The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-06-11

DdWB Around, anu duUco
the words had as little meaning
as the words Of Dixie.
one naturally feels sorry Tor q
sOutherner who does not uHuei-
stand every word of Dixie. Even
The oft repeated words serve as
patriotic emphasis of the love
and longing Of the exile Tor the
dearest spot on earth, nome.
Take the first verse.
IL wish | was in de land oh cotton
old times dar am not forgotten.
Look away. Dixie Land,
III Dixie Land whar | was born in
Ealiy on a frosty mornlnN.
Look way. Dixie Land.
Den | wish | was in Dixie, Hoo
ray, etc.
In Dixie Land / take my stand
To lib and die in Dixie,
Away, away, away down South IN
Dixie
the negro the song portrays a
picture of the south that is fast
fading from the memory Of those
who are now native to the soil.
There is no doubt that Dan
Emmett had heard the story from
the lips Of Sambo so often,
coupled with his expressed desire
to be back in de Land OBJ Cot
ton" and his wish to Lib and
die in Dixie" that it was easy to
associate the story with the negro
character. 1t combines philoso-
ply and cheerfulness with pathos
and patriotism in such a mixture
that no melody on earth could
49,. oor,.r.y1I tho -nopino IF fho
words ard the disposition of the
e so we'll as the tune OF
Dixie. The song was written
just before Emmett and his negro
Ministries started south. The
south accepted it because of the
touch of nature. The south
knew the story. 1t was not un-
common, as many can testify. A
"get rich quick" scheme, to mar
ry a trusting woman did not
originate in New England, but it
was put into operation by the
migratory men of all trades and
professions, who came to the
south from that section, if OPP
~portunity and the wOman were
favorable. Often the negro was
a victim, as we'll as the mistress,
and the south was in sympathy
WIZ ZIG ASSho > PoAAAI " pAS".
"Old Mistic married Will de
Weaber.
William was a gay deceaber,
But when he put his arms around
'er
He smiled as fierce as a forty
FOUNDER.
His face was sharp as a butchers
cleaber,
But that did not seem to greab 'er.
Ole mistis acted the foolish part
And died for the man dat broke
her heart
A whole volume is expressed in
those eight lines.
Old mistis was not an old wom-
an, she was a rich young widow,
the mother Of a little girl who
vas called young mistis.' Ole
mistis was no doubt a giddy
young thing with little knowledge
of the world or men. Will the
weaver came from New England.
Perhaps he was employed to put
up looms on 'ole mistis' planta-
ton. or he was employed in a
near by mill, but however, he
came, he was a fortune hunter;
and the rich little widow fell be-
IOTe the smile InaL was as Ialal
to her as a blast from a cannon
She could not see in his sharp
mean face what even the slaves
could read. That he deceived heI
to become master Of her wealth
After he married her he proceed.
ed to get possession Of everything
she had. He broke her hear
by selling her home and hel
slaves, and when she saw that hi
had never cared for her she gave
up hope and life. He went bacl
to New England with the none,
that he received in exchange TO
the negroes and no doubt he be
came a famous anti-slavery agi
tatOr.
Sambo thought it a -foolisl
thing for "Ole Mistis'' to succum1
to despair. He had been sol,
and taken to a strange country
but his elastic, hopeful, happ,
nature enabled him to make tn
best Of circumstances and LOO
away to Dixie Land till his per
sistent desire had gained for hir
q prospect of the next ole mis-
sus,' and then his thought trav
eled fast to visions of social lif
in the quarters and all de gal
dat want to kiss u.s. while the
engaged in the forfeit play {
rabbit Stole De Beans" B,
Sambo's ideal of perfect happ
ness is something good to ca
oD6 he reaches his ClimaX wit