HOWDY, HONEY HOWDY HOWDY HONEY HOWDY PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR Illustrated with photographs LEIGH RICHMOND MINER Decorations by WILL JENKINS DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY NEW YORK MCMV Copyright 1896, 1899, 1903, and 1905 BY DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY Published October, 1905 CONTENTS HOWDY, HONEY, HOWDY. . 7 ENCOURAGEMENT ..... 13 DE WAY TINGS COME ... 19 THE DELINQUENT ..... 23 ACCOUNTABILITY ..... 29 PROTEST ......... 33 POSSUM ......... 39 FOOLIN' WID DE SEASONS . 43 ANGELINA ........ 49 A DEATH SONG ...... 57 A CHRISTMAS FOLKSONG . . 61 FAITH .......... 69 HOPE .......... 73 A LOVE LETTER ...... 77 PUTTIN 1 THE BABY AWAY . 83 ADVICE .......... 89 DREAMIN 1 TOWN ..... 95 SCAMP .......... 101 OPPORTUNITY ....... 105 A SUMMER NIGHT ..... Ill THE OLD CABIN 117 a HOWDY, HONEY HOWDY Do a-stan'in' on ajar, fiah a-shinin' thoo, Ol' folks drowsin' 'roun' de place, wide awake is Lou, Wen I tap, she answah, an' I see huh 'mence to grin, " Howdy, honey, howdy, won't you step right in ? " Den I step erpon de log layin' at de do', Bless de Lawd, huh mammy an' huh pap 's done 'menced to sno', Now 's de time, ef evah, ef I 's gwine to try an' win, " Howdy, honey, howdy, won't you step right in ? " No use playin' on de aidge, trimblin' on de brink, Wen a body love a gal, tell huh whut he t'ink ; Wen huh hea't is open fu' de love you gwine to gin, Pull yo'se'f togethah, suh, an' step right in. Sweetes' imbitation dat a body evah hyeahed, Sweetah den de music of a love-sick mockin'-bird, Comin' f 'om de gal you loves bettah den yo' kin, " Howdy, honey, howdy, won't you step right in ? " At de gate o' heaven w'en de sto'm o' life is pas', 'Spec' I'll be a-stan'in', 'twell de Mastah say at las', " Hyeah he stan' all weary, but he winned his fight wid sin. Howdy, honey, howdy, won't you step right in?" v ENCOURAGEMENT WHO dat knockin' at de do' ? Why, Ike Johnson, yes, fu' sho ! Come in, Ike. I 's mighty glad You come down. I fought you 's mad At me 'bout de othah night, An' was stayin' 'way fu' spite. Say, now, was you mad fu' true Wen I kin' o' laughed at you ? Speak up, Ike, an' 'spress yo'se'f. 'T ain't no use a-lookin' sad, An' a-mekin' out you 's mad ; Ef you 's gwine to be so glum, Wondah why you evah come. I don't lak nobody 'roun' Dat jes' shet dey mouf an' frown, - Oh, now, man, don't act a dunce ! Cain't you talk ? I tol' you once, Speak up, Ike, an' 'spress yo'se'f. I Wha 'd you come hyeah fu' to-night Body 'd t'ink yo' haid ain't right. I 's done all dat I kin do, - Dressed perticler, jes' fu' you ; Reckon I 'd 'a' bettah wo' My ol' ragged calico. Aftah all de pains I 's took, Cain't you tell me how I look ? Speak up, Ike, an' 'spress yo'se'f. Bless my soul ! I 'mos' fu'got Tellin' you 'bout Tildy Scott. Don't you know, come Thu'sday night, She gwine ma'y Lucius White ? Miss Lize say I allus wuh Heap sight laklier 'n huh ; An' she 11 git me somep'n new, Ef I wants to ma'y too. Speak up, Ike, an' 'spress yo'se'f. m I could ma'y in a week, Ef de man I wants 'ud speak. Tildy's presents 11 be fine, But dey would n't ekal mine. Him whut gits me fu' a wife 'LI be proud, you bet yo' life. I 's had offers ; some ain't quit ; But I has n't ma'ied yit ! Speak up, Ike, an' 'spress yo'se'f. Ike, I loves you, yes, I does ; You 's my choice, and allus was. Laffin' at you ain't no harm. - Go 'way, dahky, whaih 's yo' arm ? Hug me closer