her busy hands the fluting-machi

e momentous decision, was come, and Evely

urpose, or was this a thing only feebly struggling into life within herself-not yet the compelling force that indelibly stamps it

what is so depressing as an anniversary-an anniversary joyous in its very esse

feeling need that her own courage should be sustained, she had been more than usually merry all day. She had clandestinely prepared little surprises for her fa

ly a good washerwoman, mammy?" she said, laughing, as she assis

ucatiom's a-spreadin' in dis fam'ly, sho. Time Blink run over de sheet out a-bleachin' 'istiddy, he written a Chinese letter all over it. Didn't you, Blink? What de matter wid Blink anyhow, to-day?" she added, taking the last pin from h

ocker-mammy trotting to the door-the post

as she opened the envelope! "Oh, mammy!" she cri

de money, baby?" Her old

Nodding her head, she fell

at "foolishness" she might have committed had it not been tha

e of the clothes-basket, wa

through her tears, while mammy threw herself

e'd-Laws-o'-mussy, baby, look yonder at dat little yaller ro

S CHR

S CHR

t, an' go it bline! Hush, honey, hush, while I shet my eyes now an' tas'e all de samples what'd come out'n dat pan-cramberries, an' tukkey-stuffin' wid puckons in

is early memories. Little Duke, his grandchild, sitting beside him on the floor, rolled his big eyes and looked troubled. Black as a rave

, ever since a last attack of rheumatism had lifted his gr

mewhat remarkable, considering his

Uncle Mose had "tooken de chances" and moved in. But then Mose had been able to earn his seventy-five cents a day at wood-sawing; and besides, by keeping his

of landing a dinner with hook and line. True, it had been done on several occasions, when Duke had come home to find fricasseed chick

-looking grain, had been suddenly lifted up into space, disappeari

but he declared "when strange chickens come a-foolin' roun' bitin' on

with any success at this poultry-fishin

a hook or ate corn! Still, it eased his conscience, for he did try

d like to have had elicited the enthusiastic bit of reminiscence with which this story opens. Here was a poser! His grandfather had described just the identical kind of dinner which

o' hot egg-bread, gran'dad, an'-an'-an

de bes' fus'-han' nigger one you ever seed, an' I ain't no spring-chicken, nuther. I done had 'spe'un

t I could sho' git a whole chicken ter roas' easier'n I

hen I cross de road, terreckly, I gwine shoo off some o' dem big fat hens dat scratches up so much

hoo none of 'em over heah, less'n you want me ter wring dey

each-I gwine down de road an' shoo dem sassy chickens away. Dis here bucket

en where the chickens were; when, making a circuit round them, he drove them slowly until he saw them begi

his lines with corn and scraps of meat, he lifted the bit o

ome a-foolin' round 'em, I gwine punish you 'cordin' ter de law. You heah me!" He

her's son or daughter of them-though they vent

om the levee. And when he heard the little bare feet pattering on the single plank that led from the brow of the bank to the cabin-do

adding as he entered, while he set his pail besi

note of affection in the old man's voice as he addressed the

ued, turning to the pail, beside w

appe o' coal-ile, ter rub yo' leg wid-heah hit in de tin can-an' picayune o' coffee an' lagniappe o' matches-heah dey is, fo

ur you, an' you know to-morrer is sho 'nough Christmas, boy. I 'ain't got even ter say a crawfish bite on my lines to-day, much less'n some'h'n' fittin' fur a Christmas-gif'.

a big house an' ax de lady ain't she want ter buy some pounded brick. An', gran'dad, you know what meck she buy it? 'Caze she say my bucket is mos' as big as I is, an' ef I had de grit ter tote it clean ter her house on Christmas Eve, she say I sha'n't pack it back-an' she gimme a dime fur it, too, stid

urned

dat white lady

ou say 'bout scrapin'

face ter tell dat strange white 'oman

: 'You sho' is de littles' coon I ever seen out foragin'!' An' wid dat she say: 'Ef you'll co

he old man's eyes, an

ou 'feerd you'll los' yo'self,

Pertania cars is runnin'. I kin ketch on berhine tell dey fling me off, den

rough, boy? Look out dey

drivers kicks me off, an' sometimes dey cusses me off,

nder what sort o' white folks dis here tar-baby o' mine done strucken in wid, anyhow? You sho' dey re

