The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-12-13

out; clar right out yer, I say, 70 is
'sartinly de mos aggravatin neggah
ebber did see! Look at de mud tracks
on my clean f1o'l'' Erastus cleared out
and Aunt Chloe handed him a few
wooden articles for sale. MAKE shuh
yO's not playin dis blessed day."
ErastuS had not been gone more than
half an hour when he suddenly came
around the corner running like deer,
hatless, covered with mud, his eyes
starting from their sockets. He rushed
into the Easements narrow hallway
where stood a great sheet-iron stove.
Into this he slipped. A few rods be-
hind came the police, but Erastus could
not be found. Hours passed, still no
Erastus appeared. The policeman left
Aunt Chloe was beginning to feel
greatly distracted when, Erastus hear
ing her low mutterings, crawled out,
covered with sooth, ashes and tears.
He ran to her side and clenched his
little black hands in the folds of her
dress. 20 nanny, he sobbed, did mt
steal dat turkey! Deed, didn't. Dun
let EN- sem me ter de lail!'' de Lor'
bless 20 chile, 70 is good honney; 20
nebber hardly seed a turkey, let lone
stealth one" The same day the real
thief, colored boy much larger than
Erastus, was arrested.
Christmas eve came. The streets
were bright with the lights from the
store windows and merry with the
voices of men, women and children.
Aunt Chloe could hear the people hur-
rying by about her, but kept on knitting
and sang to herself in sweet CULVER
ing voice, that good old hymn, ''Massa
OBJ de Sheepfol'." After singing the
second verse she began musing, Christ
mas eve an da's no stockin hangin by
de chimney TO- my pooah 'Rastus.
Then seeming to rememb Der the absence
of her son. who had left some time be-
fore, took candle in hand and peered
through the doorway into the darkness
But seeing no one, came slowly back
and sat with shaded eyes waiting his
return.
ut is sin to steal a pin
AS we'll as any greater thing
Sang Erastus, who was only a few yards
from the old dwelling. ''Sakes 'llbe,
calculated he, what it some body gwan
stole dat turkey" Worse still what it
the thief were yet in the house. eau
tiously and on tip toe he opened the
door. The street light made the room
barely light enough to discern the old
0OONOs AAO 6uAOu AAVOuVAy az AUo O10Os
But alas, the turkey was not there.
Almost in despair he cried, ssShuh huff
da's took him!'' At the same time q
little stir above him caused him to look
up, and there sat the turkey, perched
on the top of the stove. He seized it
eagerly and daring scarcely to look be-
hind, sped for home. Down the stairs
he ran, opened the door and threw the
turkey high above Aunt Chloe's head !,
to ses it come futtering down again
close beside her chair. Aunt Chloe
threw up both hands saying, 'sHo dar!
Shoe! Whar dis wide worl' 20 get dat
turkey?" ''Buyed it," he quickly re-
sponded, and then related his story.
"Yo blessed honey" said Aunt Chloe,
and declar ed again and again that he
twas 'shuh de hes neggah libin'."
That night the turkey was splendidly
prepared TO- de gran Christmas dinnahs
as Aunt Chloe called it. And though
Erastus dreamed all night of turkeys
and one in particular, that constantly
slipped from his grasp, he fully realized
| the next day at dinner, that the guardian
angel had preserved his treasure.