Darkey Ways in Dixie Part 4

If de rooster crow, dey say, 'Fo'e de clock strike ten, Atter he done gone ter roos'

In de chicken pen, Den de weather sho gwine change 'Fo'e dat time nex' day, En I don't care if it do-- So de suns.h.i.+ne stay.

How de rooster know if win'

Am gwine res' or blow, Or if clouds gwine hol' de rain, Or gwine let it po', I cain't tell, do I live heah Forty yeahs terday; But I know my heart am glad If de suns.h.i.+ne stay.

Daddy Long Legs.

"Ole Daddy Long Legs, Why am you so tall?

You look lak yo' head Gwine soon touch de wall; En it take many st.i.tches Ter sew up dem breeches."

Ole Daddy Long Legs Make answer ter me: "De fines' fruit grow In de top ob de tree, En I's made tall ez dis So's de bes' I won't miss."

His Capacity Filled.

Oh, I had a happy time-- Happy time las' night!

Staid inside dat meetin' house Till it mos' daylight.

En I sho did sing en holler Till de people know Dat dis n.i.g.g.e.r got religion-- Couldn't hol' no mo'.

When I leave dat meetin' house-- Leave at ha'f pas' two, I wuz gittin' hungry ez Shoutin' n.i.g.g.e.rs do; En des den I heah a rooster Gib a mighty crow; "Don't he think he big?" I say, "I gwine fetch him low!"

Oh, I fetch him low! En I Tote him home wid me, En wid dumplin's I done cook him Quick ez dat kin be.

Wid religion en dat chicken I am full up, sho, But I reckon when night come I kin hol' some mo'!

Ike's Temptation.

Ebry day dat come, I pa.s.s Whar de watermilyun grow In de Ma.s.sa's milyun patch, En dey is a sight, fo' sho.

Dey des peeps frum out de leaves, Playin' hide en seek wid me; En dey beg me come en ta'se 'em, Des ter see how good dey be; But I sho does pa.s.s 'em by-- Same's I don't know whar dey lie.

I's a member ob de church, En you'll neber see me steal; I kin sho han' out de cash Fo' my bacon en corn-meal.

Dey will keep me des ez fat Ez I eber want ter be, En de luxuries ob life-- Heah dem milyuns callin' me!

Don't dey know dat I done say I ain't gwine take dem away?

One ob dem--he sho am big-- Prettiest thing I eber seen-- All arrayed, mo' bright dan lilies, In dem shades ob s.h.i.+nnin' green.

He done creep frum out dem leaves Till he close ter dis low fence, En he beckon me ter take him-- Think dat I ain't got good sense!

But dat coat ob him do s.h.i.+ne, En I wish dat he wus mine.

Wonder if he look ez nice On de inside ez de out?

Wonder if he's lak dem Christians What do nothin' else but shout?

Guess dat I could mighty soon Bu's' him on a rock, en see, If I had him on dis side Ob de ole rail-fence wid me.

Dat I'll do! If he's deceivin', Nothin' else ain't wuth believin'!

He am mellow ter de co'; Sho de heart ob him am right; Since I gone en bu's' him open, I mus' git him out ob sight.

I would sin agin my conshuns If I let him go ter was'e When so many mouths is thirstin'

Fo' de juice dey loves ter tas'e;-- Juice dat cheers de n.i.g.g.e.r's soul Mo' dan all dat's bought wid gol'.

It wus good, dat watermilyun, But I sho am gittin' sick; Go en git de doctor, honey-- Go en git him mighty quick!

'Twus a dirty trick, fo' cartin, What de Ma.s.sa gone en done, Puttin' strychnine in dat milyun So's ter ketch de guilty one;-- But I ain't a rogue, he know-- I's a Christian, dat am sho!

Whar De Watermilyun Grow.

I wus fetch up fur away Frum dis city whar I stay, In de lan' ob s.h.i.+nin' day Whar de watermilyun grow.

Oh, my boss heah treat me gran'!

But I sad, you understan', Longing fo' de Dixie lan'

Whar de watermilyun grow.

Fiel's ob cotton beckon me, En de sweet magnolia tree, En my heart des cry ter be Whar de watermilyun grow.

Oh, de South am des de place Fo' de thirsty cullud race!

En I long ter turn my face Whar de watermilyun grow.

If dey try to 'tice you 'way, Don't you lis'n what dey say, Kaze de n.i.g.g.e.r bo'n ter stay Whar de watermilyun grow.

What His Education Done.

What dat you say? Sen' Zeke ter school Des kaze he ain't bin bo'n a fool?

Now you talkin'! You ain't heerd 'Bout George Was.h.i.+ngton T. Beard?

He wus smart, his ma tell me, En he l'arn his A, B, C, 'Thout no' difficult at all-- Nat'ral ez de ripe fruit fall.

En dat smartness grow on him Fas' ez leaves grow on de lim', Till at las' de people say: "He mus' sholy go away Ter de college in de town!"

'Twus a great one, I am boun', Whar dey teach dat young man mo'

Dan de mos' ob n.i.g.g.e.rs know.

When he reach ter gradiation, My! Dey make a great 'miration; En dey say: "Spite ob his race, En dat s.h.i.+nin', coal-black face, He gwine make de people's eyes Open wide wid dey surprise; Dat wus sho a good essay, What he read fo' us ter-day."

En dey say dem people chee'ed Dat George Was.h.i.+ngton T. Beard; Say he look en ac' ez gran'

Ez de fines' in de lan; Bowin' dis en den dat way Wid a smile dat seem ter say: "I is ready now ter do Somethin' dat will 'stonish you."

Den what nex'? He des come home-- Wait dar fo' de chance ter come Ter git some big job, fo' true, Lak falutin' white folks do;-- Think he am too smart, you know, Ter use axe or spade or hoe; Or ter do work, han' ter han', Wid de ignorant cullud man.

Dar he set en dar he wait, Railin' 'gin de n.i.g.g.e.r's fate, Sayin' dat de worl' am hard, When we all know dat de Lawd Make it easier, fo' sho', When de man use what he know; When he don't des set en wait, Railin' allers 'gin his fate.

Ez you say, dat Zeke ob mine Got a min' dat sho could s.h.i.+ne, En dem han's ob his kin do Mos' ez much ez mine, fo' true.

He won't neber lack fo' bread Wid dem han's en wid dat head; En I don't sen' him ter school Whar he l'arn ter be a fool.

Booker T. Was.h.i.+ngton.

People tell de news las' week Dat a cullud man gwine speak At de college hall; Say he try ter lif' his race Ter a high en s.h.i.+nin' place On dis 'restial ball.

En dey say dat cullud man Doin' work dat sho am gran'

In dis worl' below; Say he gib his life, fo' true, So de n.i.g.g.e.r be en do Better dan befo'.

He done 'stablish a fine school, Whar, dey say, he 'force dis rule: Train de man all roun'; Let de han's dey duty know; Let de min' wake up en grow; Let de heart be soun'.