The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-12-23
THE CHRISTMAS EDDIE
FORGOT SANTA CLAUS.
BY EVAN MACPHERSON.

IsuSsSlL1
October, all ober"-So the West In
dian tongue. whether of white man or
black. pronounced the ending Of the old
Caribbean weather rhyme. "Septem-
Der, remember" gives warning of the.
terrific hurricanes, and next October,
all ober." November and the Halcyon
days of the Antilles, when the air has
been purged and ~freshened by autumn
rains. the sun Is not scorching, but bril-
liant. ripe oranges are plentiful, and
at least in Jamaica-people begin to
look out for the Christmas breeze.
October, all ober." a little white boy
II ten. clad in fresh ducks and canvas
shoes, chanted as he skipped down the
wide brick steps into the back yard, and
alighted with a wanton leap - the
Aidst OF a drove of poultry that were
busy picking up their early morning
corn Cackiings, quacklings and indie-
RaHt gobblins arose and rent the air;
several lens charged recklessly through
q pool OF rain water that had not had
time to dry up from the evening before,
and a drake absurdly attempted to fly
over the top Of an ancient mango tree.
A lanky black youth in white cotton,
sa1atting on the shady side of a tama-
rind, lifted his chin sadly to whine a
protest Hi, Mars Eddie, Ef Fahder
Jee know you do dat, it will kill him.
sab" This youth was Father Joe's -
s.itute in charge of the poultry. Hav-
ing spoken thus to the purpose of his
efnciai responsibility, he continued, as
before. nursing his chin in the hollow
Of one hand and patiently waited for n
restoration of confidence among the
poultry
The deputy poultry keepers paint
only increased Eddie's hilarity. "Choh!
Nothing will kill Father Joe, you
iackass. Don't you know he's going to
live to see my Uncle Larchin come back
from Mexico?-Uncle Larchin's coming
coming to be with US at Chritmas!
That's what I'm going to tell old Joe
now"
With that Mars Eddie raced away,
bareheaded as he was. through the
~ sunlight and westward-pointing
shadows of trees. to the far end of the
IsnS row Of outbuildings. where poor
old palsied Joe lay on a low cot by a
wide-open, unglazed ID The old
black head. with it's thin fringe of white
wool. lay propped On bolster and pill
lows, and two yellow sunken eyes peer
ed wistfully out at the freshness and
stir of the yard. where flashing drops
of last nights rain lay scattered. lik Z
Numbered treasury. all over the grass.
As the child bounded On to the RAISED
brick floor of the veranda with a shout
of Father Joe. are you awake? the
old man had just turned his eyes UP
towards the blue hills where vast snowy
sheets of mist were being drawn higher
and higher by the morning sun.
81 will lift mine eyes unto de hills,
he was feebIy muttering, needless of
Rddie's call. If he heard it. unto de
hills. whence comet my
Father Je! Yes, you are awake.
rye got something to tell you. Papa
said i might be the first to tell you.
"Oh, go way. Pic'ny.'
Mo really and truly, Father Joe,
he's coming-he's started-he's going 70
start next week. I mean-from Mat
what you call it?-Matamorris, or what
ever they call the place"
sunken eyes in it. Father Joe breathed
n little more heavily and moistened his
dps with his tongue. His voice was low
and hoarse, his utterance timex.
'fwho you talkin' bout Mars Ed
ward?"
know you said you'd surely see him
again?-Didn't you?-Wen, it's going 20
come true"
The old man turned his eyes from the
sttle figure that was perched at n
end of his window sill back again to the
distant blue folds of the hills Again
he was muttering-"From whence
comet my s~alvation-You da mex pop
pet-Show o me, nO?
at give you my word of honor. rather
.FnA ana got d 1eIlST
saw it with my own eyes Eddie was
sounding the palm of his left hand win
hisNright fist, to add emphasis. Then ne
stopped to hin Conscience rem
him of several right merry ~decept1ons
he had practiced on Father Joe IN tne
past-before this awful paralytic ~+r"ee
Of course. never since; and conscience
ta3d him that his mere word could nor
~sonab be expected to convlnc IN
this particular case. Before this
condition OF affairs 1t was necessary 70
~Snd proofs. A detailed description OF
tbe Mexican stamps Of the letter, now
would that do? No impossible to in
vent q description of a foreign postage
stamp. The exact words of the promise
to reach Jamaica in time for Christmas
hat would be more telling Fatner
Joe" the letter says. Hope to be with
you al Christmas. if not And
oh, yes-and 1t says ID. W NOW!
II Father Joe would not accept ID.
"" as conclusive. the paralysis must
have reached his brain, Eddie thought
How could a boy make up ID. "
Father Joe only groaned family, roll
ing his head towards the dark interior
Of the room. where Aunt Mary Simpson.
with her head tightly bound in its usual
yellow ~bandana, was coming with MS
morning coffee. What he muttered
sounded something like THE sceptre
shal not depart"
Eddie went into the house crestfallen.
II told him." he said indignant "rhen
ais papa asked him about 1T, after
norRing prayers, but be wouldn't be-
Aeve me-"
az wish you hadn't let Eddie tell TIE
Door old man anything about it, Gray"
said his mamma IF anything should
happen to delay Larchin, the disap-
continent may have a very bad effect
on old joe"
But Eddie'n pap only said. "Joe's
presentiment that he is to see Larchin
once more in this world is going to come
true, I tell you. I've seen that sort or
thing happen more than once in my
time"
This prophecy of old Joe's had been
made with all confidence quite six
months before, on the very day OF his
paralytic stroke. Nobody had then be-
Heve that Larchin Trevor would ever
come back to Jamaica, the dust Of which