The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-12-25

It was Christmas night and all the
grown-ups were gone away to spend
the evening. Nanny and the chill
dren, from Mary, thirteen, to Dannie,
aged two, were at home. Nanny was
deliberately breaking all the rules of
correct child management by rocking
Dannie in the big old roomy rocker.
which stood in mothers room, while
she sang the old time negro songs the
children loved.
All but Mary, who was reading, were
gathered around her, listening. Directly
Billy said: "Oh, nanny, please tell
US story about the Christmas times
when you were little girl"
La, chile, what does yo' want to
heah bout dat TO-? Amt 1 done tole
yo' all bout dat long ergo?"
Tell us some more, nanny, do?"
OF course NANNY liked the recit-
ing, but she also appeared very celuc-
tant, and always endeding by doing
just as the children wished her to.
Billie Immediately called, Come,
Mary, mammy's going to tell Us a
story
Il jes. dom know 'zacklys whar to be-
gin." said nanny, while Dannie know
inly, cuddled little closer.
Tell us a story of ante bellum times.
nanny" said Mary, the young lady
Of the party.
la, honey, I don know nuthin' bout
70 Aunty Bellum, nur yo' Uncle Bel
lum. neither. l guess dey was done
daid, befo knowed, kase neber heerd
yo' grandma talkin' bout 'em, but
eff hits jes' story bout Chrismus dat
yo'all wants, kin 'jes materially tell yo'
one"
yes, yes, nanny, that's it. We want
story about Christmas. Mary don't
know what we want"
'Well, we all ulster begin ter git
ready for Chrismus bout a mont or
six weeks befo' han. Oar was fus de
hog KILN what had to be done, count
O. having plenty o. sausage an smoked
hams My ole masser, (dat was yo
grandpaw) was a rich man an he did
not do muffin half way, and dar was
.allus beef to be killed fur de roas'
meat an steaks. sides de fresh hogs
what was kilt bout de berry day befo'
Chrismus.
DE kitchen had one O. dem big OF
fireplaces in it, whar yo could jes' sit
in one end whilse yo' was cookin' in
tother. Oar was big long piece %
iron bar, built inter de chimbly hits
self, and chains wild hooks on EN- hang
in down ter hang de pots onto an
roas meat, barbecuein' it, de called it.
1--WE baked our cakes in de bigges
kind o. old Dutch obens, dey called
dem, and chile dey wus cakes, too! My
ole miss wouldn't use none O. dis heah
stuff what dey calls bakin' powders in
no cake what was made in her house
No, sab! We house gals jes' materially
had ter scrub our hans good an den
beat dat cake batter ontill it was jes
as light as feather.
TN course it made our arms jes
ache but chile when dem big poun
cakes was cut well, dey doan hab nc
sich cakes desc days, kin tell yo'.
'Dey les dom know how ter make
no SIGH cakes, OATS de trufe.
"Well, after while, we seed ole massa
and ole missey drivin' off in de ker.
rige an we all jes knowed den dat
dey was gwine ter town. La, honey
| but we was glad. All de niggers or
dat plantation knowed dat ole marstel
and ole miss was gwine ter git dem el
| Chrismus gift en- dey did, too. Yc' know
de Clark family. wus jes about th'
fines one in dat country an de riches
| too.
Pretty soon de niggers was put t
haulin in de wood. an dar wus erbou
twenty five or fifty cords hauled up.
''Whoopee!" CALCULATED Billie.
Dat sure is er fac en- it might e
been mo-" said NANNY, who Away
saw the past with that rosy grandeu
in which her affection pictured it.
1--WE all jes' worked an worked. d