The Falls City tribune., 1909-12-17

HiSHl, WHEN ue Was dlOne again. LEY 5
somethin' wrong hyah. suah. an il
ain no medicine sickness. nohow. Dat
MiSt' Gam'ron am a mighty smaht
man, but he am sholy a fool pussen [
be zasperated wild dat lobely Miss
W~illoughby, an she so nice an pretty.
too"
Merry Christmas, Midnight" ex.
claimed a musical voice al 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
Willoughby. Merry Christmas. Skuse
me TO not seem you. but ah done
fo'got 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'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 70 de longes' time,
zard What corae 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 TO near 80
year, an when Mist Cam'ron come
some day an den he sen 70 me. He
try me 10 a cook, but All guess Aim
a pretty bad cook-ennyway Mist
Cam'ron he say IN day why not staht
a news-stan' an he give me de money
an OATS all de hist'ry what is bout
me-but, Miss Willoughby. Aim glad
you come long tonight. cause All got
a Chrismus present 70 you-some
mistletoe, a fine liz branch what mai
granmammy sens mp from Marylan'-
git it often de trees right in de
swamp back O de sEantH. All vans
t. ak you eff yo' will please be so good
an kin as t. come rom in nde
mawnin' an buy de frs paper, cause
it means good luck, you know"
why. it will be a pleasure, Mid
night, not only to bring good luck to
you, but to get the mistletoe.'
Hardly had the Christmas horns
blown their first greetings of the day
when Midnight saw two figures ON
ing doyn the street from different di
rections. One was Cameron, walking
slowly along the main th~oroughfare,
and the other was Miss Willoughby.
Merry Chrismus," called Midnight,
even before the young lawyer had
reached the stand. "Ah hopes you is
feelin' bettah dis mawnin'."
Thank you. Midnight; l 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 misflemtoe-ain' All one
fool niggah? All put it right hyar, un-
der dis shelf ies two minutes ago.
but All can't find it." he replied. rum
maging ~nervously among a 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 ant
ed me to have, Midnight? You see, |
got up very early to be the first one
here, and you know you promised it
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 All
can't fin EN- t save nah soul. All
done promise dis t you, Miss
Willoughby, an deed All done promise
it t. you, Mist Cam'ron, TO yo' motha,
an All sholy doan know what t do
bout it. All can't bus ii in two
Half unconsciously the two young
persons reached for the Dough, Their
hesitated.
why, of course, let Mr.. Cameron
have it for him mother spoke up
Miss Willoughby.
Give it to Miss W~illoughby," said
Cameron. Perhaps you will find the
other piece after awhile"
"Ah1l give 1t t Miss Willoughby eff
Mist Cam'ron'll tote it home TO- de
lady"
The girl glanced at Cameron. and in
another moment the young couple
were walking away from the stand
carrying the bunch of mistletoe be.
tween them. Midnight grinned as he
leaned against his stand and com
mented:
"Ah guess Ahll take dis otha piece
right straight up t Mrs. Cam'ron nah.