The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-12-22
LITTLE JoHNTs's cHRIsMUs.
NJ JAMES wHIroNB RILEY.

We got ~ ups purpose Jes ief h'tie 5ohhts'
His mother was so pore and all. and had to
Jes' bein' a war.widder, and her pension
mighty slim,
She'd take in weavin' er work out. er any thing
fer him.
And little Joints was puny .like-but law
You'd want to kindo' pity him. hut couldn't.
very bad
His pants O. army blanket and his coat o.
KEEP hintin' of his father like. and pity
wouldn't do
20 we eollogued together, pne't, one winter
time, at We
.Jes' me and mother and the girls. and Wise.
John-lack and Free
Would jine and git up little Joints. by time
at Christmas come,
some sorto' doin's don't you know AT would
surprise HIM some
And so. all on the quiet, mother she turns IN
and gifts
some blue ianes-cuts and makes a suit, and
then sits down and knits
pair o little galluses to 20 long with the
And puts in a red fiannen back, and buckle on
the vest
The little feller'd ben go much around our
house, YOU see.
And BEN SIGH hep to her and all and handy as
could be,
AT mother couldn't do too much fer little
lohnts-no, sir
drink TO her"
And Piney. Lide, and Madalrne they watched
their chance and rd
To Fountaintown with Iiiey's folks. and
bought book, they did,
o. fairy tales, with pictur's IN and gota lit
tie pair
o. red top boots at John Jack said he'd ben
apricen there.
And Idle got him little sword. and NADIA
line. drum,
And shootIn' crackers - lawzy day and
they're so dangersomei
And Piney. ever time the rest wonld buy
some other toy.
She'd take and turn IN then and buy more
candy fer the boy
Well. thinks saysI when they got hack. your
poeketbook Is dry
But little Joints WAS there hissef that after
Wei, ali of us KEEP mighty mum, tel We got
BY tellin' him be shore and come tomerry-
Christmas day
And fetch his mother long with him And
how he scud acrOst
The fields-his tow head. IN the dusk, les like
a streak % FROST
His comfort huttern as he run-and old Tige
don't you know,
A-jumpin' high fer rabbits and a-plowin' up
the snow
got to bed
With Wise and John Jack he'ppin' us, and
And Lide out with the lantern while he
trimmed a Chrismus tree
Out of little scrub oak top at suited TO I
All night dreamp' o. hearin' things a-skulk
in round the place
And "Old kriss," with his whiskers of and
freckles on his face
And reindeers, shaped like Shawn bosses at
the cooper shop,
A-stickin' down the chimbly, with their heels
out at the top
BY time at mother got me up twas plum day
light and more
The front yard full o. neigh bors all a-Crowdn'
roun the door,
With Joints mother leadin'; yes-and little
Joints hissef,
Set up on Freeman's shoulder, like jug up on
the shelf
OF course ! cant describe IL when they all got
in to W here
We'd inferred up the Chrismus tree an all the
hXin's there
Fer all the shouts o. laughture-clAppln' hans
and crackln Jokes,
Was heap o. kIssin' goin' on amongst the
women folks
Fer. 10 behold yet there they had that young
un-And his chin
A-wObblin' like,-and, shore enough. at last he
started in
And-sich another bellerin', in all my mortal
days
never heerd, er 'spect ter hear in woes APP
p'inted ways
And mother grabs him up and says Its
more'n he can bear
It's all too student fer the child, and too SUI
prisin',-TheTel"
"Oh. no it ain't"-sobbed little JOhnts-"I amt
su'prised-but I'm
A-cryin' cause watched YOU all and know ed
IL all the timer
QooI Q.,,t~r