The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1925-12-24
SMILTN' THU
BY GORDON COOPER
Copyright 1925 by Gordon Cooper

of isis" Brown, one of the kitchen
mechanics. The song was an old
one, its origin shrouded in the I'M
certainty of slavery days.
Granny, will yo' dog bite?
No, Chile, no!
Chicken in de bread tray,
Pickin' up dough-"
Docs face crinkled in an appre-
ciative smile, and to himself he
mumbled "Now OATS whut All calls
purty--a oman singin' at 'er wuhk."
And he stood listening as another
verse told all and sundry that Gran
ny's hen could scratch
Granny, kin yo' hen scratch?
Good ez yo' could 'speck;
Chicken in de bread tray,
Peck, peck, peck!'
The song was just as senseless as
a lot of the other old negro folk
songs, but the tune was homely and
soothing, and the harmonious quality
of Sis Browns treble gave to it
the charm which so impressed Doc
Bloom.
He decided he wanted drink of
water, so ambled over to the big
kitchen. He found the bevy Of negro
girls and women threshing around
in the sinks that lined the wall as
they washed the dishes from the
midday meal. But only isis" Brown
was singing. The others plugged
away steadily enough, but they didn't
seem to be considering it picnic
to be washing dishes.
isis" Brown, OATS mighty purity
song yo's singin'" Doc said as he
approached the water cooler,
One of the younger women spoke
up vindictively. "Yeh! Mought be
purity out dar on de campus, but hit
amt dom nothin' but splittin' our
ear drums hyah in de kitchen. Been
tryin' ter git her to haish up, but
dey amt no holdn dat oman wen
she gifts a singin' streak on!"
Oar now, doan yo' go belittlin'
isis" Brownp replied Doc, "cause
de oman whit sings at her wuhk is
fulfillin' de Scripture whar hit say
dat she's light ter de whole house
hoP."
The woman he had addressed toss
ed her head in disdain. "All Abs
got ter say is dat de oman whut
sings whilst she's a-washin' dishes
mus be crazy Std O. happy"
| s.Huh" Doc snorted in the midst
ofAhis drink, nearly strangling him
self thereby, Huh! Looky hyah, gall
Yo's in de same class wild den
wimmin whut one O de big French
doctors says is got a disease w'er
dey hates ter wash dishes. An Z
say hits a disease dat's got ter be
treated jes' lax any odder disease
An All amt tellin' yo' gran'pa, nel
nobody else! Ats tellin' yo' pusson
ally an in pusson! Now whut 70
think O. dat?"
Some of the younger girls giggleC
at Docs outburst, but isis" Brown
capped her sudsy hands in great
gusto. Oar, Miss Smart Aleck! AL
reckons datll hol' yo' fer a while
An Doc Bloom speaks wild de voice
OBJ author'ty -'cause 'e's preaheel
an All reckons e knowsw
But Doc wasn't finished. "An
dey's dis erbout hit-Even eff yo' die
want ter take de treatment fer tel
cure yo' OBJ de disease, All 'specks
dey'd hab ter treat yo' till dooms
day TO yo' wuz cured. Cause e
hits de truf dat de reason yo' ain
had no chillun is cause dey's some
pm wrong wild yo' innards' den W,
amt yo' done got doctered fer hi
eff yo' really wanted ter hab chill
lun?"
Doc was now shaking his finger il
her face with righteous scorn. Cd
reason wy yo' doan like ter wasl
dishes is de same reason wy yo
doan want ter hab no chillun-da
woody haid O. yo's is full o new
tangled, cranky notions bout d.
modem oman whut's yo's allu
shootin' off yo' mouf erbout d,
reason wy yo doan like ter wasl
dishes an fool wild chillun is cause
yo' wants ter go gaddin' eroun' il
swell cloes. Yo' husban' makes 'nuf
money fer any nahcul oman, bu
20 amt satisfied wild dat! Nav
subj Yo' has ter come wuhkin' hyal
whar yo' keeps some gal outer wuhl
whut amt got no husban'."
cav, go on wild yo'! Yo' OF fool!'
The woman was thoroughly angry
now. But before she could continue
the TRADE she was evidently set for
the door from the dining room swung
open and Dean Vendors appeared
Silence fell, and the woman swoopec
back to the sinks.
And Doc scuttled out thru the