The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-12-18
LITTLE JOHNS CHRISTMAS.

We got up a-purpose, jes' fer little Joints,
you know;
His mother was so pore and all. and had
to manage So
Jes' bein' war-widder, and her pension
mighty slim.
Shed take in weavin', err work out, er
any thing fer him.
And little Joints was puny-like-but law!
the nerve he had!
You'd want to kindo' pity him, but couldn't
very bad
His pants o army blanket and his coat o.
KEEP hintin' of his father like, and pity
wouldn't doi
So we collogued together, onct, one win
tertime, at We
Jes' me and mother and the girls, and
Wise, John-Jack and Free
Would jine and get up little Joints, by
time at Chrismus come,
Some sorto' doins, don't YOU know. at
would surprise him some.
And so, all on the quiet, mother she turns
in and gifts
Some blue -janes-cuts and makes suit.
and then sets down and knits
pair o little galluses to go long with
the rest
And puts in a red flannel-back, and
buckle on the vest
The little fellerd ben so much around our
house, you see
And ben such hep to her and all, and
handy as could be,
AT mother couldn't do too much fer little
Johnts-No, sir!
She ust to jes' declare at "he was meat
and-drink to her"
And Piney, Lide and Madeline, they
watched their chance and rid
To Fountaintown with Lijey's folks, and
bought book. they did,
o fairy tales with pictur's in; and got u
little pair
o. red-top boots AT John-Jack said he'd
ben a-pricen there.
And I.ide got him q little sword, and
Madeline, Il drum:
And shootn' s-lawzy-day! ami
they're so dangersome!
And Piney, ever time the rest would buy
some other toy,
She'd take trrn in then and buy more
candy fer the bpyl
Well, thinks-says-I, when they got back,
your pocketbOoks are dry
But little Joints was there hisse'f that
Qfternoonsso /
Well, all of uske9' mighty mum, tel We
got him away
by tellin' him be shore and come to-morry
-Chrismus Day
And fetch his mother long with him!
And how he scrd acrost
The fields-his tow head, in the dusk, jes
like a streak O. frost!-
His comfert fluttern as he run-and old
Tige, don't YOU know,
A-jumpin' high fer rabbits and a-plowln'
up the snow!
1t must a-ben most ten that night afore
We got to bed
With Wilse and John-Jack heppin US
and Freeman in the she'd
And Lide out with the lantern while he
trimmed a Chrlsmus-tree
out Of little scrub-oak top at suited to
at!
All hight ] dreamp' o. hearin' things a.
skulkin' round the place
And "Old Krlss," with his whiskers off
and freckles on his face
And reindeers, shaped like Shawn -hosscs
at the cooper-shop,
A-stckin down the chimbly, with their
heels out at the top!
BY time at mother got me up twas plum
daylight and more
The front yard full o. neighbors, all a.
crowdin~round the door,
With Johnts's mother leadin'; yes, aud
little Joints hisse'f,
Set up on Freeman's shoulder, like Jug
up on the shelf!
OF course | can't describe 1t when they all
got in to where
We'd conferred up the Chrlsmus-tree and
all the hxln's there
Fer all the shouts o. laughture-clappin
hands, and crackin' jokes,
Was heap o. kissin gon' on amongst the
women-folks:-
Fer, lo-behold'yel there they had that
young-un And his chin
A-wobblin like and, shore enough, at
last he started in
And-sich another bellerin', in all my NOR
tai days
| never heerd, er 'spect to hear, In woes
app'nted ways!
And mother grabs him up and says: ITS
more'n he can bear
It's all too student fer the child, and too
su'prlsin'l Therev
"Oh, no II alnt'-sobbed little JOINTS
81 amt su'prlsed-but Pm
A-cryln cause | watched you all ard
knowed It all the timer
james Whitcomb Riley