The Ordway new era., 1909-12-24

ain no medicine sickness. nohowi Dat
Mist Cam'ron am mighty smaht
man. but he am shoiy aifool pussen Z
be zasperated wild dat lobeiy Miss
Willoughby. an she SO nice an pretty.
too"
Merry Christmas. Midnight!"' ex-
claimed musical voice at the boys ei-
bow. and the lad almost fell backward
as he turned and looked into the smiI-
Ing face of young girl. fnir-haired.
blue-gray eyed and dainty.
"Why-why-good ebenin. Miss
Willoughby. Merry Christmas. Skuse
me TO not SEEM you. but ah done
fo'got my mammals. An guess. TO- dc
time bein' An was Jus thinkin' boat
de folks OBJ NAH family.
why. Midnight, you never told US
about your folks as long as you have
been serving papers at our house. Are
your folks alive!"
Jus nah ole gran'mammy, an she
lib wild some ole fr'ens OBJ de family.
an All sens her de money dat she
need t lib on. All ain had no daddy
an no nanny TO de longes' time.
cause dey bofe froze L def in de bluz-
zard what come long bout six year
ago"
How did you ever happen to come
here?"
Mist Cam'ron done brought me
hyar. You see. nah nanny been a
cook an nah mammy's sister a nurse
In Mist Cam'ron's family 70 near 30
year. an when Mist Cam'ron come
hyar nanny ax him T. git me q Job
some day an den he SEN TO me. He
try me TO n cook. but All guess Ah'm
n pretty bad cook-ennyway Mist
Cam'ron he say one day why not staht
a news.stan' an he give me de money
an dat's all de hist'ry what is bout
me-but, Miss Willoughby. Ah'm glad
you come long tonight. cause All got
a Chrismns present TO- you-some
mistletoe. a fine big branch whnt mah
granmammy sens up from Marylan'-
git 1t offen de trees right In dc
swamp back o de shanty. All vans
t ax you ef yo' will please be 20 good
an kin rs Z come 'roun' In nde
mawnin' an buy de frs paper. cause
It means good luck. you know"
why. 1t will be n pleasure. Mid
night. not only to bring good luck to
you, but to get the mist'etoe."
Hardly had the Christmas horns
blown their first greeting o. the day
when Midnight saw two figures COM
ing down the street from different di.
rections. One was Cameron. walking
slowly along the main thorouchfare.
and the other was Miss willourhbv.
Merry Chrismus!" called Midnight.
even before the young lawyer had
reached the stand. "Ah hopes you Is
feelin' bettah dis mawnin'."
Thank you. Midnight: feel all
right. Here. hurry up with that mis-
tletoe and give me that first paper
you wanted me to buy" he added.
quickly. as he glanced up the street
and saw Miss Willoughby approach.
ing briskly.
"Ah-Ah-Ah-doan know jes' whn'
All did wid dat mistlemtoe-ain' All one
fool niggah? All put It right hyar. un-
der dis shelf jes two minutes ago.
but All can't find IT," he replied. rum
maging nervously among pile Of pa.
pers underneath the top shelf.
Merry Christmas!". called another
voice. and Midnight raised his head
|
loughby, who stood at the other end
Of the stand. taking great pains not to
see Cameron. who was striving equally
to avoid her.
, Where is that mistletoe you want
ed me to have. Midnight? You see.
got up very early to be the first one
, here. and you know you promised Il
to me-"
well, ef dat ain de funnies' thing.
, replied Midnight. laughing mischiev
ously. "Ah sholy had two fine pieces
OBJ dat mislemtoe right hyar, but All
. can't fin 'em t save nah soul. All
done promise dis Z you. Miss
Willoughby. an deed All done promise
:, It t you, Mist Cam'ron. TO yo' motha
an All sholy doan know what t dc
bout 1t. All can't bus It in two
. Half unconsciously the two youns
persons reached for the bough, ther
!. hesitated.
. why. OF course, let Mr.. Cameron
have 1t for him mother" spoke W
). Miss willoughby.
!, Give it to Miss willoughby." sale
!, Cameron. Perhaps you will find tbs
other piece after awhile"
"Ahn give 1t q Miss willoughby a
Mist Cam'ronll tote II home TO- dt
:, lady"
= The girl glanced at Cameron. and II
another moment the young coup''
were walking away from the stant
I, carrying the bunch Of mistletoe be
). tween them. Midnight grinned as b
!; leaned against his stand and com
:, mented:
!, "Ah guess Ah'll take dis otha piec
q right straight up t Mrs. Cam'ron nah
self, cause All know dat piece OBJ mis-
tlemtoe ain nevah gwine t leave Mis-
:, Willoughby's house ef Mist Cam'ro
q kin hep It."
y =
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