dah, dat 's right ! Wasn't you a awful sight, Havin' me to baig you so ? Now ax whut you want to know, - Speak up, Ike, an' 'spress yo'se'f! DE WAY T'INGS COME S3B JjE way t'ings come, hit seems to me, Is des' one monst'ous mystery ; De way hit seem to strike a man, Dey ain't no sense, dey ain't no plan ; Ef trouble sta'ts a pilin' down, It ain't no use to rage er frown, It ain't no use to strive er pray, Hit 's mortal boun' to come dat way. Now, ef you 's hongry, an' yo' plate Des' keep on sayin' to you, " Wait," Don't mek no diffunce how you feel, 'T won't do no good to hunt a meal, Fu' dat ah meal des' boun' to hide Ontwell de devil 's satisfied, An' 'twell dey 's some'p'n by to cyahve You 's got to ease yo'se'f an' stahve. But ef dey's co'n meal on de she'f You need n't bothah 'roun' yo'se'f, Somebody 's boun' to amble in An' 'vite you to dey co'n meal bin ; An' ef you 's stuffed up to de froat Wid co'n er middlin', fowl er shoat, Des' look out an' you '11 see fu' sho A 'possum faint befo' yo' do'. E De way t'ings happen, huhuh, chile, Dis woiT 's done puzzled me one w'ile ; I 's mighty skeered I '11 fall in doubt, T des' won't try to reason out De reason why folks strive an' plan A dinnah fu' a full-fed man, An' shet de do' an' cross de street F'om one dat raaly needs to eat. vs ffi THE DELINQUENT CrOO'-BY, Jinks, I got to hump, Got to mek dis pony jump ; See dat sun a-goin' down 'N' rne a-foolin' hyeah in town ! Git up, Suke go long ! Guess Mirandy '11 think I 's tight, Me not home an' comin' on night. What's dat stan'in' by de fence ? Pshaw ! why don't I lu'n some sense ? Git up, Suke go long ! Guess I spent down dah at Jinks' Mos' a dollah fu' de drinks. Bless yo' soul, you see dat star ? Lawd, but won't Mirandy rar ? Git up, Suke go long ! Went dis mo'nin', hyeah it's night, Dah 's de cabin dah in sight. Who 's dat stan'in' in de do' ? Dat must be Mirandy, sho', Git up, Suke go long ! Got de close-stick in huh han', Dat look funny, goodness Ian', Sakes alibe, but she look glum ! Hyeah, Mirandy, hyeah I come ! Git up, Suke go long ! Ef 't had n't < a ' ben fur you, you slow ole fool, I 'd a' be'n home long fo' now ! ACCOUNTABILITY JT OLKS ain't got no right to cen- suah othah folks about dey habits ; Him dat giv' de squir'ls de bushtails made de bobtails fu' de rabbits. Him dat built de gread big moun- tains hollered out de little valleys, Him dat made de streets an' drive- ways wasn't shamed to make de alleys. We is all constructed diiF'ent, d'ain't no two of us de same ; We cain't he'p ouah likes an' dislikes, ef we 'se bad we ain't to blame. Ef we 'se good, we need n't show off, case you bet it ain't ouah doin' We gits into su'ttain channels dat we jes' cain't he'p pu'suin'. But we all fits into places dat no othah ones could fill, An' we does the things we has to, big er little, good er ill. John cain't tek de place o' Henry, Su an' Sally ain't alike ; Bass ain't nuthin' like a suckah, chub ain't nuthin' like a pike. - Wen you come to t'ink about it, how it's all planned out it's splendid. Nothin 's done er evah happens, 'dout hit 's somefin' dat 's intended ; Don't keer whut you does, you has to, an' hit sholy beats de dickens, - Viney, go put on de kittle, I got one o' mastah's chickens. PROTEST WHO say my haht ain't true to you? Dey bettah heish dey mouf. I knows I loves you thoo an' thoo In watah time er drouf. I wush dese people 'd stop dey talkin', Don't mean no mo' dan chicken's squawkin' : I