Table of

rst gray streak appeared when the bolt of the nursery was quietly turne

little sisters and Dilsey tip-toed all around to everybody's rooms, catching "Chris'mus gif';" but just as they were creeping down stairs to papa and mamma two

en stockings were for the little nigs; and now whom do you suppose the others were for? Why, for Mammy and Aunt Milly, to be sure! Oh, such lots of things-candies and nuts, and raisins and fruits in every stocking; then there was a doll baby for each of the children. Diddie's w

y, that "Old Santa" had brought her an India-rubbe

dressed in white Swiss, and they were all just ali

ndkerchiefs," and Mammy had a new pair of "specs" and a nice warm hood, and Aunt Milly had a delaine dress; and 'way down in the toes of their stockings they each

the things out of their stockings! But pretty soon Mammy

ver since the wagons got back from the river, three weeks before, was brought in and opened, and Mrs. Waldron took from it dresses and hats, and b

thankee, honey;

ing anxiously every moment or two

I see um! Yo

ind her, two and two, came the little quarter negroes, dressed in their brightest and newest clothes. All were there-from the boys and girls of fourteen down to the little wee toddlers of two or three

, and oranges and toys; and how the bright faces did light up with joy as the little darkies laughed and chuckled, and I dare say would have

r manner

ake a comical little "bob-down"

going to the quarters to take presents to the old negroes and the sick, who could not walk to the house,

and poor Jane, who had been sick a long time; and Daddy Jake, the oldest negro on the place, who never ventured out in bad weather for fear of

oung folks were busily engaged cleaning up the big barn and dressing it with boughs of holly and cedar; for you see Aunt Sukey's

n-wing, and, besides all that, he was the best hoe-hand, and could pick more cotton than any other negro on the plantation. He had amused himself by courting

(not that she ever really meant that she wouldn't), for she just wanted to torment him; and she succeeded so well th

n earth to do with, and even told Jim that it was but fair that

or fellow sitting on the creek bank looking very d

so much er bout'n her no way; dar's plenty er likelier gals 'n her, an' I jes' b'lieve dat's er trick nigger; anyhow she's tricked me, sho's yer born; an' ef'n I didn't b'long ter nobody, I'd jump right inter dis creek an' drown my

roperty would make a good husband, she sought an interview with Candace, and so pleaded with her in behalf of poor Jim that the dusky coquette relented, and went down h

eeping, and in mamma's wardrobe was a white dress and a veil and wreath that were to be the bride's Christmas gifts. They were

g men had their shoes to black, and their best clothes to brush, and their hair to unwrap; but, notwithstanding all this, when Major Waldron and his family entered the chap

agnify His

for his great Christmas gi

l after service, Dumps drew cl

in', can't we have some of the little quarter nig

t Dumps looked very wistful, and, besides, Mammy would be with them in the nursery, so she consented,

it was hard for her to decide; but finally she selected Frances, a lively little

w to her shoulders, and, throwing her head up and snorting like a horse, started off in a canter to the house; while Diddie and Dumps, and Chris

e, as they entered the nursery; "mamma let us have them, and

ch a sackremenchus play, an' makes so much litter an

Injuns, hid all behin' the trunks an' beds an' door; an' after we rock an' rock er lo-o-ong time, then we're goin' ter make out it's night, an' stretch mamma's big shawl over two cheers an'

, a far ways f'um here. An' I don't b'lieve there's nothin' in this world named er 'billycrow;' it's er tommyhawk you're thinkin' about:

I allers hyeard dat Injuns wuz monstrous onst

" persisted all the little f

set in, and the emigrants got out, and pitched a tent and made preparations for cooking supper: little bits of paper were torn up and put into the miniature pots and kettles, and the childr

is turned the chip-box over and tried to get under it, but the fierce savages dragged her out, and she was soon tied hand and foot; Dumps jumped int

d of lying still, and was wriggling about so that she had been discovered; and now all t

nny that she giggled outright, and in a moment the wardrobe was opened and she was also taken prisoner. Then

bell sounded, and then the Injuns deserted in a body and ran off pell-mell to the quarters; for that

NG "I

List of Il

ooked food, followed by a nice dessert of pudding and ca

inner, with turkey, mince-pie

a candy stew, and that Mammy might take them to witness the pulling. This was a great treat, for th

re to have the frolic only on condition that they would go to bed and not insist on being at the wedding. This they readily a

n famously. Uncle Sambo had brought his fiddle in, and some of the children were patting and singing and dancing, while others were shelling goobers and picking out s

ked when her mistress had finished dressing her: her white Swiss was fresh and new, and the wreath and veil

ine. Mamma arranged the bridal party in the back parlor, and the folding-doors were thrown open. Both rooms and the large hall were full

nd Dumps begged to be allowed to go and look at them "just a little whil

nd cedar, and very bright and pretty and tempting the table looked, spread out with meats and breads, and pickles and preserves, and

, beginning with a large cake at the bot

ly bough which was stuck in a hole in the middle of the cake. It was to be cut after a while by each of the bridesmaids and groomsmen in turns; and whoeve

em all that the dancing was entered into with renewed vigor, and kept up till the gray

comed in and ushered out by no merrier, lighter hearts than