"Tell you 'bout 'em?" You mus' 'a' learn 'Bout my ole white folks, sho'! I tell you, suh, dey was gre't an' stern; "Use ter be rich? Dat war n' de wud! De niggers use ter be stan'in' roun' Jes' d' same ez leaves when dey fus' fall down; De stable-stalls up heal at home A sperrit cudden 'a' growed mo' pale, An' "By Gord!" I heerd him said. He tuk de child 'long in de house, An' Ashcake swung his cradle, too, An' stuck as close ter ole Marster's heel 'Twel one dark night, when de river was out, De Marster an' Ashcake Joe An' Marster 'd 'a' drownded, sho', Excusin' dat Ashcake cotch'd him hard An' saved him so; but 't was mo'n a week An' de Marster he grieved so 'bouten dat thing, It warn' long, sah, befo' he died; 'At he 'd like to go back in the calvery And the old man jes' wrapped up in him! Jim 'lowed 'at he'd had sich luck afore, Guessed he'd tackle her three years more. And the old man give him a colt he'd raised, And follered him over to Camp Ben Wade, And laid around fer a week er so, Watchin' Jim on dress-parade; "Tel finally he rid away, And last he heerd was the old man say,“Well, good-by, Jim: Take keer of yourself!" Tuk the papers, the old man did, 'At's clumb clean up to the shoulderstraps And the old man jes' wrapped up in him! Think of him - with the war plum' through, And the glorious old Red-White-and-Blue A-laughin' the news down over Jim, And the old man, bendin' over himThe surgeon turnin' away with tears 'At had n't leaked fer years and years, As the hand of the dyin' boy clung to His Father's, the old voice in his ears, "Well, good-by, Jim: Take keer of yourse'f!" A LIFE-LESSON THERE! little girl, don't cry! They have broken your doll, I know; And your play-house, too, But childish troubles will soon pass There little girl, don't cry! There little girl, don't cry ! Of your school-girl days But life and love will soon come There little girl, don't cry! There little girl, don't cry ! They have broken your heart, I know; Of your youthful dreams But Heaven holds all for which you There little girl, don't cry! THE WAY THE BABY WOKE AND this is the way the baby woke: As when in deepest drops of dew The shine and shadows siuk aud soak, |