eared wrong,
It mus' 'ave been bones."

A SICK WIFE

Las' Sadday night my wife tuck sick,
An' what d'you reckon ail her?
She e't a tucky gobbler's head
An' her stomach, it jes' fail her.

She squall out: "Sam, bring me some mint!
Make catnip up an' sage tea!"
I goes an' gits her all dem things,
But she throw 'em back right to me.

Says I: "Dear Honey! Mind nex' time!"
"Don't eat from 'A to Izzard'"
"I thinks you won' git sick at all,
If you saves p[=o]' me de gizzard."

MY WONDERFUL TRAVEL

I come down from ole Virginny,
'Twas on a Summer day;
De wedder was all frez up,
'An' I skeeted all de way!

_Interlocution_:

Hand my banjer down to play,
Wanter pick fer dese ladies right away;

"W'en dey went to bed,
Dey couldn' shet deir eyes,"
An' "Dey was stan'in' on deir heads,
A-pickin' up de pies."

I WOULD NOT MARRY A BLACK GIRL[17]

I wouldn' marry a black gal,
I'll tell you de reason why:
When she goes to comb dat head
De naps'll 'gin to fly.

I wouldn' marry a black gal,
I'll tell you why I won't:
When she'd oughter wash her face--
Well, I'll jes say she don't.

I woudn' marry a black gal,
An' dis is why I say:
When you has her face around,
It never gits good day.

[17] For discussion see Study in Negro Folk Rhymes.

HARVEST SONG

Las' year wus a good crap year,
An' we raised beans an' 'maters.
We didn' make much cotton an' co'n;
But, Goodness Life, de taters!

You can plow dat ole gray hoss,
I'se gwineter plow dat mulie;
An' w'en we's geddered in de craps,
I'se gwine down to see Julie.

I hain't gwineter wo'k on de railroad.
I hates to wo'k on de fahm.
I jes wants to set in de cool shade,
Wid my head on my Julie's ahm.

You swing Lou, an' I'll swing Sue.
Dere hain't no diffunce 'tween dese two.
You swing Lou, I'll swing my beau;
I'se gwineter buy my gal red calico.

YEAR OF JUBILEE

Niggers, has you seed ole Mosser;
(Red mustache on his face.)
A-gwine 'roun' sometime dis mawnin',
'Spectin' to leave de place?

Nigger Hands all runnin' 'way,
Looks lak we mought git free!
It mus' be now de [18]Kingdom Come
In de Year o' Jubilee.

Oh,