Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-12-22
OLD TINE MELODIES.
SONGS THE OARKIeS USED TO SING
, m THE OLD SLAVE DAYS.

veGroeo q the Present nay Cut Then
lnte sersppy Discords-'9Gassa WIN.
visits Old Moe, and Together Thsy
neesii Tie Happy Old rinea
The old time plantation songs Of the
slavery days have about passed away,
and the negroes now cut the original
melodies into scrappy discords and mi.
nor notes A negro had rather strike .
minor note than to rub the waistband
Of his pants against . well filed table
and eat. 1t seems that the peculiar tone
holds fascination for him which can
not be overcome. There is always some.
thing to interest you when You can hear
genuine old time plantation song a.
sung BY the aged slave negroes, when
heart and soul are united in the song.
have spent many Q pleasant hour
listening to the quaint songs Of an old
gray headed negro ON my grandfather's
farm as he would rasp the screeching
chords in accompaniment on his banjo.
When he would sing. he would get Q
humming start with the chords, and
begin with long drawn out note, rear
way back, pat his feet and shake his old
gray head. He enjoyed singing, and /
enjoyed listening. would take him
little pieces Of colored paper and all the
colored glass l could find to get him to
sing for me and to repeat the farfamed
verse of ALTERATION, did you ever see
possum in q papaw patch a-pickin
mp papaws and a-puttin 'em in his
pocket TO make q papaw pie for his
papa" This is the JOY Of his life, and
IL never grew old or tiresome to him to
repeat IL.
Nose was his name, and not long
since I concluded to pay him visit and
to hear again the songs had so enjoyed
when child. found his cabin and he
was at home, being unable to get about
much. shook hands with the honest
old negro and sat down. The light
which came into his face showed how
welcome was. and we had long talk.
Finally asked him TO take the dusty
banjo from the wall and give me few
strains Of Niger Foot In Ashes ut a
lively clip. He did as / asked, and the
old time vigor came upon him again.
After playing awhile I asked him to
sing me the corn shocking song the
% .. ~ s'ns ~ni.e 'n.y
aAneeu 'ns lapo', aance ai.er the
"s aus " ~. "Iu .no ~ni'e .oiAs
aa s s;.,, ~ "a. Nv, ~. o was - nne spi,i's,
"" W.. '.'s n."u wa! Jam 'ii MS CHAR
- az LIS ''o. 'N'enu'" W Aeep 'iine VIII
'ne NM "c s''ps'
Larry "a. enc inornin on my massas farm
Ib,a,d dem chickens a.givir A. .i.rrn
shake 20 feet. Miss Lily Jane!
Shake yo' feet, nirgers; it'll soon be day.
shoot along Lively. Miss Lily Jane!
Massa ketch rs dnncin, there ii - TO rayl
We got to dig taters and hoe dat corn.
You'd better DO a-humpin, COZ it soon be
morn.
Shake drt ha,moral. Lily janet
After Nose finished singing This CON,
IN eight inch grin played across his face
from ear TO ear. his eyes sparkled and
the old negro was happy again as il the
young folks had gone through their
dancing while he sang He said MAS
an Will. de best DAVIS oh dc old nipper,s
life am done gone. hut when I think oh
de good old times we had befo' de wah
desc bones oh mine gifts Young. and I
want to git right up and hit de liz stem
az in like use to do"
/ told him I was something Of a
dancer myself, and that il he would
cut down lively on the old "barnyard
cackle" I would show him a few stems
in jig dancing. This tickled the wrin.
kled faced coon, and he sang and played
in earnest:
"RDos.cr in de chicken COOP CROWN 10, d.v.
| Horses in Go stable go nay, nay. nay.
Ducks IN DO yard go qunck' quack' quack,
And d. roo.c zoe. a,levIfee,
| IA az I In h ~, asqueann 10 SOP.
-. a. -, . ~! ~" WI, s'op'
| 49, .e w. 81 sv ~, , ,,., po'iaeA'
| anu ee soo,e so'S "'''
b,eatb and be laid hocl, in his ch.;r
-, -, 80. s"A
anu ia"sn'o 'iiA MS sioes Wele acning.
pulled out rabblts foot and tossed
1t to him, and the effect was magical.
He jumped three feet On rise and six
ieet on the stretcn' ana gave whoop
which was equal to Comanche chiefs.