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gW-^" 
 
 Folks dey go to chu'ch an' pray 
 So 's to git a blessin'. 
 
 Oomph, dey bettah come my way, 
 Y>ey could lu'n a lesson. 
 
 Sabbaf day I don' go fu', 
 Jes' to see my pigeon ; 
 
 I jes' sets an' looks at huh, 
 Dat's enuff 'uligion. 
 
 -•**' 
 
^1^ 
 
 f 
 
 PRINTED FOK 
 DD, MEAD AND COMPANY 
 I!Y THE UNIVEUSITY PRESS 
 
 Lbfe i6 
 
Hi 
 
Li r Gal 7 
 
 The Plantation Child's Lullaby . 13 ^ 
 
 Blue 17 
 
 Chanty 23 
 
 Curiosity 27 
 
 The Turning of the Babies in the 
 
 Bed 33 
 
 A Negro Love Song 41 
 
 When de Con Pone's Hot ... 47 
 
 A Corn- Song .53 
 
 Discovered 59 
 
 A Plea 63 
 
 Soliloquy of a Turkey .... 67 
 
 Whip-Poor-Will and Katy-Did . 75 *S 
 
Page 
 
 A Florida Night 79 
 
 Reluctance 83 
 
 When Sam'l Sings 87 
 
 Expectation 93 
 
 On the Road 99 
 
 Lover's Lane 105 
 
 The Photograph 109 
 
 Parted . 115 
 
 Dely 119 
 
^ 
 
 ^mr^ 
 
 fljLv<^ /^H, de weathah it is balmy an' de breeze 
 ^-^ is sighin' low. 
 
 Li'l' gal, 
 An' de mockin' bird is singin' in de locus' 
 by de do', 
 
 Li'l' gal ; 
 Dere 's a hummin' an' a bummin' in de 
 
 Ian' f 'oin eas' to wes', 
 I 's a-sighin' fu' you, honey, an' I nevah 
 
 know no res'. 
 Fu' dey 's lots o' trouble brewin' an' 
 a-stewin' in my breas', 
 Li r gal. 
 
 Whut 's de mattah wid de weathah, 
 
 whut s de mattah wid de breeze, 
 
 Li'l' gal? 
 
 Whut 's de mattah wid de locus' dat 's 
 
 a-singin' in de trees, 
 
 Li'l' gal? 
 
 W'y dey knows dey ladies love 'em, an' 
 
 dey knows dey love 'em true, 
 An' dey love em back, I reckon, des' lak 
 
 I 's a-lovin' you ; 
 Dat 's de reason dey 's a-weavin' an' a- 
 sighin', thoo an' thoo, 
 Li r gal. 
 
 8 
 
 .^Vk. 
 
 ■m^k^^ 
 
*•••'•* 
 
 Don't you let no da'ky fool you 'cause de 
 elo'es he waihs is fine, 
 LiT gal. 
 Dey 's a hones' hea't a-beatin' unnerneaf 
 dese rags o' mine, 
 
 Li r gal. 
 Cose dey ain' no use in mockin' whut de 
 
 birds an' weathah do. 
 But I 's so'y I cain't 'spress it w'en I 
 
 knows I loves you true, 
 Dat 's de reason I 's a-sighin' an' a-singin' 
 now fu' you, 
 
 LiT gal. 
 
VITINTAH time hit comin' 
 ' * Stealin' thoo de night ; 
 Wake up in de mo'nin' 
 Evah ting is white ; 
 Cabin looi\in' lonesome 
 Stannin' in de snow, 
 Meks you kin' o' nervous, 
 Wen de win' hit blow. 
 
Troinpin' back from feedin' 
 Col' as' wet an' blue, 
 Homespun jacket ragged, 
 Win' a-blovvin' thoo. 
 Cabin lookin' cheerful, 
 Unnerneaf de do', 
 Yet you kin' o' keerful 
 Wen de win' hit blow. 
 
s^^^V-**^"^ 
 
 Little feet a-patterin' 
 Cleak across de flo'; 
 Bettah had be keerful 
 Wen de win' hit blow 
 
 Suppah done an' ovah, 
 Evah ting is still ; 
 Listen to de snowman 
 Slippin' down de hill. 
 Ashes on de fiah, 
 Keep it wa'm but low. 
 What's de use o' keerin' 
 Ef de win' do blow? 
 
 Smoke house full o' bacon, 
 Brown an' sweet an' good ; 
 Taters in de cellah, 
 'Possum roam de wood ; 
 Little baby snoozin' 
 Des ez ef he know. 
 What 's de use o' keerin' 
 Ef de win' do blow? 
 
Listened to de raindrops 
 Play de kettledrum. 
 
 ^ 
 
Lookin' crost de niedders, 
 Swimmin' lak a sea ; 
 Lawd 'a' mussy on us 
 What 's de good o' me? 
 