guess I knows which way I 's walkin', I knows de norf f om souf. I does not love Elizy Brown, I guess I knows my min'. You allus try to tek me down Wid evaht'ing you fin'. nonsense willin' some day dey '11 Somewhaih O' cose I buys de gal ice-cream, Whut else I gwine to do ? I knows jes' how de t'ing 'u'd seem Ef I 'd be sho't wid you. On Sunday, you's at chu'ch a- shoutin', Den all de week you go 'roun' poutin' I 's mighty tiahed o' all dis doubtin', 1 tell you cause I 's true. POSSUM rLF dey 's anyt'ing dat riles me An' jes' gits me out o' hitch, Twell I want to tek my coat off, So 's to r'ar an' far an' pitch, Hit 's to see some ign'ant white man 'Mittin' dat owdacious sin Wen he want to cook a possum Tekin' off de possum's skin. 1 Wy, dey ain't no use in talkin', Hit jes' hu'ts me to de haht Fu' to see dem foolish people Th'owin' 'way de fines' paht. W'y, dat skin is jes' ez tendah An' ez juicy ez kin be ; I knows all erbout de critter Hide an' haih don't talk to me ! Possum skin is jes' lak shoat skin ; Jes' you swinge an' scrope it down, Tek a good sha'p knife an' sco' it, Den you bake it good an' brown. Huh-uh ! honey, you 's so happy Dat yo' thoughts is 'mos' a sin When you 's settin' dah a-chawin' On dat possum's cracklin' skin. m\ White folks t'nk dey know 'bout eatin', An' I reckon dat dey do Sometimes git a little idee Of a miedlin' dish er two ; But dey ain't a t'ing dey knows of Dat I rekon cain't be beat W'en we set down at de table To a unskun possum's meat ! SSs FOOLIN' WID DE SEASONS ?S: 3 SEEMS lak folks is mighty curus In de way dey t'inks an' ac's. Dey jes' spen's dey days a-mixin' Up de t'ings in almanacs. Now, I min' my nex' do' neighbour, He 's a mighty likely man, But he nevah t'inks o' nuffin 'Ceptin' jes' to plot an' plan. All de wintah he was plannin' How he 'd gethah sassafras Jes' ez soon ez evah Springtime Put some greenness in.de grass. An' he lowed a little soonah He could stan' a coolah breeze So 's to mek a little money F'om de sugah-watah trees. Dl In de summah, he 'd be waihin' Out de linin' of his soul, Try'n' to ca'ci'late an' fashion How he 'd git his wintah coal ; An' I b'lieve he got his jedgement Jes' so tuckahed out an' thinned Dat he t'ought a robin's whistle Was de whistle of de wind. Why won't folks gin up dey plannin', An' jes' be content to know Dat dey 's gittin' all dat 's fu' dem In de days dat come an' go ? Why won't folks quit movin' forrard ? Ain't hit bettah jes' to stan' An' be satisfied wid livin' In de season dat 's at han' ? Hit 's enough fu' me to listen W'en de birds is singin' 'roun', 'Dout a-guessin' whut '11 happen W'en de snow is on de groun'. In de Springtime an' de summah, I lays sorrer on de she'f ; An' I knows ol' Mistah Wintah Gwine to hustle fu' hisse'f. We been put hyeah fu' a pu'pose, But de questun dat has riz An' made lots o' people diffah Is jes' whut dat pu'pose is. Now, accord in' to iny reas'nin', Hyeah 's de p'int whaih I 's arriv% Sence de Lawd put life into us, We was put hyeah fu' to live ! ANGELINA \V'EN de fiddle gits to singin' out a ol' Vahginny reel, An' you 'nience to feel a ticklin' in yo' toe an' in yo' heel ; Ef you t'ink you got 'uligion an' you wants to keep it, too, You jes' bettah tek a hint an' git yo'se'f clean out o view. Case de time is mighty temptin' w'en de chune is in de swing, Fu' a darky, saint or sinner man, to cut de pigeon-wing. An' you could n't he'p f om dancin 9 ef yo' feet was boun' wif