The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-07-29

Pears tub me I heered sum OBJ 70 fool
niggals say yo'dllike tub go lib in a tent
ht'd be so much nicer dan house dis hot
wedder. OATS 'alluz de way wild mush-
hafded niggah; he's like a two-months- sold
pup-allnz luntin up trubb1e TO- hisself.
He haint atchelly got a haid-only gourd,
full OBJ seeds dat'll sprout misery TO- him.
Like plowin' corn, tent looks purity in a
picture and sounds well in q song, but alter
one or two libely rassles wild a tent any man
OBJ sensed RAIDER take any common wood
shed dan de finest tent dat ebber s0t On de
| ground.
De time de regiment wuz sent on de jump
up to Sulphur Springs / wuz ohdehed to
stay behind. Sumbody had tub be left and
as de Kunnel wuz obleeged tub go hit fell
tub me tub stay back. Dey ohdebed me
tub take Captains tent, stick hit up in a
good place, put in hit q Tot oh t'ings DAT dey
had tub leave Behind, an take keer OBJ dem
| till dey cum back. wuz tub be ',ickerlerly
keeriul tub keep 'em dry, fur dey wuz a lot
Oh papers among dem.
| l done got DE tent, and anudder wufess
niggab, an stahted tub set hit UP on clean,
level place. in de Towah paint oh de camp.
| Planned tub do de intellectual share
! oh de wuk, an hold de stakes while he
druy. But he whz cross-eyed, an wen I'd
see him raise de mani he'd skeer de life
outen ME, TO- fear he'd welt my haid off.
So biistered my hands on dat tormented
maH-bandie. Den | had tub lick him tub
make him agree wild me as tub de way de
ropes should be tied.
| Finally, wegot de tent up an cahllied de
| t'ings in, an / wuz ,ireder nur n hound a'ter
fox chase. ! crawled inside. lay down on
sum Blankets an went tub sleep. hadn't
| fairly closed my eyes wen | wus mashed
fiat as pancake. In my dying struggles |
knowed dat Calber Go nosin round tuh see
! wat cnssidness he conld git into, had trip
ped On de ropes on fell on me. Bimeby l
got nirgah an ropes an tent an mewe1 nn-
mixed, an relieved my mind by bangn
CALDER IS wid de ridge pole till ! broke hit
Clean in two. spliced hit togedder wild a
piece oh board an a string, sot up de tent
ergin an crawled in in hurry, TO- hit wuz
beginnin tub rain.
/ had Jest begin tub dream oh home an
| postum an sweet taters, wen / felt as if I'd
been STRUCK by a week $ washin. Dat dod-
gasted, measly tent had Hoped down ergin,
dis time vet as a dish-rar. .......
.crawled out from de ropes an, de wet
sheelin, an Sergeant Blaisdell, who wuz
goin by, seq, sezzee:
Il s'pose yo' fool niggah II nebber larn
dat wen a rain comes up yo' must go oat
All pound de pins. down an loosen de ropes.
De watch softens de ground and tightens de
ropes But tere's no use tellin xo' dat.
YOU furgit hit as soon as quit talkin."
De shower passed, and sot up dat ram
bpnkshus tent ergin, an as hit wuz git,in
mitey dahk, | .crawled in, sayin de little
prayer Mistuh 10 had larned me:
Now lay he down tub sleep,
| pray de Iawd my hide to keep
| From rebel shot aud rebel shell,
| Ai smash jeff Davis into -.
got tub dreamin ergin, but dis time hi
wuz dat / wuz III de middle oh de Atlantic
Oshun, gwine down fur de las time, wild ds
sails oh de ship fioppin FOUND me. Din
woke up. Dat blimmed tent wnz dowr
ergn, and de hull York Ribber seemed tut
be pouring ober me. Jest before drowned
/ got out an waded ONTO de high ground
Dere by de lightning flashes l could see dt
tent an ebbcry ting in hit float away Xix,
dritt-wood in freShet.
An Sarjint Biaisdell he coinforted mt
sayin
Dumb fool rfggah, tub pitch 20 tent OF
dat low ground, an not even put a ditcl
| arounI hit ~