 Caint go out a-hoein', 
 Would n't ef I could ; 
 Groun' too wet fu' huntin', 
 Fishin' ain' no good. 
 Too much noise fu' sleepin', 
 No one hyeah to chat ; 
 Des mus' stan' an' listen 
 To dat pit-a-pat. 
 
 Hills is gittin' misty, 
 Valley 's gittin' dahk ; 
 Watch-dog s 'mence a-howlin', 
 Rat hah have 'em ba'k, 
 Dan a-moanin' solemn, 
 Somewhaih out o' sight ; 
 Rain-crow des a-chucklin', 
 Dis is his delight. 
 
 '^ 
 
 L*?i?k. 
 
 Mandy, bring my banjo, 
 Bring de chillen in, 
 Come in f om de kitchen, 
 I feel sick ez sin. 
 Call in Uncle Isaac, 
 Call Aunt Hannah, too, 
 Tain't no use in talkin', 
 Chile, 1 's sholy blue ! 
 
 20 
 
Now you, John Henry, 'tain't no use 
 To Stan' up daili an' mak no 'scuse. 
 You need n't link you foolin' me, 
 I sutny has got eyes to see ! 
 Oh I 's yo' sistah, yes, dat 's true ; 
 But den what good 's dat gwine to do? 
 Dey ain't no use in tellin' lies, 
 You look right sheepish f 'oni yo' eyes ! 
 
 Let 's see yo' han's, uh huh, I knowed 
 You washed 'em, but de traces showed. 
 Let's see yo' niouf; hit looks lak ink — 
 Yo' sistah cain't tell 'serves, you tink. 
 Oh my, but yo 's a naughty chile, 
 I has to look at you one while ; 
 You need n't twis' in all dem curves, 
 To tink you 'd stole yo' ma's pusserves. 
 
 Ef I tol' ma I guess you'd git 
 The fines' whuppin' evah yit ; 
 But guess I '11 keep it to myse'f 
 Erbout dat jah erpon de she'f ; 
 Case ma's des awful w'en she stahts, 
 An' my, oh, how a whuppin' smahts ! 
 So you clomb up ? Oh, she 'd be madder ! 
 Say, tell me whaih you put de ladder. 
 
-*.-^" 
 
MAMMY 'S in de kitchen, an' de do* 
 is shet ; 
 All de piccaninnies climb an' tug an' 
 
 sweat 
 Gittin' to de winder, stickin' dah lak flies, 
 Evah one ermong us des all nose an' eyes. 
 " Whut she cookin', Isaac? Whut she 
 
 cookin', Jake? 
 Is it sweet pertaters ? Is hit pie er cake ? " 
 But we could n' rnek out even whah we 
 
 stood 
 Whut was mammy cookin' dat could smell 
 
S^r-J^V-^^^"^ 
 
 Mammy spread de winder, an' she frown 
 
 an' frown. 
 How de piccaninnies come a-tumblin' 
 
 down ! 
 Den she say : " Ef you all keep a-peepin' 
 
 in, 
 How I 's gwine to whup you, my ! 't '11 
 
 be a sin ! 
 Need n' come a-sniffin' an' a-nosin' hyeah, 
 'Ca'se I knows my business, don't you 
 
 nevah feah." 
 Won't somebody tell us — how I wish 
 
 dey would ! — 
 Whut is mammy cookin' dat it smells so 
 
 good ? 
 
 We know she means business, an' we 
 dassent stay. 
 
 Dough it 's mighty tryin' fu' to go erway ; 
 
 But we goes a troopin' down de of wood- 
 track 
 
 'Twell dat steamin' kitchen brings us 
 stealin' back, 
 
 Climbin' an' a-peepin' so 's to see inside. 
 
 Whut on earf kin mammy be so sha'p to 
 hide? 
 
 I 'd des up an' tell folks w'en I knowed I 
 could, 
 
 Ef I was a-cookin' tings dat smelt so 
 good. 
 
:^^ 
 
 Mammy in de oven, an' I see huh smile ; 
 Moufs mus' be a-vvat'rin' roun' liyeah fu' 
 
 a mile ; 
 
 Den we ahiio' hollah ez we hu'ies down, 
 'Ca'se hit apple dumplin's big an' fat an' 
 
 brown ! 
 Wen de do' is opened, solemn lak an* 
 
 slow, 
 Wisht you see us settin' all dah in a row. 
 Innercent an' p'opah,des lak chillun should 
 Wen dey mammy s cookin' tings dat 
 
 smell so good. 
 
 c^a; 
 
 L*?^ 
 
 25„^^ 
 
 
THE 
 NG OF THE 
 IN THE BED 
 
^"^^ VITOMAN'S sho' a cur'ous critter, 
 
 an' dey ain't no doubtin' dat. 
 She's a mess o' funny capahs f'om huh 
 
 sUppahs to huh hat, 
 Ef you tries to un'erstan' huh, an' you 
 
 fails, des up an' say : 
 " D' ain't a bit o' use to try to un'erstan' 
 a woman's way." 
 
