A Dubious "Old Kriss"

Us-folks is purty pore - but Ma      She's waitin' - two years more - tel Pa      He serve his term out. Our Pa he -      He's in the Penitenchurrie!      Now don't you never tell! - 'cause Sis,      The baby, she don't know he is. -      'Cause she wuz only four, you know,      He kissed her last an' hat to go!      Pa alluz liked Sis best of all      Us childern. - 'Spect it's 'cause she fall      "When she'uz ist a child, one day -      An' make her back look thataway.      Pa - 'fore he be a burglar - he's      A locksmiff, an' maked locks, an' keys,      An' knobs you pull fer bells to ring,      An' he could ist make anything! -      'Cause our Ma say he can! - An' this      Here little pair o' crutches Sis      Skips round on - Pa maked them - yes-sir! -      An' silivur-plate-name here fer her!      Pa's out o' work when Chris'mus come      One time, an' stay away from home,      An' 's drunk an' 'buse our Ma, an' swear      They ain't no "Old Kriss" anywhere!      An' Sis she alluz say they wuz      A' Old Kriss - an' she alluz does.      But ef they is a' Old Kriss, why,      When's Chris'mus, Ma she alluz cry?      This Chris'mus now, we live here in      Where Ma's rent's alluz due ag'in -      An' she "ist slaves" - I heerd her say      She did - ist them words thataway!      An' th'other night, when all's so cold      An' stove's 'most out - our Ma she rolled      Us in th'old feather-bed an' said,      "To-morry's Chris'mus - go to bed,      "An' thank yer blessed stars fer this -      We don't 'spect nothin' from Old Kriss!"      An' cried, an' locked the door, an' prayed,      An' turned the lamp down.... An' I laid      There, thinkin' in the dark ag'in,      "Ef wuz Old Kriss, he can't git in,      'Cause ain't no chimbly here at all -      Ist old stovepipe stuck frue the wall!"      I sleeped nen. - An' wuz dreamin' some      When I waked up an' morning's come, -      Fer our Ma she wuz settin' square      Straight up in bed, a-readin' there      Some letter 'at she 'd read, an' quit,      An' nen hold like she's huggin' it. -      An' diamon' ear-rings she don't know      Wuz in her ears tel I say so -      An' wake the rest up. An' the sun      In frue the winder dazzle-un      Them eyes o' Sis's, wiv a sure-      Enough gold chain Old Kriss bringed to 'er!      An' all of us git gold things! - Sis,      Though, say she know it "ain't Old Kriss -      He kissed her, so she waked an' saw      Him skite out - an' it wuz her Pa."