Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1882-04-20

chance to say something. But the
dear little critter looked SD SORROW
ful an kept blushin' Sc, couldn'
say nothin' zackly to the pint, SC
jest reached up an took dowr
the chicken-bone and put it In my
pocket.
sWhat are you a-gwine to dc
with that ole chicken-bone, Major
Jones p says. Miss Mary.
Pm a-gwine to keep it as loue
as | live says T. 'as. a Christina
present from the handsomest gir
in Georgy,'
'Oh, Major says she, 'ain't you
ashamed Of yourself e
sAn' then up speaks Miss Kesi-
ah, an says she: Joseph, you
ought to give her Christmas pres
ent to keep all her llfe.'
'Ah,' says ole Miss Stallins
when I was gal we used to hang
up our stockin's-
why, mother,' says all of 'em
in breath, 'to say stockin's before
Mr.. Jones =
'Hlghtv, highly says the old
lady, what monstrous 'finemcnt.
I'D like to know what harm there
is in stockin's. People is gittin' Sc
purlite nowadays they never
calls nothin' by its rite name.
When l was girl [ use' to hang
up my .stockln' an git lots O. pres
ents.'
The girls KEEP on a laughin.'
Never min',' says Miss Mary, at
last, MAJORS goin' to give me a
Christmas gift, amt you, Major 2
'You know l promised you one,
says l. I've got it for You now ;
but it'll take a twe-bushel bag to
hold it,
But will you keep it as long as
you live 2 says L.
Il WILL says she.
sNow, you hear that, Miss Car
line says l. She says she will
keep it as long AS she lives
'Yes,' says Miss Mary, more pos
tive, that l will. But what is it =
'Never mind says l, 'you hang
up bag big enuff to hold it, and
you'll find ont when you see it to
morrow mornin'.'
Miss Car'line wInked at Miss
Kesiah, and then whispered to her
and then they both laughed
right ont. They 'spicioned sons
thing.
'You'n be sure to give it to me
now it | hang up q bag 2 says Miss
Mary.
And promise to keep it 2 says
sShe blushed a little and studied
little, and then she says: well,
| will, because | know you would
not give me nothin' that wasn't
worth keeping
SThey all agreed that they wonld
hang bag in the back porch tc
put Miss Mary's present in, and
about 9 o'clock 1 told 'en good
evenin' an went home.
Il sot up till midnight, and artal
they was AL gone to bed, 1 crep
softly in at the back, an thar, sure
enutf, was a CRATE big meal bag
haugin' to the jice. 1t was mon
strous orhaudy to git into if, but
was 'termlned not to back out. Sc
l sot some chairs on top of a bencl
and got hold of the rope and lei
myself gently down into the bag
but, just as [ was gittiD' in, the bas
swung round agiu the chairs, ant
down they came with a terrlbl
racket Howsomever, nobody di'
not wake up but ole Miss Stallins
yard dog, an here he come ripin
an tarin' like rath, ana round an
round he went smellin' an barkir
; to find out what WAS the matter.
: set down in the bag an d.dn'
. breathe louder'n a kitten for fea
he'd find me out. Arter a Will
: he stopt his 'fernal barkin'. Th
e wind begun 10 blow powerful colo
: and the old bag KEEP turniu' ronn
e and swingin' SO it made me sea
y sick. i was afraid to move less til
rope would break and let me dow
y an thar | set, my teeth rattlin' liz
S the ager. 1t 'peared to me it wonl
: never come daylight, and / do be
8 lieYe ef hadn't loved Mss MAJ
r, 60 powerful would ha' froze
'e death, for my hart was the on
ii spot that felt warm, an it didr
beat more nor two Iicks a minut,
ID only when / thought how she'd
'sprised in the mornin', an then
;, went in a cantcr. Blmeby t
cusscd ole dog come up on t
& porch and began smellin' and wit
or in bout the bag. Then he beg
on to howl as if he'd treed a COG
cr Bow WOW WOW says he. Z
ont says l, very low, for fear th
no would hear me. Bow! wo,
". WOW saws he aoin tRauon