 VJ^ 
 
 I don' mean to be complainin', but I s jes' 
 
 a-settin' down 
 Some o' my own obserwations, wen I 
 
 cas' my eye eroun'. 
 Ef you ax me fu' to prove it, I ken do it 
 
 mighty fine, 
 Fu' dey ain't no bettah 'zample den dis 
 
 ve'y wife o' mine. 
 
 34 
 
 
MGI? 
 
'••»•* 
 
 In (le ve'y heat o' midnight, wen I 's 
 sleepin' good an' soun', 
 
 I kin hyeah a sot o' rusthn' an' some- 
 body movin' 'roun'. 
 
 An' I say, " Lize, whut you doin' ? " But 
 she frown an' shek huh haid, 
 
 " Heish yo' mouf. Is only tu'nin' of de 
 chillun in de bed. 
 
 *' Don' you know a chile gits restless, 
 
 layin' all de night one way ? 
 An' you' got to kind o' 'range him sev'al 
 
 times befo' de day ? 
 So de little necks won't worry, an' de 
 
 little backs won't break ; 
 Don' you t'ink case chillun s chillun dey 
 
 hain't got no pain an' ache." 
 S6 
 
^^ 
 
 f 
 
 So she shakes 'em, an' she twists 'em, 
 I^^Wt an' she tuns 'em 'roun' erbout, 
 
 'Twell I don' see how de chillun evah 
 keeps f'om hollahin' out. 
 ^ Den she hf's em up head down'ards, so 's 
 dey won't git livah-grown, 
 But dey snoozes des ez peaceful ez a 
 liza'd on a stone. 
 
 5^! 
 
 $ 
 
 Wen hit's mos' nigh time fu' wakin' on 
 
 de dawn o' jedgment day, 
 Seems lak I kin hyeah ol' Gab'iel lay his 
 
 trumpet down an' say, 
 *' Who dat vvalkin' 'roun' so easy, down 
 
 on earf ermong de dead ? " — 
 'Twill be Lizy up a-tu'nin' of de chillun 
 
 in de bed. 
 
 i^'' 
 
 ij 
 
QEEN my lady home las' night, 
 ^ Jump back, honey, jump back. 
 
Hel' huh han' an' squc'z it tight, 
 Jump back, honey, jump back 
 
rw 
 
 Hyeahd huh sigh a httle sigh, 
 Seen a hght gleam f'om huh eye, 
 An' a smile go flittin' by — 
 JunijD back, honey, jump back. 
 
 Hyeahd de win' blow thoo de pine, 
 
 Jump back, honey, jump back. 
 Mockin'-bird was singin' fine. 
 
 Jump back, honey, jump back. 
 An' my hea't was beatin' so, 
 When I reached my lady's do', 
 Dat I couldn't ba' to go — 
 Jump back, honey, jump back. 
 
 L*?A. 
 
 Put my ahm aroun' huh wais', 
 Jump back, honey, jump back. 
 
 Raised huh lips an' took a tase. 
 Jump back, honey, jump back. 
 
 Love me, honey, love me true ? 
 
 Love me well ez I love you? 
 
 An' she answe'd, " 'Cose I do " — 
 Jump back, honey, jump back. 
 

DEY is times in life when Nature 
 Seems to slip a cog an' go, 
 Jes' a-ratllin' down creation, 
 
 Lak an ocean's overflow ; 
 When de worl' jes' stahts a-spinnin' 
 
 Lak a picaninny's top. 
 An' yo' cup o' joy is hrimmin' 
 
 'Twell it seems about to slop, 
 An' you feel jes' lak a racah, 
 
 Dat is trainin' fu' to trot — 
 When yo' mammy says de blessin' 
 
 An' de co'n pone 's hot. 
 
 I 
 f 
 
 fl 
 
 When you set down at de table, 
 
 Kin' o' weary lak an' sad. 
 An' you 'se jes' a little tiahed 
 
 An' purhaps a little mad ; 
 How yo' gloom tu'ns into gladness. 
 
 How yo' joy drives out de doubt 
 When de oven do' is opened. 
 
 An' de smell comes po'in' out ; 
 Why, de 'lectric light o' Heaven 
 
 Seems to settle on de spot. 
 When yo' mammy says de blessin' 
 
 An' de con pone 's hot. 
 
 18 
 
-^-I^" 
 
When de cabbage pot is steamin' 
 
 An' de bacon good an' fat, 
 When de chittHns is a-sputter'n' 
 
 So s to show you whah dey 's at ; 
 Tek away yo' sody biscuit, 
 
 Tek away yo' cake an' pie, 
 Fu' de glory time is comin', 
 
 An' it s 'proachin' mighty nigh, 
 An' you want to jump an' hollah, 
 
 Dough you know you 'd bettah not, 
 When yo' mammy says de blessin' 
 
 An' de con pone 's hot. 
 
 it 
 
 I have hyeahd o' lots o' sermons, 
 
 An' I 've hyeahd o' lots o' prayers, 
 An' I 've listened to some singin' 
 
 Dat has tuck me up de stairs 
 Of de Glory-Lan' an' set me 
 
 Jes' below de Mahstah's th'one, 
 An' have lef my hea't a-singin' 
 
 In a happy aftah tone ; 
 But dem wu'ds so sweetly murmured 
 
 Seem to tech de softes' spot, 
 When my mammy says de blessin' 
 
 An" de con pone's hot. 
 
