Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-01-29

from dat day until one night a. big tall
past board box came TO dat year brick
house over on de bin yonaer, NANNY
i saId u had d Boston postmark or It..
/ AM when oyeud it, dere was de finest
and de latest silk hat you ever saw
and dere 'eis on dat chaii ~ The pro-
| fessor reached over to the chair W hich II
occupied and, frst carefully brushing
away few specks OF Topshsm road tina.
over for inspection. 1t was a genuine
silk hat OF tie fuest texture, aud within
was the covered Dunlap label with the
name OF fashionable Boston Arm OF hat
tiers underneath the inscription.
SHOW many years hsve you orn silk
hatfp
"Ever since I've been in de business"
ssSummer and wipter?"
"Oh, yes siri / couldn't wear anything
else; somehow de songs come letter when
] have dat hat on. Bot never had hat
| like dis one dat de- trsveIin' man from
Bosl or gave me--de Lord bless him."
SO saying. the professor gave the hand
some new silk hst OF Dunlap pattern
three or four more sffectionate strokes
| from his coat sleeve, and placed 1t back
ON the best piece Of furniture
| Hereupon, with the assistance OF
"Msmmy" who stood on the threshold
| between the kitchen az d be sitting-room
| experimenting at the same time the
savory cooking OF he ssusages and beef
steak and the playing OF the picks.
ninnies over by the geranium pots, the
professor related some Of the salient
| points in hts remarkable and eveDtfui
career as minstrel singer and player.
The professor first saw de light way
Loutsviile He Was born OF slave parents,
later made free.
"Are your parents livingW
aDe Lord knows, Unanswered Prof. Baker,
Authorities fir as 10 the exact age OF
Prof Baker at the present time. Mrs.
Baker nainttins that he is thirty five
years OF age; but the professor answers
with one OF his side glances and water
million smiles up to his wife by saying:
Next spring Phi be cider, WON'T |,
Msmmy?"
Nv hen do you frst remember singtng?
"Lor' sakes, 1 couldn't tell you, sir.
just began to sing and play when l was
about de size OF my youngest little gal
over there"
And the 'MockiD' Biro?"
"Guess that came bout the same way.
Many's the night Ive srrei cbed outside
de cabin door a-listenin' to de whistle OF
de mockin' bird. OATS de only reason /
Ki owed why Tse whistlin' 1t now, ain't
it, Mamms?"
"Shure 'nough" called out "Mammy"
reas-uringiy from over the frying pan,
| and the professor continued.
"The fl 81 professional singin' ever did
was with P. T Barnum on his jubilee
wagon. and another Teller who played
. Uanjo had Dee" tvin' CONCERTS III hote
when, one day, Barnum's man what had
charge of the concert after de perform
tnce came along and engaged me.
nearly dropped dead; never had such
shock in all my life. There we're eighteen
hr nineteen Of US, aud / was chosen
eader. We rode in de perade right back
OF de lion. tanner, and travelled all through
lie soui bern states"
uwhot ,.,s soma n, tho tnnes Won psed
10 sing?"
They were de old-time plantation
melodies.
Here he professor leaned his forehead
on his hand for a moment and ben looked
up and began to sing in his full, deep bari
,o,..
"iahe me oaek 10 ue sPo' "here / h's' sd" oe
To ne place where long to roam,
Where de mockin' bird sang me for to rest
e'e.' "ie"''
''
Mrs' baSer' WIN sui''e o' nei i'oo' 'ne
sausage iorR IN one hano shu tue o'"e'
resting on per MP sto'e soi'iy pach iio'n
the A''ehe" a"u iea"eu as''ns' ."o 49,