The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-09-18
THE ROUSTABOUT.
Quaint Sna tches of Song from New OrleaI
Cptton-Boats and LeVee.

Quaint Snatches of Song from New Orleans |
Cotton-Boats and LeVee.
The last bale of cotton having been
rolled on board with many "Heave |
hop from the darkey crew, the happiest |
hour in the improvident, "devil-may- |
care" existence of the Mississippi river
roustabout is at hand. Roasting on |
railing, rope coils and cotton bales on |
the rear deck like convention of |
dilapidated scarecrows, they are wait
ing to respond to the farewell songs of |
friends and sweethearts congregated
on the levee.
Farewell, broders If yo's gwine fo' to go,
Wen weep 70 to see 20 face once no.
walls out dusl1y maiden on the shore
and
On de lebee by de riber side,
roll the united voices.
I've lef my gall in New Orleans.
Fo' she is young, jes in hah teens,
trills thin tenor from the deck and
again
On de lebee by de rber side,
swells the refrain,
Ducks plays guards an chickens drinks wine,
An de monkey grow on de grape vine,
Con sta Oh pudding and tapioca pie,
Oh de gray cat pick out de brack cats eye!
thrillingly announces the heavy bass,
while the dual crowd breaks into united
rhythmical sway at the rousing refrain,
Walk that Loo. Oh! Miss Loo!
All nh ali! heah we go!
Fo weah gwine TO to leabe you goodbye
good-byel
Fo' weah gwine 70 to leabe 20, goodbye,
Liza Jane.
The echo scarcely dies away when
rival songster on the shore begins:
Monkey dress in soldier close;
All cross ober to Jordan!
Went out in de woods TO to drill de crows;
., Ja-ru-sa lem!
Jay bird sat on ole hickory limb;
All cross ober to Jordan!
Iup wild rock an hit him on de chin!
o, Ja-ru salem!
And then the excited crowd sweeps
with wild enthusiasm into:
| Shine onl Shine on! All cross ODER to Jor
| Then shine on! Shine on! o, Ja-ru salem!
Next woman's figure breaks out
from the levee crowd with waving arms
and swaying body and proclaims in
ringing treble:
| o. long fo to reach dat heavenly sho'
| To meet oil Peter stan'in at de do
He say to me- so, how you do?
Come sit right yonder i'll de golfer pew
| Fo de good colo'd people da go clah froo
| To dip in de Golen Sea.
And the sympathetic brethren swell
the melodious
| Den dip me! bave me!
| SISTERS, you and me!
| Come, get in de boat, TO we all gwine to hOat
| Fo to dip in de Goren Sea!
This is evidently favorite air, and
the throng becomes frantic with en-
thusasm as it repeats it with many a
quaint stanza. An ecstatic sister takes
up the burden again with
Good Mr. Jesus sittin' in de Prov,
Come all yo niggahs make 70 bow;
on! | look down on de void below
An watch dem white trash shublin' snow,
While angel fishes da nip my toe,
While, | dip in de Golen Sea
Then the responsive chorus swells
out, and again the basso profundO of
the crew determines that the sisters
shall not have a monopoly OF the solo
parts, SO he breaks in and crushingly
refers to the erratic mother of them all:
or Adam he wan de fus built man,
OATS lis what de Good Book say;
An Ebe come mex, den sin began;
fbe bit de apple right in two,
| a wicked ting for Ebe to do;
Yes dat's what de Good Book say!
But his effort to silence them is futile,
for they join him with unabated gusto
in
OATS ies what de Good Book say, it am ;
| Yes, OATS what de Good Book sayi
| Jes' read il froo; you II fin it true,
Fo' OATS what de Good Book say.
Another Biblical expounder is quick
at hand to continue the song:
| Dab wah man. he name wah Lot;
| OATS iis' what dc Good Book say.
| An he hab wife and daughter got;
| OATS lis what de Good Book say.
| He wife she balk an make a halt,
| An de Lord he turn hah into salt:
| Oh! OATS what de Good Book say!
But the swaying, intoxicating crowd
on shore is now fast receding from
view, and the boats many voiced crew
unites with heart-strring earnestness
in
Use gwne f'om de cotton-helds, Use gwine
fom de cane,
Use gwlne fom de OIL log hut dat STAINS down
in de lane;
De boat am in de riber, dat am come to take
met of,
An Use gwine to join de exodus and strike
out TO de No'f
And afar over the moonlit waters
faint notes of weird melodies came
floating like distant echo of this
pathetic strain.-N O. Cor. N. Y.
Tribune