The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1890-12-18


And showed my boat from shore.
It's oh, my dearest Mayi
You're lovely as the day.
Your eyes SO bright
They shine at night,
When tho moon has gone away.
"And from across the branch came
the plaintive sound of negro voices from
Freeman's quarter, and as Tom listened
his heart seemed to go out in sympathy
to the singers, for as they progressed he
slowly raised his head and leaned for
ward, as if to catch the sound. and his
lips moved in unison as the words
81 took her hand within my own,
tear was in her eye,
asked her II she would be mine.
Her answer was sigh.
Oh, Emma dear, dear Emma,
From the Mississippi vale
In all this wide world over
There is none like Emma Dale,
swelled upon the breezes. and at the fin
ish he arose from his seat and walked
toward the woods.
"When the niggers got through with
their frolic Tom was gone, and the next
morning when the other nic~ers went
to work thar want no Tom there, and
it was soon known that Tom was run
away.
"Peter and Lucy wouldn't hear to put
ting hounds after Tom, and SO he was
not heard from any more, and they had
quit talking about him on the place.
Thus it went for year. The crops were
sorry and Peter failed to pay anything
on his thousand dollar note to old man
Smith, but had to renew and borrow a
little more. Peter was confident and
Lucy was cheerful, and so they pitched
another crop and resolved to economize
and work hard, never thinking that luck
had turned ergin EN-.
"Erlong in June, though" continued
Plunkett, 1.-THE niggers that Peter had
bought got the smallpox ermong them.
all three of them died and the crop was
lost, but Peter rolled up his sleeves and
worked the harder and Lucy she was Jist
the same good little woman, and they
made err pretty good crop and got 1t
housed, and | don't think airy one of EN-
ever thought erbout luck being ergin
EN-.
But" continued the old man, ION the
Sd day of December-on the night OF
that day-I never would forget 1t If
were to live er thousand years. Peters
barn ketched er fire and burned up his
whole crop and all three of his horses,
and the very next morning old Smith
was over there er pressing him for the
twelve hundred dollars and said he had to
have it or he'd take possession OF the
farm. The money would be due on the
25th day of December, and old Smith
wanted his money or possession on tnat
day. The prospects for happy Christ
mas was mighty gloomy for Peter, but
Lucy said:
":Well, Peter, you've got me and the
children yet
EYES said Peter, and you've never
herd me complain, but l do hate to give
up the home
"That was erbout as much to do AZ
there was erbout it, until at last Christ
mas eve night rolled around and the mt
tie children hung up their stockings AND
talked themselves to sleep about Ole
Santa Claus, and Peter and Lucy listen
I'd with hidden tears, and all through
the long night they sat until the HANDS
on the clock pointed to the hour OF three,
and then Peter raised his head ano
lowed:
lucy, we will have to give up our
home to Smith.
before Lucy could answer SOFT, cat,
Hin tread was heard upon the porch ano
- latch string was pulled, and a. tht
door opened there was revealed to int
isht Of tho astonished pair:
"Old Tom, the runaway:
"Tse worth 5000 OF any man
money, and that win pay of old smith,
morteaee,' said old Tom . he unsiune
= clesn inflow cass from biz shoulder
~ ~ Alled with goodies for The NTH
~. md that seon eweAsd - nssAs
saoo2dnap that hung q IL mantsl
.With ths rstuzn Of old Tom cam.
,p..erify 70 Per and Lucy. s9 W.
Ml.ik 81 -. =. y s:e.