twine, W'en Angelina Johnson comes a-swingin' down de line. Don't you know Miss Angelina ? She 's de da'lin' of de place. Wy, dey ain't no high-toned lady wif sich mannahs an' sich grace. She kin move across de cabin, wif its planks all rough an' wo' ; Jes' de same 's ef she was dancin' on ol' mistus' ball-room flo'. T* i Fact is, you do' see no cabin evah- t'ing you see look gran', An' dat one ol' squeaky fiddle soun' to you jes' lak a ban' ; Cotton britches look lak broadclof an' a linsey dress look fine, Wen Angelina Johnson comes a-swingin' down de line. Some folks say dat dancin 's sinful, an' de blessed Lawd, dey say, Gwine to purnish us fu' steppin' w'en we hyeah de music play. But I tell you I don' blieve it, fu' de Lawd is wise and good, An' he made de banjo's metal an' he made de fiddle's wood, An' he made de music in dem, so 1 don' quite t'ink he'll keer Ef our feet keeps time a little to de melodies we hyeah. W'y, dey's somep'n' downright holy in de way our faces shine, Wen Angelina Johnson comes a-swingin' down de line. sS> 3 Angelina step' so gentle, Angelina bow' so low, An' she lif huh sku't so dainty dat huh shoetop skacely show : An' dein teef o' huh'n a-shinin', ez she tek you by de han' Go 'way, people, d' ain't anothah sich a lady in de Ian' ! Wen she's movin' thoo de figgers er a-dancin' by huhse'f, Folks jes' stan' stock-still a-sta'in', an' dey mos' nigh hoi's dey bref ; An' de young mens, dey 's a-sayin', " 1 's gwine mek dat damsel mine," Wen Angelina Johnson comes a-swingin' down de line. A DEATH SONG LAY me down beneaf de willers in de grass, Whah de branch '11 go a-singin' as it pass. An' w'en I 's a-layin' low, I kin hyeah it as it go Singin', " Sleep, my honey, tek yo' res' at las'." Lay me nigh to whah hit meks a little pool, An' de w r atah stan's so quiet lak an' cool, Whah de little birds in spring, Ust to come an' drink an' sing, An' de chillen waded on dey way to school. Let me settle w'en my shouldahs draps dey load Nigh enough to hyeah de noises in de road ; Fu' I t'ink de las' long res' Gwine to soothe my sperrit bes' Ef I 's layin' 'mong de t'ings I 's allus knowed. A CHRISTMAS FOLKSONG JjE win' is bio win' wahmah, An' hit 's blowin' f ' om de bay ; Dey 's a so't o' mist a-risin' All erlong de meddah way ; Dey ain't a hint o' frostin' On de groun' ner in de sky, An' dey ain't no use in hopin' Dat de snow '11 'mence to fly. It 's goin' to be a green Christmas, An' sad de day fu' me. I wish dis was de las' one Dat evah I should see. Dey 's dancin' in de cabin, Dey'sspahkin by de tree ; But dancin' times an' spahkin' Are all done pas' fu' me. Dey 's feastin' in de big house, Wid all de windahs wide - Is dat de way fu' people To meet de Christmas-tide ? It 's goin' to be a green Christmas, No mattah what you say. Dey 's us dat will remembah An' grieve de comin' day. Dey 's des a bref o' dampness A-clingin' to my cheek ; De aih 's been dahk an' heavy An' threatenin' fu' a week, But not wid signs o' wintah, Dough wintah 'd seem so deah - De wintah 's out o' season, An' Christmas eve is hyeah. It 's goin' to be a green Christmas, An' oh, how sad de day ! Go ax de hongry chu'chya'd, An' see what hit will say. B IS Dey's Allen on de hillside, An' Marfy in de plain ; Fu' Christmas was like springtime, An' come wid sun an' rain. Dey's Ca'line, John, an' Susie, Wid only dis one lef ' ; An' now de curse is comin' Wid murder in hits bref. It ' s goin' to be a green C hristmas