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Uncle Noah's Christmas Inspiration
Excerpt from Uncle Noah's Christmas Inspiration
The twilight of a Christmas Eve, gray with OI y the portent of coming snow, crept slowly over the old plantation of Brierwood, softening the outlines of a decrepit house still rearing its roof in massive dignity and a tumble-down barn flanked by barren fields. A quiet melancholy hovered about the place as if it brooded over a host of bygone Yuletides alive with the shouts of merry negroes and the jingle of visiting sleighs - Yuletides when the snowy dusk had been ushered in to the lowing of cattle and the neighing of horses safely housed in the old bam. There were no negroes now, no blooded stock - no fluttering fowls save one belligerent old turkey gobbler fleeing from a white-haired darky who tried in vain to drive him to his roost in the barn.
In the library of the old house a man, tall and eagle-eyed, peered out beneath bushy white eyebrows at the fading landscape blurred by the dancing forms of the negro and the recalcitrant turkey. He watched the chase end with an impertinent gobble from the turkey, and, at the sound of a closing door in the rear of the house, tapped a bell at his side. Footsteps shuffled along the hallway, and the old negro, breathless from his chase, entered the room.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
The twilight of a Christmas Eve, gray with OI y the portent of coming snow, crept slowly over the old plantation of Brierwood, softening the outlines of a decrepit house still rearing its roof in massive dignity and a tumble-down barn flanked by barren fields. A quiet melancholy hovered about the place as if it brooded over a host of bygone Yuletides alive with the shouts of merry negroes and the jingle of visiting sleighs - Yuletides when the snowy dusk had been ushered in to the lowing of cattle and the neighing of horses safely housed in the old bam. There were no negroes now, no blooded stock - no fluttering fowls save one belligerent old turkey gobbler fleeing from a white-haired darky who tried in vain to drive him to his roost in the barn.
In the library of the old house a man, tall and eagle-eyed, peered out beneath bushy white eyebrows at the fading landscape blurred by the dancing forms of the negro and the recalcitrant turkey. He watched the chase end with an impertinent gobble from the turkey, and, at the sound of a closing door in the rear of the house, tapped a bell at his side. Footsteps shuffled along the hallway, and the old negro, breathless from his chase, entered the room.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
- GenresChristmas
62 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 2005
About the author
Unknown
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 16, 2020
A charming story of a man who used to be a slave trying to make a special Christmas for his loved “massa and missis”. Old Job added humor and fun. I chuckled a couple times. The ending was sweet and happy.
There were some swear words, not many, but I wanted to mention it.
I’d like to read more by this author.
There were some swear words, not many, but I wanted to mention it.
I’d like to read more by this author.
October 8, 2020
4.5 stars & 5/10 hearts. Awwww. That’s what I said when I shut this book. What a heartwarming story! I loved Uncle Noah’s love for his master & missis—and Massa Job the Turkey! ;) I loved Ruth & Dick! There was the N-word & "dark*"; also a couple words ("d**n" + a couple variants of "Lord-a-mercy"). This story was sweet & humorous, and I loved the reconciliation & love it showed. It's just so delightful and Christmassy!!!
A Favourite Quote: “[This was] all the work of a wrinkled pair of faithful brown hands toiling while the world slept.”
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: “...it was quite dark and the velvet stillness of the night was dotted thickly with snowflakes.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “‘Now, Massa Job Fairfax,’ he began, ‘I knows yoh is jus' mad clean through. Yoh jus' naturally objects to bein' toted out in de snow in de middle o' de turkey night 'thout bein' asked. Yoh says yoh back is full o' snow? Well, I jus' asks yoh, Massa Job Fairfax, ain't dat better'n bein' wifout a head?’”
A Favourite Quote: “[This was] all the work of a wrinkled pair of faithful brown hands toiling while the world slept.”
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: “...it was quite dark and the velvet stillness of the night was dotted thickly with snowflakes.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “‘Now, Massa Job Fairfax,’ he began, ‘I knows yoh is jus' mad clean through. Yoh jus' naturally objects to bein' toted out in de snow in de middle o' de turkey night 'thout bein' asked. Yoh says yoh back is full o' snow? Well, I jus' asks yoh, Massa Job Fairfax, ain't dat better'n bein' wifout a head?’”
December 12, 2013
Delightful little story. I think I have a new favorite author!
November 23, 2018
🖊 The setting is Fairfax plantation post-bellum. An old servant works to make his employers’ Christmas celebration a good and memorable one.
This is a wonderfully written and optimistic short story for the Christmas season that is set in the Old South, complete with appropriate and believable dialogue and dialect. There were many humorous scenes, including the ones with Uncle Noah and his pet turkey, Job. I enjoyed this story. (Also see Uncle Noah's Christmas Party, also written by Leona Dalrymple.) ℳℯ𝓇𝓇𝓎 𝒞𝒽𝓇𝒾𝓈𝓉𝓂𝒶𝓈！
📕Published in 1914.
🎨Illustrated beautifully in the e-book version on Project Gutenburg
જ⁀🟢 E-book version on Project Gutenburg.
જ⁀🟣 Kindle.
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"Uncle Noah," he said, fixing a stern eye on the old man, "in the Fairfax family there has always been a turkey at Christmas." There was no suggestion in the darky's affable tones of the erratic manner in which his heart was beating.
"Yes, sah," he agreed, "ofttimes mo' than one."
This is a wonderfully written and optimistic short story for the Christmas season that is set in the Old South, complete with appropriate and believable dialogue and dialect. There were many humorous scenes, including the ones with Uncle Noah and his pet turkey, Job. I enjoyed this story. (Also see Uncle Noah's Christmas Party, also written by Leona Dalrymple.) ℳℯ𝓇𝓇𝓎 𝒞𝒽𝓇𝒾𝓈𝓉𝓂𝒶𝓈！
📕Published in 1914.
🎨Illustrated beautifully in the e-book version on Project Gutenburg
જ⁀🟢 E-book version on Project Gutenburg.
જ⁀🟣 Kindle.
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews