The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-05-14
now PERsImaEONs TOOK CAH OBJ
DIE BABY.

Persimmons was colored lad,
Way down in Lon'sianny,
And all the teaching that he had
Was given him by his granny.
But he did his duty ever
As Wen as you, it 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 on 'possum-hunting and
Steal =" water-milfon dfnner6.
And fervently 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 full and strong,
You could almost think he learned them
From the angels triumph song.
SONG.
{" We be nearer 20 de Lord
Dan de white folks, and dey knows it,
See de glory-gste unbarred-
Walk in, darkies, past de- guard
Bet you dollar He won't close 1t.
sswalk in, darkies, troo de gate,
Hear de kullered angels boiler;
Go way, white folks, you're too late,
Weis de winnin' kuller. Wait
Till de trumpet blow to foler"
He would Groom this over softly,
As he lay out in this sun
20 But the song he heard most often
His granny's fayOrite one
Was: "JawRe Washington,
Thomas jefferson,
Persimmons, Henry Clay, be
Quick shut de do,
Get up OF dat hOi,
Come heah and mind de baby"
One night there came a fearful storm,
Almost a second flood;
The river rose, q torrent swol'n
or beaten, yellow mud.
II bit at its eInbaukments
And Tapped them down in foam,
Til, surging through a wide crevasse,
The waves seeihed round their home.
They scaled the high yerandah,
They filled the parlors clear,
TIL floating chairs and tables
Clashed against the chandelier.
Twas then Persimmons' granny,
Stout Of arm and terror proof,
By means Of Ak aud lever
Pried up the verandah roof;
Bound mattresses upon IL
With stoutest cords Of rope.
Lifted out her fainting mistress,
Saying, Honey, dar is hope!
You, Jawge Washington,
Thomas Jefferson,
PersimmOns, Henry Clay, be
Quick on dat raft,
Don't star like a calf,
But take good cab oh baby
The froihing river lifted them,
Out on its turbid tide,
And for while they fioated on
Together, side by side;
TIL, broken by tho current strong,
The frail craft suapt in two,
And Persimmons saw his granny
Fast fading from his view.
The deck-hands on q steamboat
Heard, as they passed in haste,
A ehild'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 stranger city
Persimmons wandered through,
A-totin' OBJ der daby, and
Singing songs he knew.
At length some city fathers
Objected 20 his plan,
Arresting as q vagrant,
Our valiant little man.
They carried out their purposes,
Persimmons g lowed he'd Spite EN-"
So, stopiHG from the station house,
He stole baby from the 'syIum.
And on that very afternoon,
As it 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 drifted far from shore.
SONG.
% Moses Emote de water and
De sea gabe away;
De children dey passed ober, for
De sea gabe away.
o, Lord 1 feel so glad,
1t am always dark To- day
So, honey, don't you be sad,
De sea1l glib way"
A lady, dressed in mourning,
Turned with a sudden start
Gave one glance at the baby,
Then caught it to her heart;
While a substantial shadow,
That was walking by her side,
Seized Persimmons by the shoulder,
Aud, while she shook him, cried
" You, Jawge Washington,
Thomas jefferson,
Persimmons, Henry Clay, be
Quick, spain yersef, chile
Stop dat ar fool emile
Wnar you done been wild baby 2"