Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-11-23
THE RovsTABouT.
Quaint SnntcIies OF Song from Now Orleans
Cotton Boats and Levee.

--....a- -. VHE- -ROOSTABOUT
Quaint snntcI,es OF Song from Now Orleans
Cotton Boats aud Levee,
The last bale Of cotton having been
rolled on board with many "Heave
ho!" from the darkey crew, the happiest
hour in the improvidont, "devil-may-
care existence of the Mississippi river
roustabont is at hand. Roasting on
railing, rope coils and cotton bales on
the rear deck like u convention OF
dilapidated scarecrows, they are wait
ing to respond to the farewell songs Of
friends and sweethearts congregated
on the lcvee.
Farewell, brodcrs n yo's gwlne TO to go.
Well weep TO to SEQ yo' face once mo-"
walls out dusky maiden on the shore
and H
On dc lebee by dc rlbor side,
roll the united voices. -'''
I've ler my gall in New Orleans
10 she is young. jos In hah teens.
trills thin tenor from the dock and
again y e =. ~ at D.,
on do lobee by do rlber sido.
swells the refrain,
Ducks plays cyards an chickens drinks wine,
An de monkey grow on de grape vino,
Con sta oh pudding and tnploca PIE,
OH dc gray cat pick out dc bfack cats eyel
thrillingly announces the heavy bass.
while the dual crowd breaks into united
rhythmical sway. at the rousing refrain,
Walk that. Loo. oh | Miss Lool
All ali ah ! heRh We go
fo weah gwine TO to lcabe you. goodbye
Fo' woah swIno TO- to leabo yo,, goodbye,
Liza JHno.
The echo scarcely dies away when a
rival songster on tho shore begins!
Monkey dross In soldier close;
All cross Ober 20 Jordanl
Went out In de woods TO TO drill dc crows;
q, ia rusa lcml
Jay bird sat on ole hickory limb;
All cross obcr 20 Jorlani
! up wild rock an hit him on do chnl
o, Ja-rusalem!
And then the excited crowd sweeps
with wild enthusiasm into:
Shine oni Shine onl All cross ober to Jor
dan!
Then shine on! shlno onl o, Ja.ru.sa.letn!
Next n woman's figure breaks out
from the levee crowd with waving arms
and swaying body and proclaims in Il
ringing treble;
o, I long To- TO reach dat heavenly sho'
10 meet oil Peter stanin at de do
He say to mo -, now you dor
Come sit right yonder IN de gol'en pew"
fo' de good colo'd people da go clah froo
To dip In dc Golen Sea.
And the sympathetic brethren swell
the melodious
Den dip mel baye mo!
listers, YOU and mol
Come. get In de boat. TO- We nil gwlno TO lloat
70 TO dip In de Golen Seal
This is evidently u favorite air, and
the throng becomes frantic with en-
thusiasm us 1t repeats it with many II
quaint stanza. An ecstatic sister takes
up the burden again with
Good MIR. Jesus sittln' In de prov,
Como all yo' nlggahs make yo bow;
OH | look down on de void below
An watch dem white trash shublln' snow.
while angel fishes da nip my toe,
Whiio! dip In de Goron Sea
Then the responsive chorus swells
ont, and again the basso profundo OF
the crew determines that the sisters
shall not have q monopoly OF tho solo
parts, so no breaks in and crushingly
refers to the erratic mother vi them all:
or Adam no wah dc fus built man.
OATS lis what de Good Book say;
An Ebe come mex, den sin began;
OATS lis what de Good Book say.
Ebe b I dc npple right in two,
A Wicked hng for Ebe TO do;
Yes. dAts what dc Good Book sayl
But his effort to silence them Is futile,
for they join him with unabatsd gusto
in i
OATS jes what de Good Book say, 1t am
Yes, dnt's what de Good Book say!
.les rend II frOO; YOU II FIN II truc,
Fo' dat's what dc Good Book say.
Another Biblical cxpounder is quick
at hand to continue the song; j
Dab wah man. he nalnc wah Lot;
| OATS ifs what do Good hook say.
An he hab wife and dnughter got;
49, bats lis what de Good Book say.
| He wife she balk an make halt,
An de Lord he turn liah into salt;
Oh. dats what do Good Book say
But the swaying, time-beating crowd
on shore Is now fast receding from
view, and the boats many voiced crew
unites with hcart-stirring carnestncss
in
Use gwlne rom 10 cotton-nelds, Tse gwint
| rom de cano, ~
Use gwino rom dc oil log hut dat stsn's dowr
De boat am in dc riber, dat am come to take
me on. Hs. t1A ta-s'
An Tse gwino to join do exodus aud strike
out To- de No'f ..s
And afar over the moonlit waters
faint notes of weird melodies came
| floating like distant echo OF this