Des hyeah my words an' see : Befo' de summah beckons Dey 's many '11 weep wid me. FAITH I 'S a-gittin' weary of de way dat people do, De folks dat 's got dey 'ligion in dey fiah-place an' flue ; Dey's alms somep'n' comin' so de spit '11 have to tu'n, An' hit tain't no p'oposition fu' to mek de hickory bu'n. Ef de sweet pertater fails us an' de go'geous yallah yam, We kin tek a bit o' comfo't f'om ouah sto' o' summah jam. W'en de snow hit git to flyin', dat 's de Mastah's own desiah, De Lawd'll run de wintah an' yo' mammy '11 run de fiah. I ain' skeered because de win' hit staht to raih an' blow, I ain't bothahed w'en he come er rattlin' at de do', Let him taih hisse'f an' shout, let him blow an' bawl, Dat 's de time de branches shek an' bresh-wood 'mence to fall. W'en de st'om 's er-railin' an' de shettahs bio win' 'bout, Dat de time de fiah-place crack hits welcome out. Tain' my livin' business fu' to trouble ner enquiah, De Lawd '11 min' de wintah an' my mammy 11 min' de fiah. Ash-cake allus gits ez brown w'en February's hyeah Ez it does in bakin' any othah time o' yeah. De bacon smell ez callin'-like, de kittle rock an' sing, De same way in de wintah dat dey do it in de spring ; Dey ain't no use in mopin' 'round an' lookin' mad an' glum Erbout de wintah season, fu' hit's des plumb boun' to come ; An' ef it comes to runnin' t'ings I 's willin' to retiah, De Lawd '11 min' de wintah an' my mammy '11 min' de fiah. HOPE JjE dog go howlin' 'long de road, De night come shiverin' down ; My back is tiahed of its load, I cain't be fu' f ' om town. No mattah ef de way is long, My haht is swellin' wid a song, No mattah 'bout de frownin' skies, I '11 soon be home to see my Lize. My shadder staggah on de way, It 's monst'ous col' to-night ; But I kin hyeah my honey say, " W'y, bless me ef de sight O' you ain't good fu' rny so' eyes." (Dat talk 's des lak my lady Lize) I 's so'y case de way was long But Lawd you bring me love an' song. No mattah ef de way is long, An' ef I trimbles so', 1 knows de fiah's bu'nin' strong, Behime my Lizy's do'. An' daih my res' an' joy shell be, Whaih my ol' wife 's a-waitin' me Why, what I keer fu' stingin' bias', I see huh windah light at las'. A LOVE LETTER OH, I des received a letter f 'om de sweetes' little gal ; Oh, my ; oh, my. She 's my lovely little sweethaht an' her name is Sal : Oh, my ; oh, my. She writes me dat she loves me an' she loves me true, She wonders ef I '11 tell huh dat I loves huh, too ; An' my h'aht 's so full o' music dat I do' know what to do ; Oh, my ; oh, my. 8 I got a man to read it an' he read it fine ; Oh, my ; oh, my. Dey ain' no use denyin' dat her love is mine ; Oh, my ; oh, my. But hyeah 's de t'ing dat 's puttin' me in such a awful plight, I t'ink of huh at mornin' an' I dream of huh at night ; But how 's I gwine to cou't huh w'en I do' know how to write ? Oh, my ; oh, my. Dl My h'aht is bubblin' ovah wid de t'ings I want to say ; Oh, my ; oh, my. An' dey 's lots of folks to copy what I tell 'em fu' de pay ; Oh, my ; oh, my. But dey 's t'ings dat I 's a-t'inkin' dat is only fu' huh eahs, An' I couldn't lu'n to write 'em ef I took a dozen yeahs ; So to go down daih an' tell huh is de only way, it 'peahs ; PUTTIN' THE BABY AWAY ElGHT of 'em hyeah all tol' an' yet Dese eyes o' mine is wringin' wet ; My haht 's a-achin' ha'd an' so', De way hit nevah ached befo' ; My soul 's a-pleadin', " Lawd, give back Dis little lonesome baby black, Dis one, dis