Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-12-23
| I
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

themselves Daddy Jake was SO busy with
one thing and another that they felt them
selves in the way. They had the ardor
and the hope of childhood, however, and
they continued their visit with persistent
regularity. They were very patient, com
paratively speaking, and their patience was
finally rewarded
The night before Christmas, when their
interests and. expectations were on the
point of elimination, they found Daddy
Jake sitting in front of the fire, his head
thrown back and his hands folded in his
lap and before the little ones could fix
themselves comfortably Aunt Crssy walked
in and flung herself into a chair.
"Whoo-ee" she exclaimed. 'I'm dat
tired dat can't skacely drag one foot 70
de yuther. Look like bin on my feet
mighty nigh a mont, dat it do, an Pm dat
stiff, feel like some er my Inns gwine ter
break in two. Dey amt nothin, on dis
plantation dat l amt had my hans in,
specially eff its work. It's Crissy yere an
Crissy dar, de whole blessed time, an l
dun ner what de lazy niggers 'roun' yere
would do eff Crssy wuz to take a notion
ter peg out. Mistiss got old Charity in de
kitchin' dar a-cookin' an a-growlin', but
when dey's any nice cookin' ter be done,
Crissy got ter go an do it. l wouldn't
mind it so much" Aunt Crissy went on,
'ef dem yuther niggers'd do like dey tuck
some intruss in what's gwine on, but you
know yo'se'f, Brer Jake, ho~--,ua-lcau
dey is"
"Ah, Lordl you neent ter tell me, Sis
Crissy, l know um; l know um all. An
yit dey'll all be scrougin' one amer TO day
ar termorrer mornin' fer ter see which
gwine ter be de fus fer ter boiler Christmas
gif at marster an mistiss. Now you
none un um skacely yearned der salt. I'm
mighty nigh run down. Dis mornin de
stock in de lot wuz hollerin' fer der feed,
an it wuz broad day light at dat. Den dar
wuz de milkin': hit wuz after sun-up TO
dat Marty Ann got ter de COW pen Dat
gal blood kin ter you, Sis Crissy, but done
laid de law down; l done tole er dat de
mex time she come creepin' out dat late, l
wuz gwine to whirl in an gil 'er a frailin',
an I'm gwine to do it eff de Lord spars me. !"
''Nummine bout no kinnery, Brer Jake"
said Aunt Crissy, with emphasis. you
des git you brush an war dat gal out.
She new han wild de cows, but tooby sho
she kin git out TO sun-up"
'I'm mighty glad" Daddy Jake re-
marked, CHANGING at the children, who
were not at all interested in the "worri-
ments" of those faithful old negroes-''Im
mighty glad, dat Christmas is so nigh
De corn done in de crib, de fodder in de
barn, de cotton n de Clubhouse, de hogs
done kilt an put up, an eff Charity amt
nightly behine hand de turkey done in de
pot. Dat bein de case, what mo- kin we
ak, 'ceptin' we git down yere on de no an
ak a blessin'p
"Trufe, tool" exclaimed Aunt Crissy.
At amt quollin', but dem niggers is so ow-
dacious lazy dat dey keeps me pestered. "
''Yasserl" continued Daddy Jake, 'de
signs all look like deyer right. When l
sets right fat down an run it all over, hit
make me feel so good dat got a great
mine fer ter hung up my sock right OAR
side err de chimbly jam, an set up yere and
watch fer ter see ole Sandy Claus come a
slidin' down. Eff his foot wuz ter slip an
he wuz ter drap down on dat pot-rack dar,
I Law he'd wake up de whole plantation
Nv sock ain t so mighty long in de leg
the old man went on, refectiVely, ou'
she's mighty big in de foot, an eff ole San
dy Claus wuz ter take notion fer ter MI
FER plum up, she'd tighten his wallet
nightly"
did you ever hang up your stockin s.
Daddy Jakel" asked Lillian.
"Why; tooby sho', honey, replied the
old man, laughing. 81 bin hang um up
way back yander TO yo' nanny "uz
born'd. An I used ter git goodies in um,
too. Lord dem wuz times, sho' huff. !
used ter git goodies in UNI dem days, but
now speck / wouldn't git so much ez a
niece err 'lasses candy. But nummine bout
that I'll des take en- hang um up dis night
an, I'll be mighty glad eff git slishe er
crackln' bread. Dat kinder bread good
huff fer me, specially when II righU lresh'
"Man. don't talk" exclaimed Auut Cris-
Az "Look like l kin in about tase 'et now!
"Aunt Crissy, are you going to hang up
your stockingsl" asked Lucien'
"Bless yo soul, honey l mos got IN de
notion un it. Eff 'twan't dat I'm sleepin
up in de ole Granny CLANCY house Ter Tel ei
sorter keep 'er comply, speck wouio
hang UNI up. But dey tells me dat 'twon
do no good eff you hang up 20 stocklns Il
some one else house. Sides dat, ole Granny
CLANCY so restless dat she'd in about skeei
ole Sandy Claus off eff he 'uz to starI Vel
come. I'm a tellin' you de trufe' Dre'
Jake, dat ole creeter done got so dat sh'
don't skacely close FER eyes fer sleep OF
whole blessed night She takes so man!
maps endurin' 'er de day, dat when nlSn
come she des ez wakeful ez dat ole blaei
cat what stay up dere at de barn" .
dat ole oman gittin' ole, mos" SAT-