Darkey Ways in Dixie Part 6

He say when he want it ter stan' it gwine walk;-- When he want it ter go, it am sholy gwine balk, Lak a dunce all de time.

He say dey ain't neber bin bo'n sich a fool, But I know, I sho do, dat pesky ole mule Ain't ez stubborn ez Sime.

He neber gwine do what I tell him am right, Do he know I wus bo'n wid a caul on my sight, En kin see what am bes'; I tol' him ter stay frum dat sale in de town, But somethin' des draw him ez blood do de houn', Till he foller de res'.

I sho knew dat day what dat man wus erbout When I seen him a-takin' de las' money out Ob de cup on de she'f; En I glad he done spent ebry cent on dat mule, En's got ter work now wid dat pesky ole fool, Kaze he's stubborn hisse'f.

Quarantined.

Who am sca'ed ob small-pox? Pshaw!

Not dis n.i.g.g.e.r, sho.

Las' yeah dar wus lots ob it Down in Spilman's row; En de pleeceman walk erbout, Keepin' some in en some out.

En I ask: "What dey gwine do Fo' 'nough food to eat?"

En Sime answer: "Ez fo' dat, Small-pox cain't be beat; Kaze when it done shet yo' gate, Den de town gwine fill yo' plate."

He say dem dat's quarantined Down in Spilman's row, Gittin' better things ter eat Dan we am, fo' sho; Say he see 'em take some food Back dar dat wus mighty good.

Den I min' me ob my frien's, How dey lonesome be, En I say: "I cain't fo'get 'em-- Dey am deah ter me!"

En dey voices call en call, Till I heah dem ober all.

'T last I say dat I mus' go If I am dey frien';-- While de guard walk up _dat_ way, I slip in _dis_ en';-- En in Spilman's row I stay Till de small-pox pa.s.s erway.

I don't ketch it--no, suhree!

Neber git de chance; Zeke wus down dar wid his fiddle, En I jine de dance;-- En de city furnish food Dat, fo' sho, tas'e mighty good.

A Puzzling Clause.

Oh, de preacher done fine When I marry Em'line, But what did he mean, I wonder, When he stan dar en' say: "I done jine you ter-day; Let n.o.body put you ter thunder!"

Fo'e de Wah.

I ain't neber work, not me!

Fo' de white trash. Kaze, you see, I wus fetch up mighty gran'

By de bes' folks in de lan';-- En dey teach me how ter do Work fo' ladies rich ez you, 'Fo'e de wah.

"Who fetch me up?" Now, Missus, sho I done tol' you dat befo'!

Why a Miss wid heart ez true Ez wus eber knowed by you; En a face dat shine ez bright Ez dem days so full ob light, 'Fo'e de wah.

When I sick in dem ole days, Missus don't des go her ways, Leabin' me ter cry en groan In dat cabin all alone; Wid her han's she wait on me Till I well ez I kin be, 'Fo'e de wah.

When de fus' sweet baby come, Blessin' my deah Missus' home, 'Twarn't n.o.body else but me Dressed it nice ez it could be In a dress ob spotless white, (Shinin' lak de robes ob light!) 'Fo'e de wah.

En when angels, by en by, Call dat darlin' ter de sky, 'Twus me robe it in its bes', Ez I say: "Now, sleep en res'."

Den de house wus sad erwhile Kaze we lose our only chile,-- 'Fo'e de wah.

G.o.d won't hab dem arms ob Miss Empty ob de mammy's bliss, En he fill em up wid joy-- Now a gal, en den a boy; En deysel's dem chillun twine Roun' dis happy heart ob mine, 'Fo'e de wah.

When dat jolly n.i.g.g.e.r, Ned, Take de notion in his head Dat he want ter marry me, Missus say: "Well, we will see;"

En she buy him fo' her slave (He bin long time in his grave!) 'Fo'e de wah.

Buy him fo' her slave, you see, So dat he kin live wid me In de hut whar de sweet vine Ob de yellow jes'mine twine; Whar de mockin'-bird all day Sing kaze we wus glad en gay, 'Fo'e de wah.

Den dem Yankees come, you know, En dey beat de South, fo' sho; Missus tell us: "You is free!

You don't b'long no mo' ter me."

But us n.i.g.g.e.rs up en say: "We gwine stay right whar we stay 'Fo'e de wah!"

En we stay. We didn't go Ter de North lak some I know.

Dey sho thought dat dey gwine be Rich up dar ez dey wus free; But dey soon come back agin Ter de lan' whar dey had bin 'Fo'e de wah.

Missus die.--Please 'scuse dese teahs; I mus' cry, spite ob de yeahs, When I min' me ob dat day Dat dey laid her deep away By de willow bendin' low,-- One she planted long ago 'Fo'e de wah.

Den dey scatter, all de res', Some ter eas', en some to wes'; One done jine de Miss on high In de mansions ob de sky; Dem dat's libin' write ter me Ob de times dat used ter be 'Fo'e de wah.

En dey sen's some change erlong, Calling it "but des a song;"

But it free dis n.i.g.g.e.r, sho, Frum a lot ob care en woe; En it make me dream dat I Libin in dem days gone by 'Fo'e de wah.

I is gittin weak en ole, En I know dat soon my soul Sho gwine heah de angels come, Singin', singin', "Home, sweet home!"

En up dar my eyes gwine see All de white folks deah to me 'Fo'e de wah.

Ground Hog Day.

What de use ter go agin What de groun' hog say, Little bud, dat done unfol'

'Fo'e Spring come dis way?

'Tis a shame fo' dat sunshine Ter be foolin' you, When mo' fros' am prophesied By de prophet true:

If de sun am shinin' bright, He turn right away Back into dat cozy bed, Whar till spring he stay.

But if clouds am in de sky, Den he know, fo' sho, Dat de winter am done pa.s.s Ter return no mo'.

Yestiday, when he creep out Frum his winter den, He des turn his se'f erbout, En went in agin.

He ain't easy ter deceive By warm sun en breeze, Kaze he got a way ter know If dey'll be a freeze.

Wish de sunshine wouldn't 'vite Flowers ter unfol', When de prophet prophesy Dar gwine be mo' col'; Wish de little buds could know What de groun' hog say, En would stay shet, close en tight, Till Spring come ter stay.

Excusable.

Why you go en fight dat boy?

Don't you know he white?

Bet de pleeceman come en git you 'Fo'e you sleep dis night!

Don't you heah yo' mammy say, Why you knock him down dat way?

"Called you n.i.g.g.e.r?" Did he, sho?

Den you done des right!

Eb'ry time de po' white buckra Call you dat, you fight!

If you am one, I am sho 'Taint dey place ter tell you so!