Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-12-22

gang wuckin' de evee crost de river-an'
dats huccome yo' ma was 'feerd ter stay
by 'ers'ef an sont fur me.
"Well, baby, when | knowed yo' mann
my was gone helt you tight an prayed
An after while-seem lax million hours
come pale streak o. day, an fo' de sun
was up heah come a steamboat putin
down de river, an treckly hit blowed
whistle an ringed bell an stop an took
us on boa'd an brung us on down heah
ter de city"
An you never seed my NANNY no mo-,
gran'dad y Little Dukes lips quivered
| just "A little
"Yo' nanny was safe at Home in de
Golden City, luke long fore teched
even de low Ian o dis yearth. An dats
how we got los fom we's white folks. An
time we struck de city, l was so twis' up
wild rheumatic l lay fur six munts in de
Cha'ity hospitl an you bein' so puny cut
tin 20 tools, dey KEEP you right along in de
baby ward till | was able to start out. An
sence | stepped out o dat hospitl do wild
| yo' little bow-legs trottin' by me, so | been
goin' ever sence. Days I'd 90 out sawin'
wood, I'd set you on de wood-pile by me
an when de cook d slip me out plate O
soup, I'd ak fur two spoons. An so you
an me- we been partners right along, an
| wouldn't swap pardners wild nobody-you
heah, luke Disheres Christmas, an I'm
talkin' ter yer"
Duke looked so serious that feathers
weight would have tipped the balance and
made him cry but he only blinked.
'An' it's gittin' late, now, pardner,' the
old man continued, IAN you better be
gwine-lessn you feerd Eff you is,
DIES sesso now, an we'll meek out wild de
col victuals in de press
"Who's afeerd gran dad" luke S face had
broken into a broad grin now and he was
cracking his whip again.
Don't eat no supper tell | come" he
said, starting out into the night. But as
| he turned down the street he muttered to
himself:
II wouldn't keer, eff all dem sassy boys
didn't pleg me-say | amt got no nanny
ur daddy ur nothn' But dey won't say it
ter me agin, not willis got dis whip in my
han She sting lax rattlesnake, she do!
She's a daisy an a half Cher-whack
You gwine ter sass me any mo-, you grea'
big over-my-siz coward, you Take dat
An dat An dat Now run Whoop
Heah come de red light I"
So, in fancy avenging his little wrongs,
Duke recovered his spirits and proceeded
to catch on behind the Pyrtania car, that
was to help him on his way to get his sec
ond-hand Christmas dinner.
His benefactress had not forgotten her
promise; and in addition to heavy pan of
scraps, Duke took home, almost staggering
beneath its weight huge, compact bun
die.
Old Nose was snoring vociferously when
he reached the cabin. Deposting his par
eel the little fellow lit a candle, which he
placed beside the sleeper; then, uncover
ing the pan, he laid it gently upon his lap.
And now, Selling a spoon and tin cup, he
banged it with all his might.
'Heah de plantashun-bell Come, git
yo' Christmas gifts /"
And when his grandfather sprang up,
nearly upsettng his pan in his fright, Duke
rolled backward on the floor, screaming
with laughter.
81 clare, luke, my boy" said Nose
when he found his voice. 81 wouldn't o.
! jumped so, but yo' foolishness des fitted
intermy dream. l was dreamin' o ole times,
an DIES when l came ter de ringin' O. de
plantashun-b bell, heerd cher-plang an it
nachelly riz me oif'n my foots What's dis
here Did you git the pan O. dinner sho'
'nough ~
The pan of scraps quite equaled that of
the old mans memory, every familiar frag-
ment evoking a "reminiscences.
"You is sho' struck quality white folks
dis time, luke" he said, finally, as he
pushed back the pan-Duke had long ago
finished-"but dis here turke y-stuffin'-I
don't say tain good, but hit don't quite
come up ter de mark o. OF miss's puckon
stufiin'l"
Duke was nodding in his chair, when
finally, the old man. turning to go to bed,
spied the unopened parcel, which, in his ex-
element, Duke had forgotten, Placing it
upon the table before him, Nose began to
open it, 1t was package worth getting
just SUI h a generous Christmas bundle as
he had described to Duke this afternoon.
Perhaps it was some vague impression of