, *. -ji. wii w ^j— -jy^an 
 
s^r-^V-^^"-"^ 
 
 ON the wide veranda white, 
 In the purple faihng hght, 
 Sits the master while the sun is lowly 
 
 hurning ; 
 And his dreamy thoughts are drowned 
 In the softly flowing sound 
 Of the corn-songs of the field-hands slow 
 returning. 
 
 Oh, we hoe de con 
 Since de ehly mo'n ; 
 Now de sinkin' sun 
 Says de day is done. 
 
 O'er the fields with heavy tread, 
 Light of heart and high of head, 
 Though the halting steps be labored, slow, 
 
 and weary ; 
 Still the spirits brave and strong 
 Find a comforter in song, 
 And their corn-song rises ever loud and 
 
 cheery. 
 
 Oh, we hoe de co'n 
 Since de ehly mo'n ; 
 Now de sinkin' sun 
 Says de day is done. 
 
L*^ 
 
 To the master in his seat, 
 
 Comes the burden, full and sweet, 
 
 Of the mellow minor music growing 
 
 clearer, 
 x\s the toilers raise the hymn. 
 Thro' the silence dusk and dim, 
 To the cabin's restful shelter drawing 
 
 nearer 
 
 Oh, we hoe de co'n 
 Since do ehly mo'n ; 
 Now de sinkin' sun 
 Says de day is done, 
 
 56 
 
And a tear is in the eye 
 
 Of the master sitting by, 
 
 As he Hstens to the echoes low-replying 
 
 To the music's fading calls 
 
 As it faints away and falls 
 
 Into silence, deep within the cabin dying. 
 
 Oh, we hoe de co'n 
 Since de ehly mo'n ; 
 Now de sinkin' sun 
 Says de day is done. 
 
I 
 
 f 
 f 
 
 SEEN you down at chu'ch las' night, 
 Nevali inin', Miss Lucy. 
 What I mean? oli, dat 's all right, 
 
 Nevah min', Miss Lucy. 
 You was sma't ez sma't could be, 
 But you could n't hide f om me. 
 Ain't I got two eyes to see ! 
 Nevah min', Miss Lucy. 
 
 Guess you thought you 's awful keen ; 
 
 Nevah min', Miss Lucy. 
 Evahthing you done, I seen ; 
 
 Nevah min', Miss Lucy. 
 
 ^•, 
 
Seen him tek yo' ahm jes' so, 
 When he got outside de do' — 
 Oh, I know dat man s yo' beau ! 
 Nevah min'. Miss Lucy. 
 
 Say now, honey, wha 'd he say? — 
 
 Nevah min'. Miss Lucy ! 
 Keep yo' secrets — dat 's yo' way — 
 
 Nevah min', Miss Lucy. 
 Won't tell me an' I 'm yo' pal — 
 I 'm gwine tell his othah gal, — 
 Know huh, too, huh name is Sal ; 
 Nevah min'. Miss Lucy ! 
 
 Jj. 
 
 fr2. 
 

 
 :^:^ 
 
 TREAT me nice, Miss Mandy Jane, 
 Treat me nice. 
 Dongh my love has tuned my brain, 
 Treat me nice, 
 
 64 
 
^j^^*v-^~^-^ 
 
 I ain't done a t'ing to shame, 
 Lovahs all ac's jes' de same : 
 Don't you know we ain't to blame? 
 Treat me nice ! 
 
 Cose I know I 's talkin' wild ; 
 
 Treat me nice ; 
 I cain't talk no bettah, child, 
 
 Treat me nice ; 
 Whut a pusson gwine to do. 
 Wen he come a-cou'tin' you 
 All a-trimblin' thoo and thoo? 
 
 Please be nice. 
 
 Reckon I mus' go de paf 
 
 Othahs do : 
 Lovahs lingah, ladies laff ; 
 
 Mebbe you 
 Do' mean all the things you say. 
 An' pu haps some latah day 
 Wen I baig you ha'd, you may 
 
 Treat me nice ! 
 
^^»^/^^^~k 
 
 D 
 
 ,EY'S a sot o' threatenin' feelin' in 
 de blowin' of de breeze, 
 An' I 's feelin' kin' o' squeamish in de 
 night ; 
 I 's a-walkin' 'roun' a-lookin' at de dift'unt 
 style o' trees, 
 An' a-measnrin' dey thickness an' dey 
 height. 
 Fu' dey s somep'n mighty 'spicious in de 
 looks de da'kies give, 
 Ez dey pass me an' my fambly on de 
 groun', 
 
a.' 
 
