Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-05-21
HOW PERSIMNONS TOOK Cab Oh
DER BABY.

Persimmons was colored lad
Way down in Lou'siannJ,
And all the teaching that he had
Was given HIM by his granny.
But ne did his duty ever
As well as you, il 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 off 'possum-hunting and
Steal : water million dinners.
And fervently at meetln, 100,
On every Sunday night,
He'd with the elders shout and pray
By the pine-knots' haring hght1
And sing their rudest melodies,
With voice so full and strong,
You could almost think he learned them
From the angels triumph song.
But the song he heard most often
His granny's fayorlte one
Was. SJawge Washington,
Thomas Jefferson,
Persimmons, Henry Clay, be
Quick, shut de do,
Get up off dat fio',
Come heah and mind de baby
One night there came a fearful storm,
Almost a second flood;
The river rose, a torrent swoln
OF beaten, yellow mud.
1T bit at Its emDankments,
And Tapped them down in foam,
Till. surglng through wide crevasse,
The waves seethed round their home.
They scaled the high verandah,
They filled 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 ak and lever,
Pried up the verandah roof;
Bound mattresses upon it
With stoutest cords Of rope,
Lifted out her fainting mistress,
Saying, !" Honey, dar is hopel
You, JaWge Washington,
Thomas Jefferson,
Persimmons, Henry Clay, be
Quick on dat raft,
Don't star like a calf,
But take good cab OBJ babyl''
The frothing river lifted them
Out on its turbid tide,
And for awhile they floated on
Together side by side;
Till, broken by the current strong,
The frail raft snapt in two,
And Persimmons saw his granny
Fast fading from his view.
The deck-haGds 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 a coil of rope,
They drew him safe on board,
Full many a stranger city
PersimmOns wandered through,
"A-tOtIn Ob der baby and
Singing songs he knew.
AT length some City Fathers
Objected TO his plan,
Arresting as a vagrant
Our valiant little mar.
They carried out their purposes,
Persimmons " flowed he'd spite EN-"
SO, stopping from the station-hOuse,
lie stole baby from the 'sylum.
And on that very afternoon,
As it was growing dark,
lie sang, beside the fountain in
The crowded city park,
"A rnde Camp-meeting anthem,
Which he had sung before,
While on his granny's fragile raft
He driftcd far from shore.
SONG.
Moses smOte de water, and
Dc sea gabe away;
De Chilleren dey passed ober, for
De sea gabe away.
Lord | feel so glad,
1t am always ark 'fo' day,
So, honey, don't yer be sad,
De sea III Glib away
A lady, dressed in mourning,
Turned with a sudden start,
Gave one glance AT the baby.
Then caught it to her heart;
While substantial shadow,
That was walking by her side,
Seized Persinmons 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
Whar you done been wild baby?''
st. Nicholas for May.