Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-05-17

Music and song have a wonderful
influence and a marvellous charm in
the life of many young person, and
in my early boyhood they both en-
gendered in me an absorbing fascina-
ton that has remained with me all
through my life. The first musical
tones that fell upon my ears were the
lullabies from my mothers lips as she
rocked me to sleep, many melodies OF
which still ring in my ears. was
very fond of an uncle who resided
in my home. He entertained me by
the hour by singing to me the pop
ular songs of the late eighteen fiji
ties and I have never forgotten them.
Among them were "Uncle Sam is Rich
Enough to Give Us All a Farm,
"Old Dan Tucker, ooh! Susannah",
"Black-eyed Susie Anna, "Pop Goes
the Weasel" and "You May Bet on
the Bob-tailed Nag" These songs are
seldom if ever heard at this late day,
except over the radio.
In striking contrast to the above
songs were the ones we used to sing
at Sunday School, such as 81 Want
to be an Angel, "There is Happy
Land" and 30 Come, Come Away"
Although these Sunday School songs
are not included in the hymn books
of the present day, yet they will never
die, because they are linked so firm
ly to the past.
During the same period of the
worlds history, the late Stephen G.
Foster gave to the world his celebrat-
ed Southern plantation songs, such as
Beautiful Dreamer, "Way Down Up
on the Suwanee River" "My Old Ken
lucky Home," "Massa's In the Cold,
Cold Ground" Darling Nellie Gray"
"Old Black Joe" and others. These
old songs still thrill an audience and
are so popular and catchy that hymn
words have been composed and set to
the tunes of some of these songs and
many others of Fosters compositions.
Besides, negro spirituals possess a
pathos that, as someone has said of
music, has charms to soothe the saw
age breast" Who is there that has
not been thrilled in hearing "Steal
Away to Jesus" "Swing Low, Sweet
Chariot" keep Me from Sinking
Down" and many others too numerous
to mention. What large place all
the songs and hymns have occupied in
the lives of many of US, and how the
thought of them carries US back to
our childhood days, which were the
happiest of our lives and recall the
many dear ones with whom we had
cherished association and whom we
have "loved and lost awhile"
I distinctly remember custom that
was observed by the colored popula-
ton of Newtown and vicinity previous
to the Civil War, while slavery was
still in existence. Slaves were per-
mit1ed to observe Easter Monday and
Whit Monday as holidays. For years
it was their custom to congregate in
town on those respective holidays and
TO spend those days having social en-
tertainments. They erected booths
and tables on which were displayed
for sale pies, cakes and other refresh
ments on what was in those days call
ed 1.-THE HILL" It was that part of
the open space of Market Street that
now lies between the Peninsula Build
ing and the Duncan Brothers block
and in front of the new Market Street
bridge. The colored people usually
wound up the days festivities with
the old fashioned Southern dances
and jigs while some of their crowd
would pat out the time by smacking
their hand together.
Under parental guidance, the
Church occupies large place in a
boys life. began to attend Sunday
School at very early age and could
turn a tune" before I had learned
to talk plainly. AS far as the study
of the Bible was concerned, we did
not have the lesson helps in my boy
hood that we have had during the past
sixty-five years. Before boy could
read, Sunday School teaching was
conducted very nearly like that of the
weekday schools and we were taught
from a spelling book, and when we
had learned to spell and to read, we