The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-22

up to misery. One was BilIy's moth
er, and the other was Nanny Rose.
And yet, strange to say, though they
were grieving day and night, they
never surrendered hope; they never
ceased to believe that Billy would be
found in due time, The days passed.
and then the months, and although
they heard no word of Billy, they con-
tinued to hope and believe.
Then came the holiday season, and
nothing would do but these two mourn
ers should arrange matters just as
though Billy were at home. They
baked him a large fruit cake, and, at
the suggestion of Nanny Rose, Mrs
Tunison arranged raisins on top of ii
so they spelled Billy" they bought
him a red wagon and a toy gun; they
arranged to hang UP his stocking; and
they had everything ready for Christ
mas. They did all this with heavy
hearts, but the very fact that they
had been moved to do it made them
more cheerful and gave them fresh
hope and helped them to bear the load
that Providence had placed on their
"You can't make me believe he
amt comm after dist" exclaimed
Nanny Rose why, nobody can't
make me believe it. One thing shc,
eff he don't come dis time. amt gwine
ter speckt him twel mex Christmas"
20, don't say that!' cried Mrs. Tuni-
son.
Talk amt gwine ter hurt none
replied Nanny Rose. Eff he don't
come it'll be bekase he can't"
Christmas Eve came-ft was not far
away when this conversation took
place-and it was evident that the
town was preparing for quite A cele-
bration. Even before dusk fell. the
youngsters began to fire off their ro-
man candles and their skyrockets; and
there was a tremendous rafting Of
fire crackers. On the streets some or
the young men had begun to build BON
fires of barrels and dry goods boxes,
and a few among them were soaking
balls of cotton and Irvine in turpen-
tine so as to have them ready to light
when dark came on and throw them
about.
Now, Miss Eiviry, having lived in the
country all her life, had never seen, a
Christmas celebration in town, and she
was as keen to see the fireworks and
the general display as child could
have been. Drusilla,, whose mother
had come with her husband to Mil
ledgeville, had constituted herself Bill
ly's nurse and she was ready to go
along and take care of the little chap.
kinsnen to accompany them up town,
where they could see something of the
display. Billy, Independent as ever,
was running ahead with Drusilla close
behind him Suddenly he paused. look
ed around, and then began to run fast
er, laughing and screaming With de-
light. He scampered so rapidly that
he outfooted Drusilla, who was trot-
ting along behind him. She knew she
could overtake him, and. for that rea-
SON made no special effort to do so.
Suddenly, he turned and entered a gate,
and began to climb the steps. Of a
large house not far away from the
You Better come outer dar, boy!,"'
yelled Drusilla; dem white folks git
"Nfe wanter see mine muvver!" cried
Rillv from the piazza, and with that
he went running through the open door.
"Why didn't you keep him from go
IN In there?" protested Miss Elyiry, as
che came up. 1--WE don't want him pes
! terin people by runnin' In their
! houses why, they'll think he amt
| cot a mite er raisin'," she complained.
"He wuz in dar To- you could bat yo'
eve Miss Elvlry," said Drusilla; I'd
Ike ter see anybody keep dat boy FUN
swine In dar less'n dey had I'm tied
| Wild n rope" ..- ..-.
You may well believe that there was
corurnotlon IN the house when Billy
went running in I'VE wnnter zee mine
nuvveri me want ter see Nanny
Wose,Y he criedi as he ran along the