ery oaks are greener clad,
The waters brighter smile;
Oh, never shone a day so glad
On sweet St. Helen's Isle!
"For none in all the world before
Were ever glad as we,--
We're free on Carolina's shore,
We're all at home and free!"
Never has that pure Muse, which has sung only of truth and right, as the
highest beauty and noblest art, been consecrated to a better service
than to write the songs of praise for these little children, chattels no
longer, whom the Saviour, were he now to walk on earth, would bless as
his own.
The prevalent song, however, heard in every school, in church, and by
the way-side, is that of "John Brown," which very much amuses our white
soldiers, particularly when the singers roll out,--
"We'll hang Jeff Davis on a sour apple tree!"
The children also sang their own songs, as,--
"In de morning' when I rise,
Tell my Jesus. Huddy oh?[A]
In de mornin' when I rise,
Tell my Jesus, Huddy oh?
"I wash my hands in de mornin' glory,
Tell my Jesus, Huddy oh?
I wash my hands in de mornin' glory,
Tell my Jesus, Huddy oh?
"Pray, Tony, pray, boy, you got de order,
Tell my Jesus, Huddy oh?
Pray, Tony, pray, boy, you got de order,
Tell my Jesus, Huddy oh?
"Pray, Rosy, pray, gal," etc.
[Footnote A: How d' y' do?]
Also,--
"I would not let you go, my Lord,
I would not let you go,
I would not let you go, my Lord,
I would not let you go.
"Dere's room enough, dere's room enough,
Dere's room enough in de heab'nly groun',
Dere's room enough, dere's room enough,
I can't stay behin'.
"I can't stay behin', my Lord,
I can't stay behin',
I can't stay behin', my Lord,
I can't stay behin'.
"De angels march all roun' de trone,
De angels march all roun' de trone,
De angels march all roun' de trone,
I can't stay behin'.
"I can't stay behin', my Lord.
I can't stay behin',
I can't stay behin', my Lord,
I can't stay behin'.
"Dere's room enough," etc.
Other songs of the negroes are common, as, "The Wrestling Jacob," "Down
in the lonesome valley," "Roll, Jordan, roll," "Heab'n shall-a be my
home." Russell's "Diary" gives an account of these songs, as he heard
them in his evening row over Broad River, on his way to Trescot's
estate.
One of the teachers of this school is an accomplished woman from
Philadelphia. Another is from Newport, Rhode Island, where s
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