The Hickman courier., 1874-05-09
HOW PERsIMmONS TOOK CAH OBJ
DE HAIRY.

"a
Persimmons wd a colored lad,
Way down in Lou'sianuy,
And all the teaching that he had
Was given him by his granny.
But he did his duty ever
AS well you, II may be;
With faithfulness and pride always,
He minded missus' baby.
He loved the counsels of the saints,
And, sometimes. those Of sinners,
To run of 'possum-hunting and
Steal water-milion dinners.
And feryently at meetin', too,
On every Sunday night,
He'd with the elders shout and pray,
BY the pine-knots' haring light,
And sing their rudest melodies,
With voice so fun and strong,
You could almost think he learned them
From the angels triumph song.
SONG.
eve be nearer to de Lord
Dan de white folks, and dey know it;
See de glory-gate unbarred-
Walk in, darkies, past de guard
Bet you dollar He won't close 1t.
"walk in, darkies. troo de gate,
Hear de kuilered angels holler;
Go way, white folks, you're too latS
We's de winnin' kuller. Wait
Till de trumpet blow to foiler."
He would Groom this over softly,
As he lay out in this sun;
But the song he heard most often
his granny > laNDEAtt Dut-
Was: Jawge Washington,
Thomas jefferson,
Persimmons, Henry Clay, be
Q1ick shut de do,
Get UP of dat io',
Come heah and mind de baby"
One night there came fearful storm,
Almost a second flood;
The river rose, torrent swoln
OF beaten, yellow mud.
1t bit at its eInbankments
And Tapped them down in foam,
Tils, surging through a wide crevasse,
The waves seethed round their home.
They scaled the high yerandah,
They filled the parlors clear,
TIL floating chairs and tables
Clashed against the chandelier.
Twas then Persimmo@' granny,
Stout of arm and terror proof,
BY means of AK and lever
Pried up the yerandah roof;
Bound mattresses upon il
=. :'ss siTsT fs IN
Saying, - Honey. dar il hope
You, Jawge Washington,
Thomas Jefferson,
Perslmmons, Hens Clay, be
Quick on dat raft,
Don't star like a calf,
But take good cab OBJ baby"
The frothing river lifted them,
Out on its turbid tide,
And for a while they fioated on
Together, side by side;
Till, broken by the current strong,
The frail craft snapt III two,
And Persimmons saw his granny
Fast fading from his view.
The deck-hands on steamboat
Heard, as they passed in haste,
child's voice singing in the dark,
Upon the waters waste,
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-totln' oh der daby, and
Singing songs he knew.
AT length some city fathers
Objected 10 his plan,
Arresting as a vagrant,
Our valiant little man.
They carried ont their purposes,
Persimmons - lowed he'd spile 'eru, -
SO, si0pjHg from the station house,
He stole baby from the 'syium.
And on that very afternoon,
As IL was growing dark.
He sang, beside the fountain in
The crowded city park,
A rude camp-meetiug anthem,
Which he had sung before,
While on his granny's fragile raft
He drifted tar from shore.
soSo.
Moses smote de water, and
De sea gabe away;
De children dey passed ober, for
De sea gahe away
o, Lord I feel e o glad,
It am always dark TO day
SO, honey. don't yo1 be sad,
De sea Il glib way
A lady, dressed in mcurninv,
Turned with a sudden start,
Gave one glance at the baby,
Then caught it tq.her heart;
While substantial #shadow,
That was walkin Nby her side,
Seized Persimmons by the shoulder,
And, while she shook him, cried
90 You, Jawge Washington,
Thomas jefferson,
PersiHmous, Henry Clay, be
Quick, splain yerself, chile
Stop dat ar fool smile
Whar you done been w1d baby -