Now whilst we's here 'round de table, All you young ones git right still.

I wants to l'arn you some good manners, So's you'll think o' Uncle Bill.

Cose we's gwineter 'scuse Merlindy, Caze she's jes a baby yit.

But it's time you udder young ones Wus a-l'arnin' a liddle bit.

I can 'member as a youngster, Lak you youngsters is to-day; How my mammy l'arnt me manners In a 'culiar kind o' way.

One o' mammy's ole time 'quaintance.

(Ole Aunt Donie wus her name) Come one night to see my mammy.

Mammy co'se 'pared fer de same.

Mammy got de sifter, Honey; An' she tuck an' make up dough, Which she tu'n into hot biscuits.

Den we all git smart, you know.

'Zerves an' biscuits on de table!

Honey, noways could I wait.

Ole Aunt Donie wus a good ole 'oman, An' I jes had to pa.s.s my plate.

I soon swallered down dem biscuit, E't 'em faster dan a shoat.

Dey wus a liddle tough an' knotty, But I chawed 'em lak a goat.

"Pa.s.s de biscuits, please, Mam!

Please, Mam, fer I wants some mo'."

Lawd! You'd oughter seed my mammy Frownin' up, jes "sorter so."

"Won't you pa.s.s de biscuit, please, Mam?"

I said wid a liddle fear.

Dere wus not but one mo' lef', Sir.

Mammy riz up out'n her chear.

W'en Aunt Donie lef' our house, Suh, Mammy come lak bees an' ants, Put my head down 'twixt her knees, Suh, Almos' roll me out'n my pants.

She had a great big tough hick'ry, An' it help till it convince.

Frum dat day clean down to dis one, I'se had manners ev'r since.

MISS BLODGER

De rats an' de mice, dey rund up stairs, Fer to hear Miss Blodger say her prayers.

Now here I stan's 'fore Miss Blodger.

She 'spects to hit me, but I'se gwineter dodge her.

THE LITTLE NEGRO FLY

Dere's a liddle n.i.g.g.e.r fly Got a pretty liddle eye; But he don't know 'is A, B, C's.

He up an' crawl de book, An' he eben 'pears to look; But he don't know 'is A, B, C's.

DESTINIES OF GOOD AND BAD CHILDREN

One, two, three, fo', five, six, seben; All de good chilluns goes to Heaben.

All de bad chilluns goes below, To [44]segashuate wid ole man [45]Joe.

One, two, three, fo', five, six, seben, eight; All de good chilluns goes in de Pearly Gate.

But all de bad chilluns goes the Broad Road below, To segashuate wid ole man Joe.

[44] Segashuate means a.s.sociate with.

[45] Read first stanza of "Sheep Sh.e.l.l Corn," to know of ole man Joe.

BLACK-EYED PEAS FOR LUCK

One time I went a-huntin', I heared dat 'possum sneeze.

I hollered back to Susan Ann: "Put on a pot o' peas."

Dat good ole 'la.s.ses candy, What makes de eyeb.a.l.l.s shine, Wid 'possum peas an' taters, Is my dish all de time.

[46]Dem black-eyed peas is lucky; When e't on New Year's day, You always has sweet taters, An' 'possum come your way.

[46] This last stanza embodies one of the old superst.i.tions.

[47]PERIWINKLE

Pennywinkle, pennywinkle, poke out yo' ho'n; An' I'll give you five dollahs an' a bar'l o' co'n.

Pennywinkle! Pennywinkle! Dat gal love me?

Jes stick out yo' ho'n all pinted to a tree.

[47] The Periwinkle seems to have been used as an oracle by some Negroes in the days of their enslavement.

TRAINING THE BOY

W'en I wus a liddle boy, Jes thirteen inches high, I useter climb de table legs, An' steal off cake an' pie.

Altho' I wus a liddle boy, An' tho' I wusn't high, My mammy took dat keen switch down, An' whupped me till I cry.

Now I is a great big boy, An' Mammy, she cain't do it; My daddy gits a great big stick, An' pulls me right down to it.

Dey say: "No breakin' dishes now; No stealin' an' no lies."

An' since I is a great big boy, Dey 'spects me to act wise.

[48]BAT! BAT!

Bat! Bat! Come un'er my hat, An' I'll give you a slish o' bacon.