The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-26
Isn't What 1t
Used to BE,
SAYS UNCLE REUBE,


Christmas makes me so kinder sad
like. tibet now days I hate T. hev it
KUN rouand. The day takes me back t
my childhood days spint on par's farm
in good old Reubenvile Ny dear old
mar. God bless her soul, thought a
heap O her young uns an if she didn't
make thin's pleasant raound Christ
mas times I hope 1 won't so ter heav-
en- when 1 die. I imagine every old
Teller thet's lonesome es 1 be, wants
Christmas t go by burned quick.
These reminders O long go pull tn
heart strins O. everybody. an no mat
ter if they dew fill up ON apple juice
three or four times a year and do 10th
err things tibet amt jest right, tn sweet
soundin' Christmas chimes and tn talk
about whose birthday it be stills all tn
bad in their carcusses, and if yew could
catch hold O. EN- jest then yew might
lock it in their bosurns and keep it fer
ever. TIL world hain't all bad, after
all; if it was, Christmas continents
wouldn't make bad people good even
fer a minnit. I'd like ter get them
good old days back ag'in, but | don't
want ter go hum now. Par an mar
and all Their fellers an gals lie meath
TIL willerS in ReubenVille buryin
ground. Tn old house hes gone an
a new tangled building stands on tn
well-remembered spot. Then mother
thing, my old friend an pardner O.
my youth, Bill Jones, Their brightest
Teller that ever handled q hoe in a tater
patch, an he wasn't tn Bill Jones tibet
these funny newspaper fellers Joke
about either, is also deader then a
herrin'. Everybody he'd a Bill Jones
in tn young days fer a pardner an yer
Uncle Reube he'd llisn.
Then there's a tother side t Christ
mas. This year my Wallets fatter 'en
a hoecake an looks jest as i it been
stepped on by a circis elefant. I hate
t see 'tother folkses byin' good things
fer 'emselves an goin right by so many
poor cusses who never he'd a happy
Christmas since they were born. If I
he'd money same eS some these Woos-
ter fellers, I'd jest see one Christmas
how many poor cuSses [ could make
happy. 1t must be a pleasure L give
tn good book says tbs, an 1 long go
sot my mind on TIL Scripters es bein'
bout rite. If ReuOe he'd his way eV'ry
burned Teller an gal would hev a
Christmas t. day they'd member fer
years. Life haint really with TIL
Twin 'cording t my way O thinl1in
III SfNll d lOliGSUiilt OiQ ItllGI IHeL
ev'rythin looks kinder black an dis
mal-Hke, an l KANT see no sunshine
Fer years I've knoWed tibet Santie
Claws was only a pretty continent,
but durn my buttons if l don't hate L
let tn old cuss be 'ntirely fedgotten.
an last mite l hung up my old stocl1in'
same es l did years go, not stoppin'
t think tibet besides it's bein' full o.
holes it couldn't be reached by my
folkses, as they've been dead nigh on
t 40 years, and Reuben hain't got a
near kin in tn hole world.
But boys an gals, my old sock full
q holes an burned patches, hangs by
II chimney. an this mornin when !
look at its emptiness suppose I'll hev
mother fit @ blues an may be tempted
by Satan t fiji UP on apple juice fore
III DAVIS dun.
TIL good book says tain't best fer
man ter live lone an it's rite ag'in |
wouldn't be so burned bad off if the
good Lord he'd seen fit t spare my
Sal. But Sal waded through tn snow
nigh on t 20 years go, t get me Christ
mas presents. an TUX cold an died
with 'newmonia tn next week. l fee
tn need o somebody Z sew on my but
ten but I KANT bring myself tel
put mother gal in SAILS place. Us
wiked sinners hain't got no rite t
kumplain, but I do it very of'en. Mer
thet's got wives an younguns SHOULD
preciate EN-; they will when they're
ded an gone.