Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1909-12-23

an nhppy Ike, All huoW She NUS BIZ
1t, too-dat mus be why she amt wax
down de street wild you t'day an yes
tlddy."
"Yes--f-I-I-guess she must be
feeling a little under the weather."
said Cameron, as he turned away
Oats powerful funny" said Mid
night, when he was alone again. "Dey's
somethin' wrong hyah, suah, an it
ain no medicine sickness, nohow. Dat
Mist, Cam'ron am a mighty smaht
man, but he am sholy a fool pussen t
be zasperated wild dat lobely Miss
Willoughby, an she SO nice an pretty,
too"
Merry Christmas. Midnight" ex-
claimed musical voice at the boys ell
bow, and the lad almost fell backward
as he turned and looked into the smil-
ing face OF a young girl, fair-haired,
blue-gray eyed and dainty
"Why-why-good ebenin', Miss
Wiiloughby. Merry Christmas. Skuse
me TO- not seem you, but ah done
fogot my mammals, All guess, TO de
time bein'. All was JUS thinkin' bout
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 nanny. 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 t. def in de bluz-
card 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
cook an nah mammy's sister nurse
in Mist Cam'ron's family TO near 80
year, an when Mist Cam'ron come
hyar nanny ak him t. git me Job
some day an den he SEN TO me. He
try me TO a cook, but All guess Ah'm
pretty bad cook-ennyway Mist
Cam'ron he say one day why not staht
news-stan an he give me de money
an OATS all de hist'ry what is bout
me-but, Miss Willoughby, Ah'm glad
you come long tonight, cause All got
Chrlsmus present TO you-some
mistletoe, a fine big branch what nah
granmammy sens up from Marylan'-
git it often de trees right in de
swamp back o. de shanty. All vans
t. AK you eff yo will please be so good
an kin as t. come roun' in nde
mawnin' an buy de frs paper, cause
1t means good luck, you know"
Hardly had the Christmas horns
blown their first greetings of the day
when Midnight saw two figures com
ing down the street from different di
rections. One was Cameron, walking
slowly along the main thoroughfare,
and the other was Miss Willoughby,
Merry Chrismus!" called Midnight
even before the young lawyer had
reached the stand. "Ah hopes you is
feeln' 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' wha'
All did wild dat mistlemtoe-ain All one
fool niggah? All put it right hyar, UNI
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
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 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 II
to me-"
"Well, eff dat ain de funnies' thing,
replied Midnight laughing mischiev
ously. "Ah sholy had two fine pieces
OBJ dat mislemtoe right hyar, but AL
can't fin 'em t. save nah soul. AL
done promise dis t you, Miss
/ W1lloughDy, an ueeu AN uone promise
it t you, Mist Cam'ron, TO yo' motha
an All sholy doan know what t. d.
bout it. All can't bus it in two
Half unconsciously the two younI
: persons reached for the Dough, thel
. hesitated.
] why, of course. let Mr. Cameron
= have 1t for his mother" spoke u
4 Miss Willoughby.
d "Give it to Miss Willoughby," sal
!, Cameron. Perhaps you will find tn
e other piece after awhile"