Mary Baldwin College - Bluestocking Yearbook (Staunton, VA)

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The Mary Baldwin Seminary. 13 ' De big bullfrog er settin ' on er log, He ain ' t er singin no nio ' , Yer can ' t heah ' im croak, I spec he done choke, Kase de ribber am pow ' ful low. ' De niockin bird sing an ' de worm he bring Ter de little bird in de nes ' ; But Baby doan ' cry, an ' sliet yer eye, Yer manmiy gwine ter sing yer de res ' . Br ' er Rabbit he smart, he got de start On all de critters in de Ian ' , He shake his toe ter de ole banjo An he wave his lily-white han ' . ' De possum meat am good ter eat An de taters dey tas ' so fine ; But Baby ' s kiss am sweeter dan dis, An ' better dan cake an ' wine. ' Ole Massa got or latch on ' is watermillion patch, De niggers dey can ' t git frough, Done made de fence higher all outen bob-wire, An ' dey tare dey wool ef dey do. ' Mr. Alligator sneeze down mongst de wilier trees, Dem pickaninnies how dey scoot ! Kase young nigger meat am pow ' ful sweet, Ole alligator ' s tas ' e hit suit. ' De win hit blow, on de big bayou, But hit can ' t do Baby no harm ; So sleep mer pet, oh doan ' yer fret, On yer Mammy ' s lubbin arm. ' II. It was in Uncle Dave ' s cabin down in the quarters. A group of negro boys were gathered around the large wood fire, eating pecans. Uncle Dave had taken this means to bring them to- gether, for he considered it his duty to watch over the morals

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12 The Antiual of see what ' s good for you ! ' ' After this interruption the sermon went on more quietly until some of the old women began to be happy. First one and then another joined in, until the whole congregation was shouting. This put an end to the sermon and they went out to spread their feast. It was indeed a feast. The women know how to cook. They are considered the chicken-pie bakers of the South. If you want to enjoy yourself, go to one of their neigh- borhood picnics. There you can often see an old fellow toiling up the road, barefoot, with a huge leg of mutton or a whole barbecued hog on his shoulder, while others bring many more delicious eatables. The girls and women are always ar rayed in gowns of yellow, red, or royal purple, their favorite colors. These dresses are full and short so that they can move with ease. The dancing is one of the most delightful features of the day. The stately minuet is hardly the leading dance, for the music is so fast that the youths and maidens fairly fly. Sharp Williams, Yazoo Cit3 Miss. FROM LOUISIANA. I. L,aw Miss Mary, yer can ' t git dat chile ter sleep. Gib ' im ter me, I ' se got his pa quiet many er time an ' I knows how ter do hit. Dar ain ' t many folks wut understans de chilluns ob dis family. Jes ' like ' is pa, mighty fractious when he wants ter be. Hush, pretty, hush, les ' you an yo ' mammy sit heah in dis rockin cheer. See, he done stop a ' ready. Now go sleep while I sing ter yer, honey. ' De morn am heah, an de sun shine cleah. An de clover so sweet an ' white, De ole rade cow, I heerd her low Dat de flavor hit am jes right.

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14 The Anmial of of the young negroes on Belle Bend plantation, and he had as- sembled them for the purpose of delivering a lecture. Dem pecans am good, ain ' t dey, boys? Come off en de fines ' trees on de Bend. An Mars ' Tom gib ' em ter me— gib ' em ter me hissef ! Lots better dan ef I had bin so low as ter steal ' em. No, chillun, I ain ' t never stole nuffin in my life. Lawd, Unc ' Dave, how bout dem watermillions you ' se tole us ' bout? Wall now, Hime, I thought you wuz a boy ob comper- hension ! Dat time I tole you bout I jes ' tuk dem watermil- lions, I ain ' t stole em, jes tuk ' em an Mars ' Tom he hep ' d, .so dat wuz all right. Can ' t yer see de difFunce? White folks doan steal, no how. Wall, boys, ez I wuz sayin ' I ain ' t never stole, an hit am er solacious thought. Now dey hev ariz er mighty determental inflexion on de culled race in gineral, an on de poperlation ob de Bend in specialty. You hev heerd, boys, no mo ' dan heer ' d I am sartin, ' bout de trouble Mars Tom hev had lately wid his chickens? At this point the boys looked surprised and some of them very much hurt. No, chillun, I doan ' mean nothin ' pussonal. I knows dar ain ' t none er Mars Tom ' s niggers wut would steal his chick- ens. But I jes ' wish yer would tell dem niggers on Alder ' s place, when yer meet ' em in de road, ter keep out ' en Mars Tom ' s chicken coop. Sho ' we will Uucle Dave, said Hiram, and glancing in the box to make sure there were no more pecans, he proposed that the} ' go at once to ' warn dem niggers ter let dat chicken - coop erlone. ' ' Dat ' s right, boys, but doan ' get in no trouble, jes ' warn ' em in er quiet-like way. Good night, an fo ' yer go lem me gib yer dis advice — alius keep in de middle ob de road an ' doan ' sneak out in de lanes an breshes. Good night. As Uncle Dave closed the door, he chuckled to himself, Dem boys ain ' t got me fooled. Dey think I doan ' know who bin arter dem chickens, but I ' se fi;wine cotch ' em, see ef I doan ' .