So it 'curs to me dat lakly, ef I caihs to 
 try an' live, 
 It concehns me fu' to 'mence to look 
 
 erroun 
 
 Dey 's a cu'ious kin' o' shivah runnin' up 
 an' down my back, 
 An' I feel my feddahs rufflin' all de 
 day, 
 An' my laigs commence to trimble evah 
 blessid step I mek ; 
 Wen I sees a ax, I tuns my head 
 away. 
 
^•- 
 
 Folks is go'gin' me wid goodies, an' dey 's 
 treatin' me wid caih, 
 An' I 's fat in spite of all dat I kin do. 
 I 's mistrus'ful of de kin'ness dat 's erroun' 
 me evahwhaih, 
 Fu' it 's jes' too good, an' frequent, to 
 be true. 
 
 Snow 's a-fallin' on de medders, all erroun' 
 me now is white, 
 But I 's still kep' on a-roostin' on de 
 fence ; 
 Isham comes an' feels my breas'bone, an' 
 he hefted me las' night. 
 An' he's gone erroun' a-grinnin' evah 
 sence. 
 'T ain't de snow dat meks me shivah ; 
 't ain't de col' dat meks me shake ; 
 'T ain't de wintah-time itse'f dat 's 
 'fectin' me ; 
 But I t'ink de time is comin', an' I'd 
 bettah mek a break, 
 Fu' to set wid Mistah Possum in his 
 
 tree 
 
 ^^J 
 
Wen you hyeah de da'kies singin', an' de 
 quahtahs all is gay, 
 'T ain't de time fu' birds lak nie to be 
 erroun' ; 
 Wen de hick'ry chips is flyin', an' de 
 log 's been ca'ied erway, 
 Den hit 's dang'ous to be roostin' niijh 
 de groun'. 
 Grin on, Isham ! Sing on, da'kies ! But 
 I flop my wings an' go 
 Fu' de sheltah of de ve'y highest tree, 
 Fu' dey 's too much close ertention — an' 
 dey 's too much fallin' snow — 
 An' it 's too nigh Chris'mus mo'nin' now 
 fu' me. 
 
►••*^ 
 
- J^ 
 
 ^LOW de night's a-fallin', 
 An' I liyeah de callin' 
 
 Out erpon de lonesome hill-, 
 Soun' is moughty dreary, 
 Solemn- lak an' skeery, 
 
 Sayin' fu' to " whip po' Will." 
 Now hit 's moughty tryin', 
 Fu' to hyeah dis cryin', 
 
 'Deed hit s mo' den I kin stan' ; 
 Sho' wid all our slippin', 
 Dey s enough of whippin' 
 
 'Dout a bird a'visin' any man. 
 
 In de noons o' summah 
 Dey s anothah hummah 
 
 Sings anothah song instid •, 
 An' his th'oat s a-swellin' 
 Wid de joy o' tellin', 
 
 '^^-r^^ 
 
 <r_ 
 
Now I feels onsuhtaiii ; 
 Won't you raise de cirtain 
 
 Ovah all de tings dat s hid? 
 W'y dat feathahed p'isen 
 Goes erbout a'visin' 
 
 Whippin' Will wen Katy did? 
 
«l 
 
 
 ".^ ..JP-^ 
 
 ■^■i^.,r^.^' 
 
 V^. " >?| 
 
 
 Z^ "'"^ 
 
 tt 
 *^^^ 
 
 
^-^^ 
 
 A FLORIDA NIGHT 
 
 i 
 
flf\|^5^ ^A7^^^ a-blovvin' gentle so de san' lay 
 * ▼ low, 
 
 San' a little heavy f'om de rain, 
 All de pa'ms a-vvavin' an' a-weavin' slow, 
 
 Sighin' lak a sinnah-soul in pain, 
 Alligator grinnin' by de ol' lagoon, 
 Mockin'-bird a-singin' to de big full moon, 
 'Skeeter go a-skiminin' to his fightin' chune 
 (Lizy Ann 's a-waitin' in de lane !j. 
 
 Moccasin a-sleepin' in de Cyprus swamp ; 
 Need n't wake de gent man, not fu' me. 
 Mule, you needn't wake him w'en you 
 switch an' stomp, 
 Fightin' off a 'skeeter er a flea. 
 Florida is lovely, she 's de fines' Ian' 
 Evah seed de sunlight f'om de Mastah's 
 
 han', 
 'Ceptin' fu' de varmints an' huh fleas an' 
 san' 
 An' de nights wen l^izy Ann ain' free. 
 
 Moon s a-kinder shaddered on de melon 
 patch ; 
 No one ain't a-watchin' ez I go. 
 Clirnbin' of de fence so 's not to click de 
 latch 
 Meks my gittin' in a little slow. 
 
 80 
 
 
 4.^^j 
 
 ■%?? 
 
