Telegram-herald., 1890-12-25
A CHRISTMAS STORY.

1T was Christmas night. Isl" con-
hnuel plunkett when FIRST seedtPeter
simpson. though il had been norated
erround for some tine that there was er
stranger ln tie settlement. and that he
was esdin 10 old Billy Brooks, and was
ergwyne 20 settle erinong us II he could
ind CT place 10 snit him..
Brown drew his char up closer 70 the
old man aud remarked
Them war the DAYS when you played
the fiddle. and | haia't much to brag on
myself nor On ms KIN. but / never seed
10 music that come up 20 Sugar IN the
GourI when was CT handling the
straws and you was er pulling Of the
bow"
I've seed the day could fairly make
er fiddle talk" nodded Plunkett. and
then continued:
ION the Christmas night Of 49, thar
was party at old man Jimmy Law
rence's, and we'd all gathered and the
young folks had played er game er two
OF sich as 'Thimble. and Timothy Tub
erbutin, and Snap out. til at last they
gathered partners and begin to walk
errOund and erround. AID Peter he was
there stranger and no didn't have no
partner and wasn't er having nothing 10
10 with the walking eEround. So Lucy
Coats. as good er girl as ever lived IN
Georgia, wanted to make him feel at
home, and so she axed him 10 be the
middle fellow
That's tho way the play is. They all
have partners bat one. The odd one
gets in the middle as they all walk
erround and sing. and when they git to
the part IN the song where it says Right
here III find her they all change part
ners and the middle man has the right
20 jump beside some Of the girls if he is
quick enough and then that fellow that
loses mis- girl gets in the middle, and so
il goes"
"Oh. know that old play" spoke
Brown, at TIE same time drawing his
chair little nearer 70 the old man.
We'll" continued Plunkett, Peter
be got in the middle, and the youngsters
walked errouud and erTound Ct singing
SO as you could er heerd EN- er mile:
TT rains and t halls and it's cold stormy weather.
Along comes tbe farmer drinking al the cider:
III reap tho oats and who'll be the binderf
! lost my true love and righs here I'll Gnd her.
And then the change come and Peter
De throwed himself GROUND and got by
the side Of Lucy. and he has told me
since that he loved he- from that very
mint"
Old man Brown was unable % contain
himself longer and he remarked:
And Lucy made him as good or wife
as evey or man had
Plunkett frowned n being disturbed.
but soon continued:
The young folka went on with their
playing first one thing and then an
other tin pretty sool they got partners
ard went walking GROUND and GROUND
ergin. singing.
every wen da-e. sa'I Johnnie Brown.
ThN IS th- wey 90 london town.
stand yen stif s;arl yoe ov
TiH son bear the Natchuan cry
con fhis -7r-et ycu must kuecL
i-iss four tr-a iovs in the Ge,l
kSs the au' t.af you 'oVe hest
1ael lefcre size -ocs to rcst
Pretty soon. continued Plunkett,
'they cri-l ont. scat Your partuers.'
anl Peter anl Lucy ws right Gloss to
ne Lucy Size turne, and lov J.
Mr plrrtatt. lct me u1ye you &C
quaintud with Nr simpson.
Then Peter PEE shook hlrds eriong
%
varnt uo time nll me and him was inst
IKE cil frjrr ls. and he lived bv rDe er
l0ng urno and never had er tr1er fTiend
oy better reirhhor. AMI Christmas makes
me- tbnk erbout these old tiues and
fhee Oh neigbbors tbat have raasca
aay i'rcvec
Welt continued plunkett. Peter
and Luey married ,l1rfns ~ -ho year
Isf sal that's what want 20 ten Won
acont
u that el1 he-rf t1g houso thst vou
( reseel on tae road where che moss Is er
growing ou toe roof dres ~ niEgrr man
/ bv the nsme &C old Tom thss vas the
/ sr~t niger fhst ever Pet-s and Lucy
haA Tom was some eizhtsen years olf
wien Peter dala Eive him - shem. and
old Tom and FrreT hal been hraaght up
/ toCetler anj Egtrr dcne lust as much
work ss hc required Tom 70 go. and they
made sod crops sad IN two on thres
7 years Peter had sr risilf suart money
hsyei ap. AMI 81 he bouzht some more
/ lan3. after thas he Bought another nigrrr
c7 ra and thev helpei him and s9cn
/ nsii fcr themselves aal Tom and L1ev
/ ect ambitious to 1e ricb snd tafy went
~ ieht thinking they could w0rk aai
rsv aut and 81 Things were u1ovin-
ericng when CID Tom. over vonder on
fhe read. went % kis Tourg master ard
mistress and tsld 'ena he vrante8 &c marry
enc ~ oid Squire Cravfsryi's : ni.vzer gals.
/ Tem masfer vas williae for him En-
rarrv Ere rrl that De love8. hat ths GA
Squire ha 6xai 70 and hefrre aaytct.v
/ thcueas e-irut IS he'd sd eat hfs nlan-