The Indianapolis journal., 1886-01-10
CHRISTMAS AMONG THE BUGS.


ia response to the little boys depreciation that it
was too late for Christmas story "An' more'n
dat continued the old woman pointedly, ''it
don't become certain class of folks to use dere
own choosement about de stories dere gwine to
hear"
The rehuke had it's effect and the little boy
was silent, while the old woman scraped some
sapolio into pie pan preparatory to securing the
tinware.
Il wuz jes' a-thinkin' this mornin' when see
you a-rdin' on dat hobby-horse. an felt dat
botheracious steamboat dat runs by itself
a-tramrin' on my corns while 1 was abrushin
de cobwebs often de celln' dats dere's as many
things underneath our footses dat's worth MOTTO
in as dere is above our heads; an dat fetched
me to thinkin' of de way Billy Cricket an de
res of de bugses had Christmas tree long
time ago; an if you'll jes' stop dat steamboat
from buzzin' an set in yo chair instid of ridin'
on dat creakin' hobbyhorse, I'll tell you Low it
wuz."
Having complied with the old woman's re-
quests the little boy set his chair near the kitch
en- table, and after few moments of reflection
Aunt Dnah began:
"Dere wuz onct Christmas good deal like de
one dat's ies pasta warm-like green Christmas,
an everybody said dere would be fat grave
yard; but dat don't need to bodder US, honey, eft
we don't help to make it fat, said the old
woman, parenthetcally.
'sOf cose" she continued, 'de warm like
weather done KEEP ole man Jack Frost from
gettin' in his work on de bugses an some of em
les lived way beyond dere three score years an
ten, an Daddy Longlegs jes plum wore every
body out peltin' 'em with the chestnut dat he
spect he gwine to beat de record of ole man
Methusalum yit!
II done told you dat dere's one or mother of
de Billy Cricketses liyin most of de time,
summer an winter. an dis Billy Cricket I'm
telin you about stayed sometimes down de cell
lah by de furnace, sometimes he hop up to de
sittn room to warm his toes by de register, an
sometimes he crep under de coal-vaste, an sing
his chirrups song, jes' to show de white folks dat
he amt dead yit an sometimes he put on his
overcoat an mittens, an watch his chance when
de do or WINDOW wuz open. an hop out In de
back yard to sun hisself and git breath OF
fresh air.
lone Saturday afternoon he wuz skippin'
round back of de barn. fust under one chip an
den under mother. exercisin to keep hlsself
warm, when who should he see comm along but
Daddy Longlegs, all dressed up in a sealskin
0vercoat an cap, an buffalo overshoes on his
feet Billy Cricket jes stop right still. an held
his breath, 'cause he amt never seed no bug
dressed up dat way befo.
"'Hello. Mr. Cricket! said old man Longiegs.
is dat you, grandaddyq said Billy Cricket
with bow
.s.Why 1 done thought you wuz Santa Claus,
sez he
'.'No amt Santa Claus sez he. but I'm
mos nigh as old as he is,' sez he
Den dey talked awhile about the finesse Of
de weather fur de time of year, and 'sputed about
de silver question, an de Mormon question, an
dey begun to get purity cold, and Daddy Long
lees say dat it's mighty lonefui for ole folks
what's got de rheumatic an can't get outen doors
much. an den he ask Billy why he don't come
aroun' and play aggressive euker with him some
time. An Billy Cricket he low dat he don't
fin it so dulsome eavesdroppin the folks at Miss
Mokins an de Kunnes about what dey alls
gwine to give one mother fur Christmas gifts.
'Den he look sorter solemn an say dat with all
bis lissenin' he don't hear one word about a sin
gle spear of grass dat ey's gwine to give him
after all de chlrpin him and his famblys done
fur de white folks even sence de food. let alone
a-furnishn' subjec' fur poets to spile the En-
gllsk langwidge with blowin' about de CHEEKY
crickeJs chirp, an q wearin' de life out OF news
paper men year In an year out.
AN den he up an say dat he's been a-thinkin'
dat it would be right nice eff de bug bly, could
have Christmas tree der own selves, sane's
white folks An Daddy Longlees say dat he's
gittn purity Gle fur sech foolishness, but he likes
to;see de young folks enjoy derselves. an dat
he's in fur it. an will help all dat de rheumatic
will let him. An den Billy say dat deyll send
word to all de bugses an varmints dats able to
git out an dey'l have de bes time dat ever wuz
eence ole man Christmas set de fashion.
''Grandaddy say dat it suit him, an dat as de
airs a-gittin' chilly he reckon dat he'll have to
move on.
''Den Billy Cricket he jis' hop aroun' an notify
de bugses dat deys cump of cedah trees jis'
west of Miss Mokins an de Kunnel's barn, an dat
de middlest one is de warmest, an dat eff dey all
will hang mp dere stockings on Christmas eve an
'sembe dere early in de mornin deyll have js' s
good Chris mas as white folks. Den dey greed
spon de differnt times dat dey mus 60 to fill one
mothers stockings, soze no bug won't know which
of de other bugses put de things in his stock
ings, an den dey wait patiently till Christmas
"An' tell you. honey" said Aunt Dinah, grow
Ing poetica dat when de early sun wuz strug-
Gin upto ketch de wann moonlight, on Chris
mas mawnin', dere wuz de beatin'est sight you
ever seed, deed dere wuz!
"De bugses wuz dere. an de stockins wuz all
fuh, but nary bug wuz pleased with his presents,
nary one, jis' like wife folks An more'n dat,
dey didn't have de manners of white folks to
hide their disappointments, but jes set roun' dat
tree an said right out loud what dey thought
about il
'F'rinstance, Ebenezer Spider tu'n up his nose
On say de mans fool dat II undertake to send him
what we really know about Shakespeare, when
everybody dat's tended de debatin' sciety done
knows dat he's Nashus Donnelly man. an dat
UnS icS oi VSsc uSoieSS house lleS WOutQ reach
cd de hungry Christmas spot in his heart quick
er'n book could. Little Miss Aphis say dat eff
Rhe.d got little sprig of iarch often dat tree
yother side of de barn in her stocking twould a
done her more good dan all de padded alligator
back books dat ever wuz printed. An Miss Bos-
tonE Ant low dat ef she'd a foun couple dozen
aphi1es dat she could put in q cage an squeeze
Sere legs until dey leak honey-de it would a
pleased her good deal better'n cathead
1natch-safel Mr.. Skipiack say dat ef he'd a
knowed dat dey wouldn't be nothu
moren o lot of stale peppermint candy
in his stocking. he'd stayed in de groun' an
been q wire-worm a while longer. Sary Ann
Weevil tossed her head an clare dat Of dere
can't be TO fresh pods of beans or peas put into
her stockings she won't have nothin' more to do
with ary Christmas tree, an Tommy Mole
cricket say he been whettin' his teeth for
piece of Christmas turkey instead of pair of