Watermelon smilin' as it say, " I 's free ; " 
 Alligator boomin', but I let bim be, 
 Florida, ob, Florida s de Ian' fu' me 
 (Lizy Ann a-singin' sweet an' low) 
 
 81 
 
 Si.e^=»^ 
 

WIIjL I have some mo' dat pie? 
 No, ma am, t hank-ee, dat is — I 
 Bettali quit daihin' me. 
 Dat ah pie look sutny good : 
 How 'd you feel now ef I would ? 
 I don' reckon dat I should ; 
 Bettah quit daihin' me. 
 
 Look hyeah, I gwine tell de truf, 
 Mine is sholy one sweet toof : 
 
 Bettah quit daihin' me. 
 Yass 'm, yass m, dat 's all right, 
 I s done tried to be perlite : 
 But dat pie's a lakly sight, 
 
 Wha's de use o' daihin' me? 
 
 My, yo' lips is full an' red, 
 
 Don t I wish you 'd tu'n yo' haid ? 
 
 Bettah quit daihin' me. 
 Dat ain't faih, now, honey chile, 
 I 's gwine lose mv sense erwhile 
 Ef you des set daih an' smile, 
 
 Bettah quit daihin' me. 
 
 Nuffin' don' look ha'f so fine 
 
 Ez dem teef, deah, wen i\ey shine 
 
 Bettah quit daihin' me. 
 Now look hyeah, I tells you dis ; 
 1 11 give up all othah bliss 
 Des to have one little kiss, 
 
 Bettah quit daihin me. 
 
 84 
 
 ^«.-*' 
 
I*— • 
 
Laws, I teks yo' little han', 
 Ain't it tendah? bless de Ian' — 
 
 Bettah quit daihin' me. 
 I s so lonesome by myse'f, 
 'D ain't no fun in livin' lef ; 
 Dis hyeah life 's ez dull ez def : 
 
 Bettah quit daihin' me. 
 
 Why n't you tek yo' han' erway ? 
 Yas, I 'II hoi' it : but I say 
 
 Bettah quit daihin' me. 
 Holin' ban's is sholy fine. 
 Seems lak dat 's de weddin' sign. 
 Wish you 'd say dat you 'd be mine ; 
 
 Dah vou been daihin' me. 
 
XTYEAH dat singin' in de rnedders 
 Whaili de folks is mekin' hay? 
 Wo'k is pretty middlin' heavy 
 
 Fu' a man to be so gay. 
 You kin tell dey 's somep'n special 
 F'om de canter o' de song 
 ^ Somep'n sholy pleasin' Sam'l, 
 \mm Wen he singin' all day long. 
 

 
 Hyeahd him wa'blin' 'way dis mo'nin' 
 
 'Fo' 'twas light enough to see. 
 ==* Seem lak music in de evenin' 
 
 Alius good enough fu' me. 
 But dat man commenced to hollah 
 
 'Fo' he 'd even washed his face ; 
 Would you b'lieve, de scan'lous rascal 
 
 Woke de birds erroun' de place? 
 
 A 
 
 «• 
 
 ^ 
 
 Sam'l took a trip a-Sad'day ; 
 
 Dressed hisse'f in all he had, 
 Tuk a cane an' went a-strollin', 
 
 Lookin' mighty pleased an' glad. 
 Some folks don' know whut de mattah, 
 
 But I do, you bet yo' life ; 
 Sam'l smilin' an' a-singin' 
 
 'Case he been to see his wife. 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 She live on de fu' plantation, 
 Twenty miles erway er so ; 
 But huh man is mighty happy 
 
 W'en he git de chanst to go. 
 Walkin' alius ain' de nices' — 
 Mo'nin' fin's him on de way — 
 comes back smilin', 
 pleasure was his pay. 
 
 t 
 
^^-\r^V=«-^/- 
 
rw 
 
 Den he do a heap o' talkin', 
 
 Do' he mos'ly kin' o' still, 
 But de vvo'ds, dey gits to runnin' 
 
 Lak de watah fu' a mill. 
 " Whut 's de use o' havin' trouhle, 
 
 Whut's de use o' havin' strife?" 
 Dai's de way dis Sam'l preaches 
 
 Wen he been to see his wife. 
 
 L*^ 
 
 An' I reckon I git jealous, 
 
 Fu' I laff an' joke an' scon. 
 An' I say, " Oh, go on, Sam'l, 
 
 Des go on, an' blow yo' ho'n." 
 But 1 know dis comin' Sad'day, 
 
 Dey '11 be brighter days in life ; 
 An' I 11 be ez glad ez Sam'l 
 
 Wen I go to see my wife. 
 
 w*«^ 
 
You 'LL be wonderin' whut 's 
 de reason 
 I 's a grinnin' all de time, 
 An' I guess you t'ink my sperits 
 Mus' be feelin' mighty prime. 
 Well, I 'fess up, I is tickled 
 
 As a puppy at his paws. 
 But you need n't think I 's crazy, 
 I ain' laffin' 'dout a cause. 
 94 
 
 t 
 
^""^^^ ^^ 
 
You s a wonderin' too, I reckon, 
 
 Why I does n t seem to eat, 
 An' I notice you a-Iookin' 
 
 Lak you felt completely heat 
 When 1 fuse to tek de hacon. 
 