y bref fo' I could talk, an' de cook, a sassy, fat, black lady, she would o' sont me out, but de madam, she seed me 'erse'f, an' she tooken took notice ter me, an' tell me set my bucket down, an' de yo'ng ladies, beatin' eggs in de kitchen, dey was maki

amp yer up-an' come 'long now an' eat yo' dinner. I saved you

cakes, an' I swapped half o' my reesons wid a

sleepy, too-

e ketch all dem butchers and fish-ladies in dat Mag'zine Markit 'Christmas-gif'!' An' I bet yer dey'll gimme some'h'n' ter fetch home. Las' Christmas I got s

'em? Say yo' pra'rs now, Juke, an' lay do

when old Mose, reaching behind the mantel, produced a finely

Christmas," he said, fondly, as he looked upon the little sleeping figure. "Reck'n I mo

s a little, poured the remains of Duke's "picayune o' m

sired point, to pull the hot candy to a fairness of complexion approaching whiteness. When, however, he was able at last to lay a heavy, copper-c

morning when Mose called, lustily, "Weck up, Ju

then, catching the words,

bing his eyes; then fully waking, he cried,

ver which he had actually cried a little last night when he had foun

are you is a caution,"

" Duke exclaimed, sudden

Claus mought o' tooken a rest in our mud chimbley las

mp, cracking his whip, munching

molasses, too, ter meck me dis candy. Tell yer, dis whup, she's got a daisy sna

as the crack of the new whip; and he said, as he filled his pipe, "D

veritable little Santa Claus himself, a half-filled coffee-sack, the joint

sack upon the floor, they made quite a tempting display. There were oranges, apples, bananas, several of each; a bunch of soup-greens, scraps of fresh meat

e, who was really no mean cook, was prepa

oated into the shaft of sunlight before him, at special knots in the door-sill, or at nothing, as the spirit moved him. A sort of holiday feeling, such as he felt on Sundays, had kept him at home this afternoon. If he had known that to be a little too full of good things and a little tired of cracking whips or tooting horns

stomach, he found himself thinking, with some pleasure, of the pan of scraps he was to get for his grandfather, and he

y 'bout Christmas? When I was comin' 'long to-day I stopped in a big chu'ch, an' dey was a preacher-man standin

sech ignunt questioms? Gimme dat Bible

words. Taking the book reverently, he leaned forward until the shaft of sunlight fell upon the open page, when with h

gwine fishin' no mo' tell de high-water come back-you heah? 'Caze yer know somebody's chickens mought come an' pick u

and looked pretty serious.

, an' promise me you gwine be a square man, so he'p yer. Dat's it. Say it out loud, an' yo' ole gran'dad he done said it, too. Wrop up dem fishin'-lines now, an' th'ow 'em up on de rafters. Now com

re terbacca you brung me, hit smokes sweet a

reminiscences, and he crept up close t

use, we had ter stan' in front o' de fiel' han's. An' after ole marster axed a blessin', an' de string-ban' play, an' we all sing a song-air one we choose-boss, he'd c

t my present, ole marster gimme my bundle, an' I started back, grinnin' lak a chessy-cat, an' he calt me back, an' he say: 'Hol' on, Moses,' he say, 'I got 'nother present fur you ter-day. Heah's a fi

ring, gr

ld o' heard them darkies holler an' laugh! An' Zephyr, ef she hadn't o' bee

did you do

her is she mean it, an'-an' we bofe say-none o' yo' business what we say! What you lookin' at me so quizzical fur, Juke

ttle bundles o' buckwheat ur flour 'd have picayunes an' dimes in 'em! We used ter reg'lar sif' 'em out wid a sifter. Dat was des our white folks's way. None o' de yether fam'lies 'long de coas' done it. You see, all de diffe'nt fam'lies had diffe'nt ways. But ole marster an' ole mi

ad?" So Duke invited a hundredth rep

ite folks? Dat's a sad story fur

tchy darkness, we was floatin' away-nobody cep'n des you an' me an' yo' mammy in de cabin-floatin' an' bumpin' an' rockin,' an' all de time dark as pitch. So we kep' on-one minute stiddy, nex' minute cher-plunk gins' a tree ur some'h'n' nother-all in de dark-an' one minute you'd cry-you was des a weanin' baby den-an' nex' minute I'd heah de bed you an' yo' ma was in

