New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-05-03
From st. Nicholas for Msy.J
HOW PERsIMMONe TOOK Cab Oh
DE BABY.
BY LIZZIE W. CHAMPyBY.

DE BABY.
BY LIZZIE W. CHAMPSEf.
Persimmons was colsred lad
Way down in Lou'sianny,
And ali the teaching that he mad
Was given him by his granny.
But be did his duty ever
As well a. you, 1t may be;
With faithfuIness and pride always,
He minded missus' baby:
He loved the counsels OF me saints
And sometimes those Of sinners.
To run of 'possum hunting and
Steal "watermilli0n" dinners.
And fervently ut meetin' too,
On every sunday night.
He'd with the elders shout and pray
By the pine knots haripg light,
And sing their rudest melodies
with voice 20 full aud strong,
You could almost think he lea NED them
From the angels triumph sorg.
We be nearer to de Lord
Dan de white fUlks, and deg know it
See de glory gate unbarred-
Walk in, darkies, past de guard
Bet you dollar He went close 1t.
walk in, darkies, troo de gate.
Here de kulleIed angels holler;
y
Wes Dc winnin' kuller. Wait
Till de trumpet blow to foLer."
He would Groom this over softly,
As he lay out in the run;
But the song he heard most o1en-
His granny's favoIite one
Was: "Jawge Washington
Thomas Jefferson
Persimmons Henry Clay, be
Quick shut dc do,
Get up of dat fO',
z Come heah and mind de baby"
One night there came fearful storm,
Almost second food;
The river rose, torrent sworn
OF beaten, yellow mud
IL bit ut its embanknents
And Tapped them down in foam,
Til, turging through wide crevssse,
The waves seetbed round their home,
They scaled the high veranda,
They filled the parlOrs clear,
Til floating chairs and tables
Clssbed against the chandelier.
Twas then PersimmOns granny,
stout Of arm and terror proof,
By means Of N and lever
Pyied UP the verandah ROOF;
Bound mattresses upon it
With stOutest cords OF rope,
Lifted out her fainting mistress,
Saying, Honey, dar 10 hope
You Jawge Washington
Persimmons Henry Clay, DO
Quick on that raft,
Don't star like Calf,
But take good cab OBJ baby"
The frothing river lifted them,
Cat ON its turbid tide,
And for . while they hoated on
Together, side by side; -
TIL, broken BY the current strong,
The fratl rsft suspt IN two.
And PersimmOns saw his granny
Fast fading from his view.
The deck hands Oh . steamboat
Heard, a. they passed IN haste,
childs voice singing in the dark,
Upon the wvter's wave,
A cong Of faith and triumph,
OF Moses and the Lord;
And throwing out Q coil Of rope,
They drew him safe on board
Pail many stranger city
persimia0ns wandered through,
" Actin oh der baby" and
Singing songs he knew.
At length some City Fathers
Objected to his plan,
ARE sting 40 vasrant
Our valiant little man.
They earried out their purposes,
PersimmOns "'lewed he'd Spite en-"
So. stopping from the stationhOuse,
He stole baby from the 'sylum.
And ON that very afternoon,
A. it was growing dark,
He sang, beside the fountain in
The crowded city park,
A rude camp meeting anthem,
When he had sung before,
While on his grannys fragile raft
He drifted far from shore.
SONG.
Moses smote de water ard
De sea gsbe away;
De children dey psss ober, for
De sea gabe away. ...
Oh Lord! feel 90 GLAD,
It an Away dark to- day,
So, honer, don't yer be sad, ,
De sesili glib way"
A lady dressed in mourning,
Turned with sudden start,
Gave one glance 1t the baby,
Then caught 1t to her heart;
While substantial shadow,
That wss walking BY her side,
Seized Persinm0ns by the shoulder.
And, while she shook him. cried:
You Jawge Warrington
Thomas Jefferson
Persimmons Henry Clay, b
Quick, 'splsln yerself, chile
stop dat or fool smile
Whar you done been wild babyl"