las' po' he'pless one, Whose little race was too soon run." Po' Little Jim, des fo' yeahs ol' A-layin' down so still an' col'. Somehow hit don' seem ha'dly faih, To have my baby layin' daih Wi'dout a smile upon his face, Wi'dout a look erbout de place ; He ust to be so full o' fun, Hit don' seem right dat all's done, done. Des eight in all, but I don' caih, Dey wa'nt a single one to spaih ; De worl' was big, so was my haht, An' dis hyeah baby owned hit's paht ; De house was po', dey clothes was rough, But daih was meat an' meal enough ; 2! An' daih was room fu' little Jim ; Oh ! Lawd, what made you call fu' him ? It do seem monst'ous ha'd to-day, To lay dis baby boy away ; I 'd lu'ned to love his teasin' smile, He mought o' des been lef ' erwhile ; You wouldn't t'ought wid all de folks Dat's roun' hyeah mixin' teahs an' jokes, De Lawd u'd had de time to see Dis chile an' tek him 'way f 'om me. But let it go, I reckon Jim 'LI des go right straight up to Him Dat took him f 'om his mammy's nes' An' lef dis achin' in my breas', An' lookin' in dat fathah's face An' 'memberin' dis lone sorrerin' place, He '11 say, " Good Lawd, you ought to had Do sumpin' fu' to comfo't dad ! " ADVICE W'EN you full o' worry 'Bout yo' wo'k an' sich, Wen you kind o' bothahed Case you cain't get rich, An' yo' neighboh p'ospah Past his jest desu'ts, An' de sneer of comerds Stuhs yo' haht an' hu'ts, Des don' pet yo' worries, Lay 'em on de she'f, Tek a little trouble Brothah, wid yo'se'f. Ef a Men' comes mou'nin' 'Bout his awful case, You know you don' grieve him Wid a gloomy face, But you wrassle wid him, Try to tek him in ; Dough hit cracks yo' features, Law, you smile lak sin. Ain't you good ez he is ? Don' you pine to def ; Tek a little trouble Brothah, wid yo'se'f. Ef de chillun pestahs, An' de baby 's bad, Ef yo' wife gits narvous, An' you 're gettin' mad, Des you grab yo' boot- strops, Hoi' yo body down, Stop a-tinkin' cuss-w'rds, Chase away de frown, Knock de haid o' worry, Twell dey ain' none lef ' ; Tek a little trouble, Brothah, wid yo'se'f. DREAMIN' TOWN C/OME away to dreamin' town, Mandy Lou, Mandy Lou, Whaih de skies don' nevah frown, Mandy Lou ; Whaih de streets is paved with gol', Whaih de days is nevah col', An' no sheep strays f 'om de fol', Mandy Lou. Ain't you tiahed of every day, Mandy Lou, Mandy Lou, Tek my han' an' come away, Mandy Lou, To de place whaih dreams is King, Whaih my heart hoi's everyt'ing, An' my soul can allus sing, Mandy Lou. Come away to dream wid me, Mandy Lou, Mandy Lou, Whaih our hands an' hahts are free, Mandy Lou ; Whaih de sands is shinin' white, Whaih de rivahs glistens bright, In dat dreamland of delight, Mandy Lou. Come away to dreamin' town, Mandy Lou, Mandy Lou, Whaih de fruit is bendin' down Des fu' you. Smooth your brow of lovin' brown, An' my love will be its crown ; Come away to dreamin' town, Mandy Lou. SCAMP /VlN'T it nice to have a mammy Wen you kin' o' tiahed out Wid a-playin' in de meddah, An' a-runnin' roun' about Till hit 's made you mighty hongry, An' yo' nose hit gits to know What de smell means dat 's a-comin' F'om de open cabin do' ? She wash yo' face, An' mek yo' place, You 's hongry as a tramp ; Den hit 's eat you suppah right away, You sta'vin' little scamp. Wen you 's full o' braid an' bacon, An' dey ain't no mo' to eat, An' de lasses dat 's a-stickin' On yo' face ta'se kin' o' sweet, Don' you t'ink hit 's kin' o' pleasin' Fu' to have som'body neah Dat '11 wipe yo' han's