Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-01-10
Gales aud Sketfhes.
UNCLE POMPEY's CHRISTMAS.
CCon,inued from yesterday

the manner of negroes: ut certny do
peer to me pizen trick dat ole marster S
gran chillun amt got SO much as stick
o. candy or a passed. o cheslnuts to put in
der stockin' Crismus amt Girls mus
now. Lord Lord Jes' ter think how ole
marster's niggers use to roll In bacon an
greens an amt had my fill o. spar rib
an chine not sence he died Lord Lord /!
Umph umph umphl Poor little
creeturs ~ he continued, his mind revert
ing to the children. "0uten allslis sto 'fu
o goodies, what de harm it gwine TO do
ennybody to give 'em little % dis an a
little o. dat, .ies' ter let 'em see Cris'mus Y'
Presently the door was left open for
moment and, ayailing himself of the OPP
portunity, Uncle Pompey sided in, taking
up his station near barrel of peanuts :;
and. alas it was only few moments be-
fore Il handful of the COOLERS had disap-
peared, and another followed and still an.
other, Larum & Sons were poorer by at
least quart, and uncle Pompey began to
think that his old masters children wonld
have their stockings filed after all Bat
in an evil moment his eve fell on "A sugar
cat that had been lett standing on the out
side OF the showcase: he thought how
attractive it would appear with its head
peeping over the top ot Lol,ie's stocking,
and stealhily raised his ha d, but hardly
had the long black fingers closed around
the saccharlne temptation when cry WAS
raised from the other cad OF The store. of
stop. thief y you there :" Catch him :"
ETC., while every mIu shrauk from his
neighbor and clapped his hand to his
pocket and hunie lily let for his watch.
During the first moments OF confusion,
and before the clerk who had discovered
him could make his way through the
crowd Uncle Pompey managed to open the
door and get out into the street but hard
ly had he shuffied dozen steps before the
door again opened, the crowd poured forth
with mans instinct for hunting, no mat
ter how insignificant the prey; and
though Uncle Pompey tried hard to hasten
his pace, the feeble limbs were powerless
TO aid his Will, and he was at once taken
back to the store, where under the blazing
light, he stood In terror waiting 10 be
searched. As already said. he must have
been nearly hundred years old, and was
simply relic OF the past. His eyes were
sunken almost out OF sight, and his little
nat nose seemed to have grown smaller
and Halter, aud blacker still as time add
vanced, while his mouth had gained in
huge proportion, and became a mere ex.
travaganza on the part of Nature. His
hair was wiry and gray. and the stubby
beard that covered his chin was of the
same complexion, and his forehead. never
IN paimiest times more than an inch and a
nan nigh, was now but a fingers width OF
uuii piack wrinkles. His frame was
mere skeleton, his ragged pantaloons
hanging almost as loose AS if there were
nothing inside OF them, and bis wretched
coat, gulitless OF elbows and almost inno-
cent OF tail, chung TO his shoulders as if
through the misery that loves company.
lhere he stood, his eyes wandering in
wlstiul terror from one to another. trem.
bling with cold and fright and weakness.
whlle they turned his poor old pockets in
side out and hunted the rays that hung
ABOUT his shoulders and tapped around his
legs aud scarcely covered his shaking
bones; and 10! the evidences of crime
Tor unmlstakable was the rattle of peanuts.
ana The serene countenance Of Her High
ness. the cat, rose blandly into view.
!. uret day, niger" exclaimed one of
ms own race, who stood with basket on
MS mead and his knuckles on his hips.
greet Jay What you been stealin' goob-
ers Ter, an amt got de ius 10th to chaw
EN- widg Whyn't you steal bread and
meat "hiie you was a-stealin'P God knows
you looks like you wants it!v
uncle Pompey was really half starved
ana very, very old, and he burst childish
~ into tears as he answered in his Lioh
cracked voice:
Iwarn't stealin', JUS ter 'kyar way n
candy cat for dem little cree,urs dat ain =
buried" wv +" "e'o
No, Uncle Pompeyl God iorgaye you
'na. crime, even ii the recording angel
ever put it down.
NAT The matter, Uncle P" inquired
sehuehan who entered at the moment.
u LOT MIR. Dale, whimpered Uncle
n1mPey' ''twarn't nothIn' but les hand
iui soooers-no MORN 'nuf Ter put in
"How bout de cat, Niger" ieered
hls Dfother, showing every tooth in his
A. an den continued Uncle Pompey to
WI Daie-"an' den dere were "a little ole
Sa' settin up on de counter, which people
Aep s-puyih' all round her, an didn't no.
Ivy seem TO keer bout gittin' o. her: an
l nought by dat how she couldn't be
mceh count. an ! jes' tux holt NV her;
al "hen de man hollered it skeered me
30 run out an forgot to put her down.
but, Lord Lord what harm were il les
70 laHe Dat little ole cat, an Mars Tins
gran ehillun cryin' iii to kill derse'f?'
who Is Mars Tip?" asked Mr.. Dale
lie Were my ole marster. but he done
DEAD and gone AN gone dis many a day.
an' Mis- Lottie (dat's Mis- Radcliffe J she
were Mars Tips onliest chile, an desc
orders is hur'n."
Mrs. Radcliffe? Is She seamstress ?,'
asked Mr.. Dale.
uncle fompey drew himself up: "Gre't
gay NO, sab We amt got no seamsters
IN our family. Sence de war Miss Lottie
ao mule SEWN when she kin git it, les
lei make little money, but she alu't no
seams'ef. 1t dou't run in our family To
be seamsters. sab"
Mr. Dale smiled "She takes in sey.
ing. then does she ?"
Yes, sab an | lows how kyar's
bundles TO yo' house sometimes"
An. ! thought | knew YOU. Yes
Mrs. Radchif sews for my wife. and very
much OF lady she is. Well. wbat i III.
about the children? and what i. The mat
ter about your"