The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-05-23
HOW PERsIMMoNs TOOK CAH OH DER
BABY.

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HOW PERsIMMONs TOOK Cab OF y
BABY.
PersminJns was cOlorcd lad
Way down in Lou'sanny,
And all the teaching that he had
Was given him by his granny.
But as he did his duty ever,
As well as you, it may he;
With faithfulness andpridc always,
He minded missus' baby.
He loved the counscls of the saints,
And, sometimes, those OF sinners,
TO run oh 'possum. hunting and
Steal "watcr-milion" dinners,
And feryently ut mectin', 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.
But the song he heard most often
His granny's favoritc one
Was, Jawgc Washington
Thomas Jefferson
Persimmons, Henry Clay, be
Quick, shut the do
Get up off dat flo,
Come heah and mind the baby
One night there came fearful storm,
Almost second flood;
The river rose, torrent swOln
OF beaten, yellow mud.
1t bit at its embankments,
And Tapped them down in foam,
Til, surgng through wide crevassc,
The waves seethcd around their home.
They scaled the high ycrandah,
EI1nI Ip Ill plnpp
Till floating chairs and tables
Cashcd against the chandelier.
Twas then Persimmons' granny,
Stout of arm and tcrrOr-proOf,
BY means Of an AK and lever
Pricd up the vcrandah ROOF;
Bound mattresses upon IL
With stoutest cords OF rope
Lifted out her fainting mistress,
Saving, "Ioney. dar is hope!
You, Jawgc Washington
Thomas Jefferson
Persmmons, Henry Clay, be
Quick on dat raft,
Don't star like a calf,
But take good cab Of dc baby"
The frcthing river lifted them
Out on its turbid tide,
And for while they foatcd on
Together side by side;
TIL, broken By the current strong,
The frail raft snapt it two,
And Pcrsmmons saw his granny
Fast fading from his view.
The deck hand on n steamboat
Heard, As they passed in haste,
A childs voice singing in the dark,
Upon the waters waste,
Asong 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
Pcrsimmons wandered through
"a totin' ob der baby" and
Singing songs he knew.
At length some City Fathers
Objected to his plan,
Arresting as vagrant
Our valiant little man.
They carried out their purposes,
Pcrsmmons "'lowcd he'd Spite EN-
So, sioping from the station house,
He stole baby from the sylum.
And on that very afternoon,
As 1t was growing dark,
He sang, beside the fountain in
The crowded city park
A rude camp-lnceting anthem,
Which he had sung before,
While on his granny's fragile raft
He drilted far from shore.
SONG.
Moses smotc dc water, and
De sea gabe away;
De children dey passed ober, for
De sea gabc away.
. Lord! feel so glad.
1t am always dark 70 day,
3d. honey don't yer be sad,
De sea II gibc away
\ lady dressed in mourning,
Turned with sudden start,
lave ore glance at the baby
Then caught it to her heart
While Il substantial shadow
That was walking by her side,
Siezed Pcrsimmons by the shoulder,
And, while she shook him, cried;
You, Jawgc Washington
Thomas Jefferson
Persimmons, Henry Clay, be
Quick, splan ycrself, chile
stop dat ar fool smile
Where you done been wild dc baby
st. Nicholas ,tor NdY