Evening journal., 1902-12-23
AT oertlnly ann a sorumptioug

<<9@ AT certinly am a sorumptious
~ lookin' fowl hit certinly
- am" said Aunt Miranda. as
she laid the plump turkey
aside and proceeded to wipe her
strong, capable hands, Il wns say
IN TO Tom Hen that guess dem
f, white folks won't have no grander din
: ner tomorrow than wes gwine to
have"
Course" she continued, 1--WE amt
gcin' TO have Havelon China plates to
eat 1t often Of and they won't be no
salary and grassy stuff, but Is got de
nnest turkey in dis heah town. and
when gets him stuffed full Of Young
ihserhs and stuff. and gets him right
DIoWni-Oh, go away chile. you don't
KNOW what good eatin' is"
Aunt Mirandy broke into a song: it
was rather dOleful for the occasion. brlt
1t was her comfort and stay during re-
Vlvals, funerals and at more Joyous
SEASONS:
Keep a-moanin',
Keep a-moanin,'
We amt got long to stay heah.
is down in the valley of de dry bones
But l amt got long to stay heah.
Keep a-moanin.'
h Keep a-moanin,'
[ For / ain't'-
Now you Bengimin Harrison. you
lee.b dat pOssom erlone. If yore paI
ketches you a-foOlin wild dat fow
he'll w0le yore black hide off'n You:
Keep a-moanin',
Keep a-mOaninf."
There had been great preparations
I in the little cabin for that Christmas
feast, A few days previous. Ton
Hen, the head Of the family had in tn,
course OF his wanderings brought hom'
a fat opossum, and then it had entered
Aunt Miranda's head TO give q feas
such as had been the custom at tn
"big house" in the old days.
4 Consequently from her meager say
ings- she had supplemented the offer
ing CT her husband by buying a plumb
turkey and to this real mince pie
with a little drap into 'em." wer
added.
Tom Hen had watched these proceed
ings with interest, and behind the she
( was a large dark bottle that he ha
Z laid in for the occasion. 1t was a tria
to Tom Hen to pass that particula
spot, and every time he did so ther
was a stern look in his eyes which be
spoke the battle in his soul between in
{ chnation and duty.
Now Tom Hen had brother VIII
lived Just through the woods, who ha
recently returned from q years labo
in Maryland. He brought back wit
him a "yaller gal" with whom Aur
4 miranda had little in common. Th
old woman had been a famous cook j
{ her day and she resented the claim Sc
up by the younger woman that sh
4 could cock as we'll as anybody in DELE
ware.
: So the proposition made by Tol
Hem that the relatives should bo II
vited over to the Christmas feast, ju.
suited Aunt Miranda, and she sent "a
invitation accompanied with the lnIol
nation that she proposed to show 'el
what good eatin' was
( It was late at night ere the hgnt
the little cabin was extinguished.
tho shed were set away all the goc
things to grace the feast OF the mo
row. out across the snow tho moo
looked down benignly on the stretch'
d Of fields glistening with their Wnl
covering, and touched up the giitterli
masses in the tree tops. Had oi
( paused at the little cabin an hour iau
he would have heard the rhythmic
4 snore of Tom Hen, who was sleepli
the sleep Of the just in anticipation
well-earned future rewards.
The morning dawned clear and COZ
and Aunt Miranda proceeded to bui
her fire preparatory to the feast 5.
tool. one peep into the shed just 10 s
the possom and the turkey stin WI
the cold. but horrors! they were go1
She rubbed her sleepy eyes and stare
Her face assumed an ashen hue III
she tried the door and found 1t u
1atched. Leading away to the road "
p line of tracks, and there they va
ished.
It was not long ere the cabin h
bean aroused There were sounds
lsmentation, broken by the more
y bust protests of Tom Hen. But
beautiful turkey the fat Dossum a
The luscious pies with apple bran
in them. were gone. It was half he
later when Tom Hen might have b'
seen stealing around the shcd.
one consolation was left 70 him,
If ever the black bottle was capable
giviriy cheer. wasn't this the most
ceptable time? In a few minutes
returned: he tried to whistle. but
whites Of his eyes showed ominou
{, His last solace was gone.
Presently down the stretch Of +
thew heard a merry whistle. soon
lowed by the creak of heavy boots
the packed snow. 1t was Tom HI
brother. Solomon, who was eyideI