 An' don' settle on de ham. 
 Don' you feel no feah erbout me, 
 
 Jes' keep eatin', an' be cam. 
 
 t 
 f 
 f 
 
 Fu' I 's vvaitin' an' I 's watchin' 
 
 'Bout a little t'ing I see — 
 D' othah night I 's out a-walkin' 
 
 An' I passed a 'simmon tree. 
 Now I s whettin' up my hongry, 
 
 An' 1 s laffin' fit to kill, 
 Fu' de fros' done turned de 'simmons. 
 
 An' de possum s eat his fill. 
 
 He done go'ged hisse'f owdacious, 
 
 An' he stay in' by de tree ! 
 Don' you know, ol' Mistah Possum 
 
 Dat you gittin' fat fu' me? 
 'T ain't no use to try to 'spute it, 
 
 'Case I knows you 's gittin' sweet 
 Wif dat 'simmon flavoh thoo you, 
 
 So I 's waitin' fu' yo' meat. 
 
An' some ebenin' me an' Tovvsah 
 
 Gwine to come an' mek a call, 
 We jes' drap in onexpected 
 
 Fu' to shek yo' ban', dat 's all. 
 Oh, I knows dat you '11 be tickled, 
 
 Seems lak I kin see you smile. 
 So pu'haps I mought pu'suade you 
 
 Fu' to visit us a wbile. 
 
LofC. 
 
T 'S boun' to see my gal to-night — 
 
 Oh, lone de way, my dearie ! 
 De moon ain't out, de stars ain't bright 
 
 Oh, lone de way, my dearie ! 
 Dis boss o' mine is pow'ful slow. 
 But when I does git to yo' do' 
 Yo' kiss 11 pay me back, an' mo', 
 
 ^ 
 
 Dough lone de way, my dearie. 
 
 100 
 
De night is skeery-lak an' still — 
 Oh, lone de way, my dearie ! 
 
 'Cept fu' dat mou'nful whippo'will — 
 Oh, lone de way, my dearie ! 
 
 De way so long wif dis slow pace, 
 'T 'u'd seem to me lak savin' grace 
 'as on a nearer place, 
 lone de way, my dearie. 
 
_jt->-V«~v« 
 
 I hyeah de hootin' of de owl — 
 Oh, lone de way, my dearie ! 
 I wish dat watch-dog would n't howl 
 
 Oh, lone de way, my dearie ! 
 An' evaht'ing, bofe right an' lef, 
 Seem p'int'ly lak hit put itse'f 
 In shape to skeer me half to def — 
 Oh, lone de way, my dearie ! 
 
 I whistles so 's I won't be feared — 
 
 Oh, lone de way, my dearie ! 
 But anyhow I 's kin' o' skeered, 
 
 Fu' lone de way, my dearie. 
 De sky been lookin' mighty glum. 
 But you kin mek hit lighten some, 
 Ef you '11 jes' say you 's glad I come, 
 Dough lone de way, my dearie. 
 
CIUMMAH night an' sighin' breeze, 
 liO 'Long de lovah's lane ; 
 Frien'ly, sliadder-mekin' trees, 
 
 'Long de lovah's lane. 
 White folks' wo'k all done up gran' — 
 Me an' 'Mandy han'-in-han' 
 Struttin' lak we owned de Ian' 
 
 'Long de lovah's lane. 
 1 ()() 
 
 ? 
 
Owl a-settin' 'side de road, 
 
 'Long de lovah's lane, 
 Lookin' at us lak he knowed 
 
 Dis uz lovah's lane. 
 Go on, hoot yo' mou'nful tune, 
 You ain' nevah loved in June, 
 An' come hidin' f'om de moon 
 Down in lovah's lane. 
 
 Bush it ben' an' nod an' sway, 
 
 Down in lovah's lane, 
 Try'n' to hyeah me whut I say 
 
 'Long de lovah's lane. 
 But I whispahs low lak dis. 
 An' my 'Mandy smile huh bliss 
 Mistah Bush he shek his fis', 
 Down in lovah's lane. 
 
 t 
 
 4l^ 
 
 I 
 
 J 
 
 Whut I keer ef day is long, 
 
 Down in lovah's lane. 
 I kin alius sing a song 
 
 'Long de lovah's lane. 
 An' de wo'ds I hyeah an' say 
 Meks up fu' de weary day 
 Wen I 's stroUin' by de way, 
 
 Down in lovah's lane. 
 
