Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-08-05
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SCENE FROM an UNWRITTEN TRAGEDY.
NIGER JoE's soLILoQUY.

2. IA negro Cabin. Old Joe sitting in one cor
ner playing his banjo-Dinah baking the hoe
|; cakeand Master Charley sopping the skillet,
where the meat had been fried for morning
snack-D Dinah fondy playing with his har-the
negro children asleep on. Their bed-Joe, very
happy, sings and plays I" Jim crack corn, don't
care.n Dinah nods.]
Charley Gets in Joe's lap) Uncle Joe,
would you like to be free, and be sent to Al
rica2
= J0es-Massa Charley, why you ak dat queS'
ton an look SO serious? Any ting happen
Charley.-Yes Uncle Joe. Pa was reading
in the papers this evening that Congress had
passed a law that all black folks should be set
free, and sent to Africa.
Joe-Wheder dey want to or no, Massa
Charley2
Charley.-Yes, Uncle Joe you must go.
Joe.-( Much excited } wont go-l die right
here-I wont go-I wont. | no want TO be
Free 1 no want to left old NIassa and Missus,
and you Massa Charley. Old Massa, sure:
won'tle EN- carry old Joe, and Dinah and der
children off fore he eyes; will he Massa Char
ley? (Sobs.)
Dinah.-( walking up,) Kie Joe why for you
cry2 What ails you?-(Charley is called at
the great House and leaves.)
Joe.-Nufin' Dinah so to bed honey, and
wrap.up de children, and 60 to sleep.
Dinah. Charley pretty little boy,
end SO good; amt he, Joe? (Goes to bed.)
Joe.-(Tunes his banjo.) Yes, Massa Char
ley mighty good boy, and lub Massa Charley
jes like him my own child. play Oh carry
my back to old Virginia's Shore" Plays one
verse and stops.)
SoL1LoquY-Didnt old Massa dat's dead
and buried on de hill dar, bring us from old
Vurginny out here? And when me and Massa
was boys togeder didn't he used to bring Joe,
out OBJ de great house, biscuits and chicken, and
all sorts of good tings? Didn't We used to go
possum huntin' nights, and steal oft togedder.
Sundays to 20 ina swimming? Ah! and didn't
Massa, one Sunday, swim into de middle
of de ribber and catch his niggar when he was
gwlne down dc last time? Hain't he told many
story to save Joe from the lash, and Joe neb-
Der care for trufe, if lie sabe Massa anything.
And since me and Massa am grown up men,
when did Massa whip old Joe, 'cept when Joe
get too big for he britchcs, and richly desarvcd
it2 Joe get plenty to eat good clothes to
wear, good house to lib in; same for Dinah and
de children. And dar's old nanny Lucy, who
can't do muffin now: Massa and AliSsus no for
get 'em in dey old age. When Joe, or Dinal,
or de children sick, Massa and Mssus, and
Massa Charley here quick, and bring ebery
ting good. And when our little Susey died
didn't Missus take her in de great house, and
Missus and Nassa and de Doctor set by her
. wild us all night, till she lebS US? Didn't de
bss-teR'Fun down MiSsus' and MasSa's face,
when dey see how Dinah and me take on
and Missus wild her own hands made little Su-
sew sich nice white frock, and Massa had a
fine coin made, and dey buried her up dar by
old Massa and Daddy Billy, and all de rest
what's died scnce we come from old Turginny.
And yshen Dinah had little Billy, and like to
die away. didn't Missus set dar and cry like 4
child, and, didn't Massa tell em not to spare
horse flesh for de doctor? And when the ot1i-
Ger man come for sell old Joe for debt, didn't
aIissus give up her carriage and horses, didn't
Massa give up he fader's gold watch, and Massa
!. Charley lead out he pony to de officer man to
sabe old Joe from the hammer? (Cries.) And if
cher Ilebe old MasSa and Missus and MaSSa Char
lev to work for deyselvcs in de hot sun; it'll be to
COUP yonder by de side OBJ Daddy Billy andlttle
Sue; SO it will.
Dinab.-(stir up.) Kie, J0e' why you no
come to bed?
Joe.-(Tuning his banjo.) Go to sleep Di-
nah, honey.
Joe continues.-Must 60 to Africa! OATS
de work OBJ de Bobolitioners; tink poor nggar
got no heart; tink lib 60 one place as anudder
:, or dew don't care if it broke he heart. What
:1ipt,er know bout Africa? Me got no kinfolks
dar. All my kinfolks here, and in old Vurein'
nv. i don't know Africa know cbery place
here; all de paf, all dc creek, all de folks; and
M ali de- branch; all de place where dis niggar &C
Z, z poesssum huntin; 60 a fishing and swimming
would haunt him in Africa, and ne soul voc =
dryl d up to come back to de old place. l won'
20! 1 won't And dar's old Daddy Billy;
grave up dar, and de grave OBJ little Sue; how row
i hab de heart to go away and lebe EN-? III
die first. (Cries.) And den to see Mass:
sstandin' dar, and Missus pale and in tears, ano
Massa Charley cryin like he heart would break
! and Dinah and de children cryln' and holdin
nn Is Massa and Missus and pleadin' to stay
and all de time wid my heart right up in my