The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-02-27

down the cOLuOn lows d-numulu dill
old melody that once lent charm to
southern plantation life. We have all
heard excerpts from Run, Niger
Run"
Joel Chandler Harris was not the
author of this old favorite of the south
ern darkey, but, as the Macon Tele-
graph says, he put it in about the best
form We have seen. Let's sing it
again, just for old times sake:
Do, please, marster, don't ketch me,
Ketch dat niger behine dat tree;
He stole money en- I stole none,
Put him in de calaboose des for fun!
Oh, run, niger run! de paterroIler
Oh, run, Niger, run! Hits almos' day.
Some folks say dat er niger won't
steal,
But kotch one in my corn fell;
He run ter de cas-. and he run ter de
wes',
He run he head in hornets nes'.
oh, run, niger run! de paterroller
ketch you
Run, niger, run. Hits almos' day!
My ole miss, she prommus me
Dat wen she die she set me free.
But she done dead dis many year ago.
En- yer Pm a-hoin' de same ole rowi
oh, run, niger run! de paterroller
ketch YOU
Run, niger, run! Hits almos' day!
I'm a-hoein across, I'm a-hoein aroun'.
I'm cleanin' up some mo- new groun',
Whar lif' so hard, lif' so free,
Dat my sins rise up In frontier me!
Oh, run, Niger, run! de patterroller
ketch you
Run, niger, run! Hits almos' day!
But some er desc days my time will
come
I'll year dat bugle, I'll year dat drum.
Ill see dem armies a-marchin' along,
III Lii my head en- jine der song
I'll hide no mo- benin dat tree
Wen de angels flock ter wait on me,
Oh, run, niger, run! de patterroIlel
hSICH you
Run, niger run! Hits almos' dav!
We. like the Telegraph, have often
wondered why the so-called negro min
strels do not get hold of the real negro
songs, dances and folk lore and stage
them But the trouble is. as our Geor
gia contemporary points out. mos,
minstrel managers are northern show
men who lack appreciation If not in
formation on the subject of old-time
plantation songs, dances and melodies
Irwin Russell of Port Gibson, Miss.
knows the mule and plantation negro
and interprets him well in the follow
ing lines under the caption of "Nebu
chadnezzer': :
You, Nebuchadnezzar, whoa, sab,
Whar is you tryin' to go, sab?
Ia nab you fur to know, sab.
is holdin' OBJ de lines. 49,
You better stop dat prancin',
You's powerful fond of dancin'.
but III bet my yeah's advancin'
Dat I'll cure you OBJ yo' shines.
Look heah, mule! Better min out.
t'us' thing you know you'll fin out
How quick I'll wear this line out
On yo' ugly stubbo'n back.
You needn't try to steal I'D
An ilf' dat precious heel up:
fous got to plough dis fieP I'D.
You has, sir, fur a fac!
Oar, OATS de way to do It,
he comm right down to it:
Jes' watch him ploughin' troo it!
Dis niger amt no fool
Some folks dey would a-beat him.
Now dat would only heat him
l know Jes' how to treat him:
You must reason wild a mule.
He minds me like Niger.
If he wuz only bigger
He'd fotch a mighty figger,
He would, I tell you, yes, sab,
See how he keeps a-clickin'-
He s as gentle as a chicken
An never thinks o. kickin-
Whoa, dar! Northumberland
Is dis here me, or not me?
Or is de debill got me?
Wuz dat cannon shot me?
Hab lain heah more'n a week?
Dat mule do kick amaZin'-
De beast was spilled in raisin'.
Right now / spec he's grain
On de oder side de creek.
For the delight and Toy of our DOS
terity, the life of the old time planta
ton negro should be preserved in soma