The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-30
RAGTIME FERRY PASSENGER.
She Got Her Rights and Some Small Change
and Woke Up q 2 4. NJ. Crowd.

About five feet ten OF coal black negress
skated into the Cortlandt street ferry
house very early one morning last week, cut
ting figure Fights on the outer edge. Her hat
was dream; it was evidence that she had
held up a scarecrow. Her costume looked
like an army overcoat dyed mud color.
But the banjo which she welded like an
Indian club was polished spck and span,
and was in excellent tune.
when dis yeah ship sail fob Jersey?"
she yelled, spotting the stationmaster.
"Oh, right away, Nancy" the brass
buttoned official answered feebly, as he
edged around the big radiator and vanished
beyond the ticket takers box.
-Bettah go soon fob feah smash some
pin, remarked Nancy genially, and then
her eye fell on the respectable colored man
who was busy filing the atmosphere with
tuberculosis germs with the aid OF a soft
brush
Now, see heah, you Niger" she ripped
out, you sweep dat fob good. Ell you doan'
l repoht you; see If doan'"
The sweeper gave her cold look of
scorn and raised fresh clouds of microbes.
"Doan' you sass me-" she resumed. I'm
a coon, ! am. | knows I'm a coon but /
knows ma rights. I'vepaid ma fare. They've
got ma three cents, an wants full value.
So you sweep that foh good"
"Give us a song. Nancy chirrupped
three semi-tough young men on one OF the
side benches
aDoan' you try foh to fiirt wifi me, honeys;
doan' you try. woan' stand fob no mashin'.
call de office-ah, and deman' protection,
ef you make dem goo-goo eyes at me-
She sat down with great dignity and,
Strengthening the wonderful hat, turned
to belated diner In evening clothes and
gold spectacles, to remark confdentially:
I'm coon, l am; I'm a black moke.
But that feEah. he amt no niggah; he's
only smoked Irishman.
When the big door was rolled open and
the crowd started for the boat, Nancy zig
Jagged her way 10 the front of the mems
cabin, where the calls for tune and a song
became vociferous
Il dassent." she explained y dassent,
for suah. It's gin de law, an they lock
me UP an done see Jersey no noah. Jess
you wait, honeys.. till we get out'n de ocean
wave an tune her up.
And she did. When the boat started out
OF it, slip she woke up the banjo with
couple of changing chords and then the
crowd was kept busy beating time to the
music which she ratified out of the strings
with Wild untaught skill
Between coon songs she had a trick OF
running her, left hand up and down the
right all the time sweeping to and fro with
Wonderful rapidity. the resulting chro-
matte scale had weird effect like the
bowling Of the wind or the wailing OF some
uncanny creature. Then she would break
the wall into sobs. and again dash of into
a paroxysm of ragtime.
A misguided youth interrupted the per-
Torrance by inviting her to sing. She
hadn't to be asked twice.
Il sing you Ma Ole Kentucky Home"
she announced cheerfully.
She sang a version OF her own, Every
note that every one else sings high she made
low. and vice versa.
Her voice had all the natural charm OF a
street vendors with bad sore throat. 1t
broke every third bar or 30. But the banjo
kept busy and il knew it's business all the
time. Out OF the queer combination came
the general form Of the song and something
of it's plaintive spirit. 1t was good enough
for A. Nj. audience anyway, and 1t
brought out an enthusiastic burst Of ap-
Guess dats wuf a election" chuokled
Nancy, struggling to her feet
But her eye caught the uniform OF a car
she hesitated. "Is you de capt'n O. dis
ship" she asked. III you is why Jest shet
yo,lah eyes, chile, an give de pooah coon
a chance. been roemin' fob two days an
is spent all ma wages on rye milk an Gavin
tea an needs de money"
go ahead, Nancy" said the conductor,
and she made tour Of the cabin, gathering
a good handful OF nickes and dimes in the
outstretched banjo.
She carefully tied them up in very back
number handkerchief as the boat bumped
into the Jersey City slip. The crowd showed
a disposition to linger. But Nancy had no
more use for n.
snow, gemmen." she shouted, with big
outlaw, 1doan' you wait fob me. / amt
a-gwine to treat not one OF We. Nevah
min mo- Hurry up an catch yoh cabs,
nm doan' you do no rubberin', fob I've got to
get this heah money into my stockin' befoh
goes asho'."