ter yer, but I blesses Gord to-night fur savin' dat little blac

n' de levee crost de river-an' dat's huccome yo'

hours-come a pale streak o' day, an' 'fo' de sun was up, heah come a steamboat puffin' down de river, an' treck

o mo', gran'dad?" Little Duke'

olden City, Juke, long 'fore we tec

e got los' f'om

start out. An' sence I stepped out o' dat hospit'l do' wid yo' little bow-legs trottin' by me, so I been goin' ever sence. Days I'd go out sawin' wood, I'd set you on de wood-pile by me; an' when de cook

s weight would have tipped the balance

"an' you better be gwine-less'n you 'feerd? Ef you is, des se

ce had broken into a broad grin now

as he started out into the night. But as he t

ag'in, not whiles I got dis whup in my han'! She sting lak a rattlesnake, she do! She's a daisy an' a half! Cher-whack! You gwi

rits and proceeded to catch on behind the Prytania car, that wa

addition to a heavy pan of scraps, Duke took home, almos

e fellow lit a candle, which he placed beside the sleeper; then uncovering the pan, he laid i

n-bell! Come git y

setting the pan in his fright, Duke rolled ba

ted inter my dream. I was dreamin' o' ole times, an' des when I come ter de ringin' o' de plantation-bell, I

t of the old man's memory, every fam

hed back the pan-Duke had long ago finished-"but dis here tukkey-stuffin'-I don't sa

getting-just such a generous Christmas bundle as he had described to Duke this afternoon. Perhaps it was some vague impression of this sort that made his old fingers tremble as he untied the strings, peeping or sniffing into the little pa

ying before him, he cried: "Look, boy, look! Wharbouts is you got dat bundle? Open yo' mouf, boy! Look at

ate as it was, they soon started out, the old man stea

entleman who answered the door-bell, silver tray in hand, was his own father! He had often longed for a regular blue-shirted pla

centre of a crowd of his white people, while a gray-haired old lady, holding his

et some one to write

d of his having afterwards met a man from the coast who told the story o

m we knew, as a sort of memorial to our lost ones, always half-hoping that they might actually reach some of them. And I thought of you specially, Moses," she continue

-ain't I, Juke? Fur gracious sake, look at Juke, settin' on his daddy's shoulder, with a

at last with the fulness of the situation, made a really babyish

TNO

hildren always expect and usually get with a purchase. Retail druggists k

S ADVICE TO

EP, RABBI

S ADVICE TO

ep, Rab

min' quic

'f! Don't c

ll hit you

it, 'fo' t

pit! Bull-

ppit-lipp

, why don't

ou, Mr. Ge

long wid s

ps on yo' hime

wid a ma

ars down onde

tail wid a c

unters b

' han' an' ca

not, you o

u home ter e

ou go, 'caz

you down to

dem bones an' de

ish you was ba

stretch yo' m

ears mought

'd jump, you

' little c

you could tw

nnize you

'd sca'cely

you skun an

roasted o

thought abo

eck ole Eph

se'f out sl

ears down,

tail an' li

MO' RABBIT

u balumps o

hurt ter p

raight up,

e offer yo

an' gi'e yo

ou show yo'

ou have a w

r pass de

ax 'bout y

gwine ter hun

m is he s

put 'im of

'll foller

bein' et

pie, ur stuf

ter die of

hat's dat? W

e so. An' do

eah on de l

' ears an' c

say. Tut-tu

de road, as s

know'd he'd

mo' rabbit

BE

BE

butterflie

r-bed and

tle Miss

hem from gran

pa, what's a

flowers go to

ns hard as

mend Pe

pa had a

things too

fantasie

answers,

tired old fl

ounts in a

dozen sno

hat white

search, you'll

rivelled c

folds her p

aloft in v

ed sunflower

frills to

at this sur

elease on go

s so? It ou

tle Miss

sure, dear

ell the thin

e butterfli

of the flowe

's eyes loo

arce knew w

e Blossom,"

hair upon

xactly-say

ard it fr

eyes see won

ies of flowe

s of the e

ey tell us

never prov

lack their

we should thi

strange stor

ful, so se

dently s

ot knowing

ope they m

apa, no tale

r buts or

play we're

l know that t

E

F WILLIAM D

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