CURISTMAS EVE. 189

as we children were. But the part I liked best
was to go in the yard and see the negroes standing
there around a great fire, and getting the beef,
and rice, and molasses, which were served out to
them as a present at such times. They are very
merry at Christmas, for then they have three
days’ holiday to go round and see their friends,
and amuse themselves; and in the night they
used to come and fire off a gun under our windows,
and play a fiddle, and call out, ‘Merry Christmas,
maussa!’ ‘Merry Christmas, missis!’ ‘ Merry
Christmas, Miss Mary!’ In the morning, there
they were again at the house wishing us ‘Merry
Christmas!’ and if they could say it before we
could speak to them, we had to make them a
present. Papa used to tell me I must be sure to
let them catch me, and then he would give me a
bright red handkerchief, or a check apron, or some
tobacco for them.”

They were still talking on the same subject,
Lucy asking questions, and Mary answering them,
when there was a quick, loud peal of the door
bell. The door was opened, a gentleman’s step
was heard; he entered the parlour, and, before