The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1909-12-09

said Cameron. aa he TUNED away

sopethin wrong Fshyah, suah. an II
ain no medicine sickness. nohow. Dat
Mist Cam'roh am mighty smaht
man, but he am sholy fool pussen {
be zasperated wild dat lobely Miss
Willoughby, an she so nice an pretty
too"
Merry Christmas, Midnight" eX,
claimed a musical voice az the boys cl.
bow, snd tho lad almost fell backward
as be turned and looked into the smil.
Ing face Of u young girI. fairhaired,
blue-gray eyed and dainty.
"Why--why.-good ebenin, Miss
Willoughby Merry Christmas Skuse
me 70 not seem you. but ali done
fogot my mammals. All guess 70 de
time bein'. All was JUS thinkin' bout
de folks OBJ nah famhly
"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 Oh dc family.
an All sens her de money dat she
need { lib on All ain had no daddy
an no nanny 70 de longes' time.
cause dey bofe froze { def in de btiZ-
card what come long bout six year
ago"
"fIow did YOU ever happen to come
here"
Mist Cnm'ron done brought me
hyar. You see. NAH nanny been n
cook an NAH mammy's sister a nurse
in Mist Canl'ron's flnlly 10 near 30
year, an When Mist Camron come
hyar nanny nx him { git me Job
some day on den he sen 70 me. He
try me TO n cook, but All guess Ah'm
n pretty bad cook--ennyway Mist
Cam'ron he say ono day why not staht
newsstan' an he give me de money
an 1dat's all de hist'ry what Ia bout
me-but. Miss WiIloughby, Ah'm glad
you come long tonight, cause All got
a Christmas present TO you-some
mistletoe. a fine big branch what nah
granmammy sens up from Marylan'-
git II offen de trees right in dc
swamp back O. de shanty All vans
{ AK you ef yo' will please oe so good
an kin as L come roun In nde
mawnin' an buy de irs paper, cause
II means good luck, you know"
Why. II will be pleasure, Mid.
night. not only to bring good luck to
you, but to get the mistletoe."
tnRI h. ~. he'll
blown their first greetings OF the day
when Midnight saw two figures com
ing down the street from different d.
rections One was Cameron, walking
slowly along the main thoroughfare,
and the other was Miss Willoughhy
Merry Christmas" called Midnight
even before the Young lawyer had
reached the stand "Ah hopes you is
feelin' bettah dis mawuin'"
Thank you. Midnight I feel all
right Here. hurry up with that mis-
tlctoe and give me that first paper
you wanted me to buy" he added.
quickly. as he glanced mp the street
and saw Miss Willoughby approach
ing hriskly.
"Ah--Ah--Ah-doan know 1es' wha'
All did wild dat miBtlemtoe--ain' All one
fool niggah? All put II right hyar, I'M
der dis shelf les two minutes ago,
but An can't find It," he replied. rum
maglng nervously among pile OF pa
pers underneath the top shelf
Merry Christmas!" called another
voice, and Midnight raised his head
and smiled into the face of Miss VIII
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 Ii that mistletoe you want.
ad NE to have, Midnight? You see, |
got up very early to be the first one
here. and you know you promised II
to me"
We'll. Of dat ain de funnies thins,
replied Midnight. laughing mischiev-
ously. "Ah sholy had two fine pieces
OBJ dat mIslemtoe right hyar. but An
can't I'm 'em L save nah soul All
done promise dis t you. Miss
Willoughby an deed All done promise
it t you, Mist Ca;n'ron, TO- yo' mOtha.
an Al sholy doan know what { do
bout It. All can't bus II in two
Half unconsciously the two young
persons reached for the Dough then
hesitated.
why, Of course, iiet Mr. Cameron
have 1t for him mother" spoke W
Mise Wiiloughby.
Give It to Miss Willoughby,' said
Cameron Perhaps you will find the
other piece after awhile" ..I
"Ahll give 1t t Miss Willoughby e
Mist Cam'ronfll tote It home TO- d.
lady"
The girl glanced at Cameron, and IL
another moment the young couple
we're walking away from the stant
carrying the bunch of mistletoe be
tween them. Midnight grinned as h
leaned against his stand and CON
mented:
An guess Ah'll take dis otha piec
right straight up { Mrs. Cam'ron mai
self, cause All know dat piece oh mi: