Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-12-25

"You see, in my imagination can be
cap be jes' as white as white folks,
Miss Clare, an pretty an young.
can then all the good times have in
my Imagination! don't have the trou-
BILE that goes with really hayin' things.
build great, big, splendid houses, pal
aces an castles, an then jes' let 'em
go am don't bother about repairin' 'em
or payin' taxes. When l wants anoth-
er house, jes' build it out of my mind.
That's good deal easier an cheaper
than takin' care Of the old ones"
And Mary Ann laughed as she mois-
tened her finger and tried the heat of
the iron.
"None of my horses ever has the collie
or goes lame" she continued, IAN no.
body has any finer ones. You jes' ought
to see me sailin' in my Imagination
through Fifth avenoo behind my pranc
in steeds, while people stop to look at
me an say, I wonder who that gor-
geous an lovely creachure is
can then the travelin'! While I'm
washin' an ironin' here in this ole
laundry l jes' soar off to Saratogy an
Newport an England an Paris an
Asia an Afriky. Well, no, don't go
much to Afriky. 1t amt stylish enough
for me- But go to the north pole hot
days jes' to cool off. l don't find no
difficulty in reachin' the pole. I've
climbed that pole many time in my
Imagination"
And Mary Ann again laughed merri-
ly over the pleasant pictures which she
had drawn.
did ever tell you about the fun we
had las Christmas, Miss Clare? l
didn't? Well, / must tell you about
that.
"You see, we was kind Of POI last
Christmas. Your folks had done gone
to the city, an hadn't no extra work,
an the chillen all needed winter
clothes, an we had only 45 cents left
for Christmas, an Peter he said that
we couldn't affo'd no Christmas tree,
but 1 said: 60 way, Peter. I'm goin'
to have Christmas tree So I went
out in the village the night before
Christmas an found pc little runty
tree that nobody wouldn't buy, an l
got it for cents, an fixed it up with
a lot of little baubles that your NOM
mer had given me, an we had real
nice Christmas tree.
can then l said: Now, chillen, we
ain't got very much for Chris mus
that is, not much dcchually-an' SO we
must draw ON our minds for what we
need. Now, just foller my lead, an
we'll have the greatest Christmas that
ever any family ever had with only As
| cents
I'D bought some stick candy an a
little cheap present for each one, an
then 1 brought out package of old
letters my sister had writ to me from
home in Virginia.
to understand that all through this
Christmas I'm a queen, an poppy he's
king, an you're all princes an prin-
cesses, an that were to have every
thing to eat an drink an wear an
look at that the mind can think Of
"They all sent up a whoop an seem
ed nightly Z tickled, an Roland, he
says: 'Mommer, you're to be Queen
Mary Ann, an poppy he's to be King
Peter-no,' says he, poppy's to be Pc
ter the Great. I've just been readin'
about Peter the Great at school,
''Then takes up the bundle of let.
tiers, am says, we must first read the
congratulations of the season from oul
friends The first letter / read was
from Queen Yictoria--that was before
the queen died, you know-to Queen
Mary Ann, calm me her dear cousin
an honored friend an tellin' me that
she had sent me diamond necklace
worth 100000 as testimonial of hel
undyin' love an affection.
can then the Prince of Wales wrote
to King Peter the Great, sendin' hin
valuable presents, includin' some ele
plants an tigers. An then all the roy
alties from all over Europe sent Chris
mus gifts an lovin' messages to Prince