The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-04-28
HOW PERslMMoNs TOOK Cab OBJ DEL
r- BABY.


w PERsIMM0Es TOOK Cab Oh DEB
TlsE BABY.
- va tst. Nieholss for May - -A q.
Persimmons was a colored lad uialAoo ~
Way down in Lou 'sianny, -, mo. p
And all theteaching That ne nao
Was given him by MS granny. laD
But he did his duty ever t.v-rI q, 3oe 4.
AS well as you, IL may be;
with fa'thfulness and pride always,
He minded missus' baby. r-ff P
He loved the counsels of the saints,
And. sometimes, hose of sinners,
TO run of 'possum- uniting and .-.. .
= Steal "water-miiionP dinners.
And fervently at meetin', TOO, af rl
ON every sunday night, .
He'd with the elders shout and pray
BY the pine-knots fiartng light,
And sing their rudest melodies,
With voice so full and strong,
You could almost think he learned them
From the angels triumph song.
..,..,n. :. SOM, 8s3uod ssi n
Dan de white folksf-and dey knoWsit'
See de glory-gste unbarredsC - lT1
Walk in darkies. pass de guard
Bet you dollar He won't close IL.
-sWalk in, darkies, troo de gate,
Hear de kullered angels holleri
Go way, white folks, you're too late,
Yves the winnin' kuller. Wait
He would Groom this over softly,
As he lay out in the sun; 8u
But the song he heard most often'-.r
His granny'S favorlte one
was."Jawge washington,
Thomas jefferson,
Persimmons, Henry Clay, De
Quick, shut de DO, -f-.F
Get up off dat flo,
COME heah and mind de baby"
one night there came fearful storm,
Almost second flood;
The river rose, O torrent swoln
or beaten, yellow mud
IL bit at its embankments,
And Tapped them down in foam,
Till, surgiDg through a wide crevaSse,
The waves seethed round their home.
They scaled the high verandah,
They filed the parlors clear,
Till floating chairs and tables
Clashed against the Chandelier.
Twas then Persimmons granny,
Stout of arm and terror-proof,
BY means of axe and lever, a
Pried up the verandah roof;
Bound mattresses upon IL
With stoutest cords OfrOpe,
Lifted out her fainting mistress,
Saying, Honey, dar is hope!
You, Jawge Washington,
Thomas Jefferson,
Persimmons, Henry Clay, be
Quick on dat raft, rn
Don't star like a calf,
But take good cab OBJ babyp
The frothing river lifted them
Out on its lurbid tide,
And for awhile they fioated on
Together, side BY side;
Fill, broken by the current strong,
The frail raft snapt in two,
And PersimmOns saw his granny
Fast fading from his view.
The deck-hands on a steamboat
Heard. as they passed in haste,
a child's voice singing In the dark,
Upon the waters waste,
a song of faith and triumph,
OF Moses and the Lord;
And throwing out coil of rope,
They drew him safe on board.
Full many a stranger city
Persimmons wandered through,
%A-totin of the baby" and
Singing songs he knew.
At length some City Fathers
Objected TO his plan,
Arresting a vagrant
Our valiant little man.
they carried out their purposes,
Persimmons Flowed he'd spite 'em,"
So, slop1ng from the station-hou
He stole baby from the 'sylum.
And on that very afternoon,
AS IL was growing dark,
He sang, beside the fountain In
The crowded city park,
A rude camp-meeting anthem,
Which he had sung before.
While on his granny's fragile raft
He drifte6 far from shore:
SONG.
"Moses smote de water, and
De sea gabe away;
De chilleren dey passed ober, for
De sea gabe away.
u Lord! ! feel so glad,
II am always dark TO day,
So, honey, don't ye be sad,
De sea III glib away"
A lady, dressed in mourning, 30
Turned with a sudden start,
Gave one glance at de baby,
Then caught il TO her heart;
While a substantial shadow,
That was walking by her side,
Seized Persimmons by the shoulder,
And, while she shook him, cried;
You, Jawge Washington,
Thomas jefferson,
Persimmons, Henry Clay, be
Quick, splain yerself, chile
Stop dat ar fool SMILE
WAR you done been wild baby?"