Connecticut western news., 1890-12-24
A CHRISTMAS STORY.

"A -4t wa O0Il8Lu66 uSuC, ,lof-, COu- Hnued Plunkett, when first seed Peter einpann. though it had been norated erround for some time that there was CT istxangef in the settlement, and that he was erkin to old Billy Brooks, and was mgwyne to settle ermong US if he could find CT place to suit him."
 Brown drew his chair up closer to the old man and remarked:
 Them war the days when you played the fiddle, and haint much to brag on myself nor on my kin. but never seed no music that come up to Sugar in the Gourd when l was CT handling the stznws and you was CT pulling of the bow"
 "rvs seed the day Iicould fairly make CT fiddle talk" nodded Plunkett, and then continued:
 ''On the Christmas night of 1S4- thar ~. . perty at old man Jimmy Law fenoe's, and wed all gathered and the young folks h&d played CT game CT two of sich as 'Thimble. and Timothy Tub erbutin,' and Snap Out, till at last they gathered partners and begin to walk erround and erround. and Peter he was there . stranger and he didn't have no partner and wasn't CT having nothing to do with the waling nround. So Lucy Coata. as, good Ter girl as ever lived in 0eorg3A. wanted to make him feel at home, and SO she axed him to be the middle fellow
 'ThAt's the way the play is. They all have partners but one. The odd one gets in tho middle as they all walk erTound and sing, and when they git to tho part in the song where it says Right here I'll find her they all change part ne1a and. the middle man has the right to lump bsEide some of the girls if he is quick enough and then that fellow that loses his girl gets in the middle, and so it goea"
 "Oh. 1 know that old play" spoke Brown. at tho same time drawing his chair little nearer to the old man.
 "Wen," continued Plunkett, ssPeter he got in the middle, and the youngsters walked erround and erround CT singing Q asy you could CT heerd 'em CT mile: Along comes the farmer drinking all the cider; Tn reap the oats and who'll be the binderf hse my true iove and right hero Tn find her. / And then the change come and Peter hetmowed himsef erround and got by tho Gde of Lucy, and he has told me ance that he loved her from that very mint"
 Old man Brown was unable to contain himself longer and he remarked:
 "And Lucy made him as good CT wife 6 ever CT man had"
 Plunkett frowned at being disturbed, but soon continued:
 ''The young folks went on with their playing-first one thing and then an- neher-till pretty soon they got partners and went walking erround and erround Gyin. singing: --zr. @F svsxvsRdo.s. gid Johnnie Brown, . -rs s1fb . sAsvay to LpoAon town;
 Stand you ssin, stand you by.
 m you hear the watchman cry.
 -On thA carpet you must nee1
 Kh yetrue love in tho ne2d,
 Kk0Gose that yen love best
 JuchsfSe she goaE d re<
 (Rssoon." coqtiuned Rlunket+, ''they 9ds out, 'Seat yor psetners,' and ,Pstwa and Lucy was rig&t close to mea1f Lucy she tuned and lowed:
 .9er.s sPfmkett, let me make you ac- qmneed,w with Nr. Simpsum.' xhea Peter he shook hands erlong 1hne and took CT seat by me, and it p1knk 10 time till me andlhim was just B oA friends, and he lived by me CT .laG. .t4Hna snd Inever had CT truer friend e6kq1tle4siGhhor, and Christmas makes me 6nink 0bout these old times and thse old neighbors that have passed away forever.
 
 .-a-@Wea1,. continued Pfmkett, ssPeter and- Lucy married during of the year 1A-, and that's what want to tell you shout
 g, "h that old hewed log house that you passed on the road where the moss is e1 ,e&noWing on the roof lives CT nigger man by the name of old Tom that was the &tt t:nigger that ever Peter and Lucy : h6 Tom was some eighteen years old when Peters dada give him to them, and old Tom and Peter had been brought ur tdEstl1ers end Peter done inst as much work as he required Tom to do, and they made good crops and in two or three y-afs Fever had CT light smart money E.Aelu UP. and % he bought some more land, after that he bought another niggez or two and they helped him, and soon paid for themselves and Tom and Lucy apk anbitious to be rich and they weni in debt, Thinking they could work and pAy out, and so things were moving ..xinnx when old Tom, over wonder or .stAs road, went to his young master ant .s uietxeaa and told lem he wanted to mar, ons of old Squire Crswford's 5 nigger gals :: T0nas master was willing for him {, : nax1y the girl Shat he loveds but the oi aquise hs 6xsd uP and hceoto anynod! lzsAA .besa ' Agd ses4 oat hs 1a..