an' kiss you Fo' dey lif you f om yo' eheah ? To smile so sweet, An' wash yo' feet, An' leave 'em co'l an' damp ; Den hit 's come let me undress you, now You lazy little scamp. Don' yo' eyes git awful heavy, An' yo' lip git awful slack, Ain't dey som'p'n' kin' o' weak'nin' In de backbone of yo' back ? Don' yo' knees feel kin' o' trimbly, An' yo' haid go bobbin' roun', Wen you says yo' " Now I lay me," An' is sno'in' on de " down" ? She kiss yo' nose, She kiss yo' toes, An' den tu'n out de lamp, Den hit 's creep into yo' trun'le baid, You sleepy little scamp. OPPORTUNITY GRANNY'S gone a-visitm', Seen huh git huh shawl Wen I was a-hidin' down Hime de gyahden wall. Seen huh put her bonnet on, Seen huh tie de strings, An' I 's gone to dream in' now 'Bout dem cakes an' t'ings. On de she'f behime de do' Mussy, what a feas' ! Soon ez she gits out o' sight, I kin eat in peace. I bin watchin' fu' a week Des fu' dis hyeah chance. Mussy, w'en I gits in daih, 1 11 des sholy dance. Lemon pie an' gingah-cake, Let me set an' t'ink - Vinegah an' sugah, too, Dat '11 mek a drink ; Ef dey 's one t'ing dat I loves Mos' pu'ticlahly, It is eatin' sweet t'ings an' A-drinkin' Sangaree. Lawdy, won' po' granny raih Wen she see de she'f ; Wen I t'ink erbout huh face, I 's mos' 'shamed myse'f. Well, she gone, an' hyeah I is, Back behime de do Look hyeah ! gran' 's done 'spected me, Dain't no sweets no mo'. Evah sweet is hid erway, Job des done up brown ; Pusson t'ink dat someun t 'ought Dey was t'eves erroun' ; Dat des breaks my haht in two, Oh how bad I feel ! Des to t'ink my own gramma B'lieved dat I 'u'd steal ! A SUMMER NIGHT SuMMAH is de lovin time- Don' keer what you say. Night is allus peart an' prime, Bettah dan de day. Do de day is sweet an' good, Birds a-singin' fine, Pines a-smellin' in de wood, - But de night is mine. Rivah whisperin' " howdy do," Ez it pass you by - Moon a-lookin' down at you, Winkin' on de sly. Frogs a-croakin' f om de pon', Singin' bass dey fill, An' you listen way bey on' OF man whippo'will. Hush up, honey, tek my han' Mek yo' footsteps light ; Somep'n' kin' o' hoi's de Ian' On a summah night. Somep'n' dat you nevah sees An' you nevah hyeahs, But you feels it in de breeze, Somep'n' nigh to teahs. Somep'n' nigh to teahs ? dat 's so ; But hit 's nigh to smiles. An' you feels it ez you go Down de shinin' miles. Tek my han', my little dove ; Hush an' come erway Summah is de time fu' love, Night-time beats de day ! THE OLD CABIN r\ I i IN de dead of night I sometimes Git to t'inkin' of de pas', An' de days w'en slavery belt me In my mis'ry ha'd an' fas'. Dough de time was mighty tryin', In dese houahs somehow hit seem Dat a brightah light come slippin' Thoo de kivahs of my dream. An' my min' fu'gits de whuppins, Draps de feah o' block an' lash, An' flies straight to somep'n' joyful In a secon's light'nin' flash. Den hit seems I see a vision Of a dearah long ago Of de childern tumblin' roun' me By my rough ol' cabin do'. Talk about yo' go'geous mansions An' yo' big house great an' gran', Des bring up de fines' palace Dat you know. in all de Ian'. But dey 's somep'n' dearah to me, Somep'n' faihah to my eyes In dat cabin, less you bring me To yo' mansion in de skies. I kin see de light a-shinin' Thoo de chinks atween de logs, I kin hyeah de way-off bayin' Of my mastah's huntin' dogs, An' de neighin' of de hosses Stampin' on de ol' bahn flo', But above dese soim's de laughin' At my deah ol' cabin do'. --