Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-12-25
A ChrIstusas Lament.


It WAS a very inclement Christmas week,
and wondered how Aunt Mahaly and Uncle
Pete were getting along. Picking up few
cold remains from our own delicaoies it did
not take very long to reach their shanty in
the suburbs of Richmond. Quite q Tespecta-
BILE volume OF smoke was Issuing from their
chimney. and on entering, il was indicated
to my olfactory nerve that they would feast
on cabbage IL nothing more. Two fresh tai
low dips, trimmed with fancy papers, adorn-
| ed the mantel. piece and bunch of scrag-
Ky evergreens aud holly berries In q broken
| china vase suggested the festive season. Un-
Gle Pete was smoking comfortable pipe
over the fire, and his wife, with gay yellow
handkerchief on her head, was bustling
about the kitchen, brandishing q huge pew.
ter spoon in her hand.
God bless you. honey, for thinkin' bout
| your OIL auntyl" she exclaimed, gratefully,
when she saw the basket deposited on her ta.
BILE. Then, after telling me about the mis-
cry in Pete's chist" aud the misery in her
side, she struck pensive attitude, and broke
out in feeling tribute to the Long Ago.
Christmas nowadays amt like 1t was In
days agone, when l had my OIL mistiss.
Mighty po times now. Bat yOu don't know
how II used to be TO- de wah on de plantation
whar was raised. Dere amt no sech times
no mo-. De hirelin's what lived out in de
cities all went home to deir own masters, and
had eight days hoydsy. More'n gettin de
| Christmas dinner for de white family, dey
didn't have muffin TO do 'cept Joy deirself.
We bad de parties den the white folks
have EN- after Christmas was all over. De
cullud gals alters got married 10 Chris mas
week ef dey could. got married den my
SELF"
Here she glanced over at her husband as
| though he must remember the occasion and
he laid down his pipe and nodding his head
approvingly, said,
"Dat you was, Mahaly, for was dar, "
laughing huskily.
You know my ole mistiss she lived down
on James river. She was one o dem high
toned famblys down dar dat owned lots o
slaves, an money in de bank. an mo- land
dan you eber seen. l was hired out in Rich
mond, an she done promise 10 take me home
an lemme glib up my service place Chris
mas, an git married. Pete an me was keep
in comy'ny TO l gone down dar. You jls
| ought 10 seen de letter he wrote to mstlss
when he AZ for me. Oh, it certainly was a
beautiful letter Young master he taught
Pete to write some, rainy spells in de winter,
when dere wasn't much goin' on"
young master set powerful sto' by me, p"
said Uncle Pete, proudly. II WAS his body
servant"
Il seen dat letter. Pete he wrote it on a
pink sheet O. paper, wild two real sweet sill
yer dubs [doves on de top o de page. Dem
dubs was me an him"
Law, ole oman 'ain't you seen trouble
enough to forgit dem dubs yt2 ?" asked the
old man, rather sheepishly
mo. done learn it by heart, it was so
pretty. Pete would q been q fine scholar ef
he'd "a got de edication lots O. good for. muffin
niggers gifts now. He says in de latter. My
dear an mos spectacle mistiss, wants to
try TO de life what you tried, an ef you don't
consarnt to lemme marry Mahaly, my po'
heart will bust. Say yes to your humble
sarvant Pete, an will agonize for you at de
frons of grace in simple. mind'ness. Now
want dat pretty Well, mistiss she done
consarnt, an bid 'em all good-by. all de
cullud people down in Richmond. Dey had
parties too in Christmas week, but dey had
to git pass to be out nights, an dey got
cotohed widout de pass sometimes-ha hs !
We use to sing Run, niger, run, de paddy
rollers patrollers catch you = 1t was Chris
mas Eve when / got home to de plantation
on James river-dat was Watch Night, you
know. De pious cullud folks alters had pra r
meetin' Watch Night; dey met in one house,
all Of 'em, an prayed twell de gret mawn
come in. Dey sang de reg lar shoutin' hymns
what amt sot down in no book, but is jis
made up out o. verses O. old hymns and
texes out O. de Bible. Seems like kin hear
'em now
"'Dere was a star rose in de east,
De Wise Men found our LAwd