The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1906-01-18
4 S0UTHERH TALE.
An Interesting Story of One Phase
ofPIantation Life.

An Interesting Story of One Phasi
ofPlantation Life.
Il was Christmas eve in the cabin
but the cupboard vas empty and tn
fire upon the hearth was nearly out
for 1t was not the oid-time Christ
mas the dsrkeys had known "befo' d.
wahs when their mistress and maSte.
were alive. All day long the snow
had been falling. and now il lay whit
and giistening under the shining heay
ems as IL there was really nothing but
peace on earth and good will TOWARD
men,
Far over the white covered hills the
lights Of Christmastide blazed through
the trees from the old mansion that
had been many years dark and de-
serted. But its cheeriness brought nc
comfort to the two darkeys shiyerine
over the half dead Goals: for the PEG.
Pile who had lately moved into their
old homes were strangers and knew
nothing about the little cabin nestled
among the pines far away under the
hills ~The tears stole down their black
faces as memories Of the Christmas
OF long ago rose before them, when
they had shared all the joys OF that old
home. Memories of blazing hearths
and bright lights, Of the happy voices
OF their own white people ringing
through those dear halls, and of the
strum Of the banjo from the quarters
not far away.
Nanny does you reck'n ole marse
an miss up in Heab'n knows how bad
We Is on. dis Christmas ever" A dar-
key with q head as white as the hills
over which he had been gazing from
the cabin window. addressed his com.
panion huddled over the other side Of
the cherries hearth. She had been
nanny" in the ante bellum days,
and the appellation chung to her.
Lord! dey'd cert'ny be hut ef dey
does" she replied with a groan-"fur
dey knows what We bin use ter In dem
ole Christmas times wen dey wuz live,
an aint know de wantin' of muffin no
mo- an deyselves. Law, I kin les shut
my eyes now" she went on remini-
scently "an' see dat ole kitchen table
pile up VIII cakes and pies, an Aunt
Sarah an ole Minnie bakin' tell de
ve'y smell oh 'em make me sick. Den
long bout dark an Miss Alice 'mence
to set de table out dere In de big
hall. fur ole marse to make he aigg-
nogg Christmas mornin'; an kin heah
Miss Alice now . keep sayin put
plenty glasses, nanny, case I want
ev-body to drink marse an miss healf
in the mornin'. An didn't sum oh
dem niggers drink ole marse an miss
healf"-here both old darkeys chuckled
In spite OF themselves-"tell deyI haf-
ter be kerried down to de quarters
bodily! An oh. dat Christmas din
ner!" She clasped her hands raptur-
ously over her tattered breast. dat
turkey dress all In holly, roas' brown
an stun vii nuts! An dat plum pud-
din sont In de house In er blaze OBJ
hre! Den wen de white people eat
tell dey cudnt eat no longer, dere wux
jes q much lef fur de darkies. Lord
Almighty! heah I is wishin' fur what
do very dogs sniff up iey nose at, dat
day." She stopped and wiped her eyes
with the corner OF her apron; there
were . few minutes silence, and the
other old darkey announced solemnly:
Use gwine ter pray!" Both knelt
down, and he began aloud:
"Oh, Lord King oh Heab'n an erf,
Who sOnt do chile Jesus dat frs
Christmas eve 80 menny thousan' yeah
ergo, look VIII pity erpon dis ole lone
sum cabin settin' out heah In de viii
berness ter mite, whar dey amt so |
much as er turkey feav'r to mind us |
ob de blessed time. Dee knows how 1t |
wuz In de ole time long ergo, wen
Chris'nus wuz de happies' time OBJ all
lie yeah, case Dee knows how much
'to' ole marse sot to his surbants' |
IN nev'r stint we all no mo- an he
lid hiss'ef. Dee knows how de cider
IN appul toddy flow'd same as water
len, an chestnuts an appuls wuz er
)oppin' in de fireplaces. Ebby sense
de marse die it git wo'se an wo'se wifi
Is. Pear like de fust blow cum wen
lie mansion WIZ sole; an den all our
people move way tell l an nanny
,nliest ones lef; den times git SO hard
We bleeg'd to lef too, an move down
leah in de mashes whar we is ter
lite. Las yeah our 'tatoes fros' bite,
m We wo'se an ebber. Sum white
o'ks is moved up into de manshun
ately, but dey is cum frum whar dey
lint no cullud folks, reck'n, an amt
NOW our people gwine suffer lessen
ley hep US; SO we is lef lonesum dis
Christmas wifout emmy one ter look to
cusin' Dee. Frum Dee only, kin we
pee he'p-oh, SEN down er angul frum
N high"
Sen down er Christmas angul.
4ord" broke in quavering voice from
he other side Of the fireplace. SEN
r angul to We po' trimlin niggers,"
he first voice went on-"an' let him
hine he bright beams in dis darksum
abin ter-nite, like dey shine on dem
hepherds OBJ ole, and dey fell down
N DER faces an wuz too skeer'd to
peak"
"Oh. SEN down er angul, Lord!" the
wo voices struck in together, on the
anne key. the other leading off again:
Sem down er angul frum on high
n -"
Outside a gentle voice broke upon
he prayer, and like the shepherds OF
Id, the two darkeys fell forward upon
heir faces. and waited with breath
uspended for another sound of the
ngelic response.
"Dory to Dord in de highest, an on
RI peace dood will to men!" Then,
D! the door opened and in came q
my child. She was all in white, and