Daily Kennebec journal., 1878-01-11
Gales aud skrtehes.
UNCLE P0MPEY's CHRISTMAS.
Continued from yesterday

socket, her work had fallen on her lap, anu
she was leaning listlessly on her hand,
when she heard the sound as of something
being dragged through the front entrance,
and then a knock at her door; and on
opening it what should she see but an
enormous basket filed with all sorts ol
good things, and behind it Uacle Pompey,
ioy Dreaming from his black features as
plainly as the blaze from lump of Kama
wha coal!
"Uncle Pompey! Where on earth-how
in the world-why, what does this mean
she asked, bewildered, As he dragged the
basket to the centre of the room.
at means Cris'mus. Mis- Loric-no mo
an no less replied Uncle POmpey with
delight-"no longer an no shorter
"But where did they come from W no
gave them to you p
Uncle Pompey had not had the advan-
tage of two squares for consideration rs to
how he should explain "CrIs mus to Mis-
LOttie, at the same time shielding hlN own
honor, without availin@himseIt ct the OPP
portunity SO he replied promuy: II
does little Jobs Tor Mr. LIrrum suntlmes,
you know, Mis- Louie, and were passing
bv ter-night an he called me in To gimme
a little Girls mus au' gru'mau Ia dar
were buyin' Cris'mus tor his family. an
he axed me who wor, and den he lowed
how he used ter 60 tu school wid Mars
Tip. aud den he gimme di> Yer ha> krl ter
to bring ter de chlIun for NJ IS Ilp's
sake"
Was he an old man ~ asked Ms. R,d-
cIffe.
Uncle Pompey scratched his head:
"Well-er, he mOughl be-urrer--,ome-
whar tween me an you, Ike. Which
was leaving play tor the lmagina ion. a
she was not more than %.
"Did he give You his name?' asked
Mrs. Radcliffe, still too mach a-tonished 10
touch anything-''dId he give you his
name? ?H
"Well-urrer; no MN. | don't say as
| rik lax bout dat. My mind Were SO sot
on de goodies | warn't keeriu' bout no
name. ies' 'lieve he 90 on by one name
as 'nudder. Don't make no diff unce what
his name wor.
"Of course, Uncle Pompey." said she,
beginning to overhaul the basket-''o
course IL makes no difference what his
name is, but whatever it be, should like
very much 10 know it, He is certainly a
dear good man. Do look at this doll.
and the bugle! and what oranges ! Do
pray eat some OF every thug; don't wait
4 minute. And there's plenty for me too"
The poor child was COW so in the habit
of denying herself, and thinking there
wasn't enough oi anything for her to have
some too, that the idea OF seli-indulgence
came only as second thought.
MY Lor,' honey couldn't eat nary
fpn.l1aY. n,onfl'ul 4 Al uppal h.i
ben was ter AK me ter dinner an say he
wor gwine ter have fresh poke Tor DE- lus'
co'se. Yah yah umph! umph! umph
My Lor' Don't you member dc co'ses we
use ter have in Mars Tips time? Fish
cO'se, an soup cose, an' den veg'ubles
was co'se--"
"A matter OF course Lotie interrupted
with a laugh so merry that it startled In
Gle Pompey, and his jaw dropped in sol
emn wonder.
Then finding that nothing harming was
likely to take place, though not appreci-
a,ing her wit, he enjoyed her mirth and
began laughing himsell: "Den dey was
'nudder c'ose-yah Dep'ars an de grapes
had ter come. an de ice-dream aud de
wine. Lord Lord umphl umph =
Uncle Pompey leaned on his cane and
shook his woolly head with moufniul EN-.
phasis while he watched Mrs. Radcliffe
unpack the basket; "Lor' chile Whyn'l
don't yer eat nothin'? ?''
Mrs. Radcliffe gathered up her laplul
and replied, First will Just run in with
these TO Mrs. Peters. | don't think she
can have much for her children tonight
Stay here till | come back, Uncle Pom
pey, and then we will wake the children.
cannot wait till morning"
She presently returned, radiant with
delight: 81 am so glad | went, Uncle
Pompey Mrs. Peters was perfectly
charmed; and she had an empty barrel,
aud gave me part of it, and we can have
roaring fire IN the morning Won't it
be splendid ? But | was thinking" she
continued with the eager interest of a
Child was thinking the best way
would be TO hide the basket, aud then
wake the children and tell them San
Ia Claus is coming and not let them see
anything till morning"
80 they aroused the children and quiet
ed their little hearts aboul Santa Claus and
after the excitement had subsided Mrs
Radcliffe again took up her sewing and
Uncle resumed his seat on the broken
chair in the chimney corner, and they
waited quietly till slumber once more Wis
tied the childish lids, till Lotlie's golden
head again lay motiOnless in the pillow,
and Willie's had fell drowsily in the act
OF pinehing her nose.
Then they uncovered the basket and
took down the stockings, and began to
fill them, when Uncle Pompey heard a
noise in the back yard, and went 10 the
window to see what il meant and there he
found "a man throwing ont the mos. ele-
giant load OF wood that was ever seen
Uncle Pompey thought how nice a stick
OF 1t would burn in their little fire place,
but he had had enough Of stealing Tor one
night. so he went on filling the stockings
and said nothing.
What on earth sent them ?' she asked,
her eyes glistening and her lips trem-
bllng-as II ii was anything 10 cry about
Il don't know, ma am said that Ana
MAS among cartmen; and away he went
with philanthropic grin.
Then the widow kuelt d1Hn IN the it,
Tie old entry, aud pretended ,he wa, only
untying the pot OF butter, but g I'd know,
better than that.
OF course, Uncle Pompey could not
think of going home them So together
they rolled and pushed aud dragged tn,
things into the widows little room: an,