Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-12-25
Ill.

ed upon WoodIeigh. The crimson curtains
of the drawing room were drawn, to shut
out the vision OF the falling snow, and over
the large circle that surrounded the glowing
fire reigned little hutter of expectancy.
that would have pleased the busy young
people who had for two days been so alb
sorbed in the preparation of their play"
Not a child WAS present. Everybody had
been "dyked," as 'Dolphus expressed it be-
fore dinner, and those who were not neces-
sarily "behind the scenes in the laundry
house were demurely waiting in the big
hall for the summons they knew was
comming.
Suddenly the drawing-room door was
thrown open, and diminutiye old man,
with flowing white beard dressed as an
hand, appeared before it. With an air of
excitement and hurry, lie cried out:
Good people, such a marvellous thing
Has burst upon our sight
We Bethlehem shepherds never yet
Saw such Bethlehem Night.
"Such signs and wonders overhead.
Such heavenly melody
If We would also see and hear,
pray you follow me-"
All the uncles annts and cousins at once
arose and followed the little shepherd along
the tagged path to the laundry house. The
room was capaclous one, all its Joists and
rafters visible, smoked to the richest Van
dyke brown by the fires of half century.
At the further end a heavy curtain was
stretched from wall to wall, festoons of
spruce aud holly wreathed the sides of the
room, and pitch-pine torches blazed at in
tervals its whole length, filling the air with
their aromatic order.
| just in front of the curtain, on clean
white pallet, raised to the level of the plat
form, lay Cuckoo, bright-eyed ebony
skinned boy of about fourteen, his whole
face radiant with citation, for his little mis-
| tress had taken good care to tell him that
this show had been gotten up in special
manner for him. On either side sat Daddy
Homer and . Nanny Rose full of i'm
portance at the honor put upon their only
child. Behind them were ranged the
benches, crowded with all the plantation
people, and last of all came the rows of
chairs for Woodleigh and its guests
Appealing - 'Rah 'Rah " WAS given for
{" Mas Cunnel, Ole Miss, an all de folks, p"
as soon as they entered. After quiet was
well restored, the pine torches were gradu-
ally eXtinguished, leaving the long room in
darkness, except for the rudy bed of Goals
on the big hearth behind the spectators. In
a few minutes the thick curtains were
drawn to either side, and what seemed a
deep blue midnight sky, lit by full moon
and here and there a silver star, was re-
! vealed. Underneath was seen grassy field,
trees dimly visible in the distance and here
and there, all scattered over it. were lying
groups of sheep. On the foreground, wrap
! ped in their hooded mantles, leaning on
their crooks, were half dozen or so of
Eastern shepherds. Everything was. of
course, on very diminished scale but the
perspective of the scene had been so well
preserved that the Illusion notwithstanding,
was very perfect. thrill of the faintest
music filed the air, which made everybody
look UP and, as it gradually increased, a
single angel, with dlmy wings outspread,
was seen slowly wavering back and forth
over the heads of the shepherds The deep
! hush that had fallen upon the room was
suddenly broke by an eager, suppressed cry
from Cuckoo's pallet.
Oh! Nanny. Has de angel come for
me: 49,
Some moments elapsed before the agi-
tated boy was soothed into quietness
through which all the while the low music
continued; and then it formed itself into
distinct words, which the credulous ne
groes. as they clutched one another and
sobbed or greaned with excitement, seemed
to think actually came from the floating
angel. - 3
Fear not! Behold, bring You
No word that shall annoy;
But only best of tidings,
Good tidings of great joy.
For in the City of David,
As prophets do record,
This day is born unto you
A Saviour, Christ the Lord
''And this for sign is given.
In swaddling clothes arrayed,
Lo! ye shall find the baby
Within a manager laid.
Nov glory in the highest
Shall be to God again.
And on the earth, henceforward,
Peace and goodwill to men"
As the last verse began, host of little
angels descended and filed the sky and
before the delighted servants had ceased
clapping their hands, uttering here and
there broken prayer or a fearful g Bress
do Lord ! " the curtain had been drawn to-
| pether and invisible hands had reliphted the