 107 
 
 I 
 
 M^\ 
 
An' dis t'oiight will alius rise 
 
 Down in lovah's lane : 
 Wondah whetliah in de skies 
 
 Dey s a lovah's lane. 
 Ef dey ain t, I tell you true, 
 'Ligion do look mighty blue, 
 'Cause I do' know whut I d do 
 'Dout a lovah's lane. 
 
(, 
 
 THE PHOTOGRAPH 
 
SEE dis pictyah in my han' ? 
 Dat 's my gal ; 
 Ain't she purty? goodness Ian' 
 
 Huh name Sal. 
 Dat 's de very way she be 
 Kin' o' tickles me to see 
 
She sont me dis photygraph 
 
 Jes' las' week ; 
 An' aldough liit made me laugh 
 
 My black cheek 
 Felt somethin' a-runnin' queer ; 
 Bless yo' soul, it was a tear 
 Jes' f om wishin' she was here. 
 
 Often when I 's all alone 
 
 Layin' here, 
 I git t'inkin' bout my own 
 
 Sallie dear ; 
 How she say dat I s huh beau, 
 An' hit tickles me to know 
 
 »fl»7J 
 
 
Some bright day I 's goin' back, 
 
 Fo' de la ! 
 An' ez sho' 's my face is black, 
 
 Ax huh pa 
 
 
 Fu' de blessed little miss 
 Who 's a-smilin' out o' dis 
 Pictyah, lak she wan'ed a kiss ! 
 
'^^'^^'^•'^ 
 

 T^E breeze is blovvin' 'cross de bay. 
 -*-^ My lady, my lady ; 
 De ship hit teks me far away, 
 
 My lady, my lady. 
 Ole Mas' done sol' me down de stream ; 
 Dey tell me 't ain't so bad 's hit seem, 
 
 My lady, my lady. 
 
 O' co'se I knows dat you '11 be true, 
 
 My lady, my lady ; 
 But den I do' know whut to do, 
 
 My lady, my lady. 
 I knowed some day we'd have to pa't. 
 But den hit put' nigh breaks my hea't, 
 
 My lady, my lady. 
 
 De day is long, de night is black. 
 
 My lady, my lady ; 
 I know you 'II wait twell I come back. 
 
 My lady, my lady. 
 I '11 Stan' de ship, I '11 stan' de chain, 
 But I '11 come back, my darlin' Jane, 
 
 My lady, my lady. 
 
 
 ^\ 
 
 i 
 
\ 
 
 Jr^nF^^j-^, 
 
 Jes' wait, jes' b lieve in whut I say, 
 
 My lady, my lady ; 
 D' ain t nothin' dat kin keep me way. 
 
 My lady, my lady. 
 
 A man 's a man, an' love is love ; 
 God knows ouah hea'ts, my little dove ; 
 He'll he'p us fom his th'one above, 
 My lady, my lady. 
 
^ 
 
 
 

*-^ 
 
 JES' lak toddy wahms you thoo' 
 Sets yo' haid a reelin', 
 Meks you ovah good and new, 
 Dat 's de way I 's feelin'. 
 Seems to me hit s summah time, 
 
 Dough hit s wintah reely, 
 I 's a feehn' jes' dat prime — 
 An' huh name is Dely. 
 
 Dis hyeah love's a cu'rus thing, 
 
 Changes 'roun' de season, 
 Meks you sad or meks you sing, 
 
 'Dout no urfly reason. 
 Sometimes I go mopin' 'roun', 
 
 Den agin I s leapin' ; 
 Sperits alhis up an' down 
 
 Even when I 's sleepin'. 
 
 L*3Al 
 
 Fu' de dreams comes to me den, 
 
 An' dey keeps me pitchin', 
 Lak de apple dumplin's w'en 
 
 Bilin' in de kitchen. 
 Some one sot to do me hahm, 
 
 Tryin' to ovahcome me, 
 Ketchin' Dely by de ahm 
 
 So 's to tek huh f'om me. 
 
 ^ 
 
I*I6I?- 
 
Mon, you bettah b'lieve I fights 
 
 (Dough hit s on'y seemin') ; 
 I 's a hittin' fu' my rights 
 
 Even w'eii I 's dreamin'. 
 But I 'd let you have 'em all, 
 
 Give 'em to you freely, 
 Good an' bad ones, great an' small, 
 
 So s you leave me Dely. 
 
 *•"-•♦. 
 
 Dely got dem meltin' eyes. 
 
 Big an' black an' tendah. 
 Dely jes' a lady-size, 
 
 Delikit an' slendah. 
 Dely brown ez brown kin be 
 
 An' huh haih is curly ; 
 Oh, she look so sweet to me, — 
 
 Bless de precious girlie ! 
 
 Dely brown ez brown kin be, 
 
 She ain' no mullatter ; 
 She pure cullud, — don' you see 
 
 Dat 's jes' whut 's de mattah? 
 Dat's de why 1 love huh so, 
 
 D' ain't no mix about huh, 
 Soon 's you see huh face you know 
 
 D' ain't no chanst to doubt huh. 
 
 122 
 
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