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Transcriber's note


Inconsistencies in language and dialect found in the original book have
been retained. Minor punctuation errors have been changed without
notice. Printer errors have been changed and are listed at the end.




[Illustration: SOLOMON CROW'S CHRISTMAS POCKETS

RUTH McENERY STUART]




[Illustration: [_See page 34_

"'DIS HEAH'S A FUS-CLASS THING TER WORK OFF BAD TEMPERS WID'"]




   SOLOMON CROW'S

   CHRISTMAS POCKETS

   AND OTHER TALES

   BY

   RUTH McENERY STUART

   AUTHOR OF

   "A GOLDEN WEDDING" "THE STORY OF BABETTE"
   "CARLOTTA'S INTENDED" ETC.

   ILLUSTRATED



   NEW YORK
   HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS
   1897




BY THE SAME AUTHOR.

     CARLOTTA'S INTENDED, and Other Tales. Illustrated. Post 8vo, Cloth,
       $1 50.

     THE GOLDEN WEDDING, and Other Tales. Illustrated. Post 8vo, Cloth,
       $1 50.

     THE STORY OF BABETTE. Illustrated. Post 8vo, Cloth, $1 50.

PUBLISHED BY HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK.

Copyright, 1896, by HARPER & BROTHERS.

_All rights reserved._




TO

MY DEAR NIECE

LITTLE MISS LEA CALLAWAY




CONTENTS


                                                                    PAGE

   SOLOMON CROW'S CHRISTMAS POCKETS                                    3

   THE TWO TIMS                                                       23

   THE FREYS' CHRISTMAS PARTY                                         39

   LITTLE MOTHER QUACKALINA                                           67

   OLD EASTER                                                         91

   SAINT IDYL'S LIGHT                                                111

   "BLINK"                                                           131

   DUKE'S CHRISTMAS                                                  165

   UNCLE EPHE'S ADVICE TO BRER RABBIT                                193

   MAY BE SO                                                         199




ILLUSTRATIONS


   "'DIS HEAH'S A FUS-CLASS THING TER WORK OFF BAD
      TEMPERS WID'"                                        _Frontispiece_

   "'SHE OUGHT TO EAT CANARY-SEED AND FISH-BONE'"         _Facing p._  46

   THE ITALIAN ORGAN-GRINDER                                  "        62

   "THE PROFESSOR NOT ONLY SANG, BUT DANCED"                  "        64

   "THE FARMER'S BOY WAS A HUNTER"                            "        68

   "SIR SOOTY HIMSELF ACTUALLY WADDLED INTO THE FARM-YARD"    "        74

   "'I'M GOIN' TO SWAP 'EM'"                                  "        76

   "MADE HER PUT OUT HER TONGUE"                              "        78

   "HER OWN TEN BEAUTIFUL DUCKS WERE CLOSE ABOUT HER"         "        86

   OLD EASTER                                                 "        92

   "'YAS, MISSY, I WAS TWENTY-FO' HOND'ED YEARS OLE,
      LAS' EASTER SUNDAY'"                                    "        94

   "'DE CATS? WHY, HONEY, DEY WELCOME TO COME AN' GO'"        "       106

   "'KEEP STEP, RABBIT, MAN!'"                                "       192

   "'WELL, ONE MO' RABBIT FUR DE POT'"                        "       194




SOLOMON CROW'S CHRISTMAS POCKETS




SOLOMON CROW'S CHRISTMAS POCKETS


His mother named him Solomon because, when he was a baby, he looked so
wise; and then she called him Crow because he was so black. True, she
got angry when the boys caught it up, but then it was too late. They
knew more about crows than they did about Solomon, and the name suited.

His twin-brother, who died when he was a day old, his mother had called
Grundy--just because, as she said, "Solomon an'