Page:Lyrics of Lowly Life Dunbar (1896).djvu/232



Mandy 'lowed "you all mus' 'scuse me, d' wa'n't much upon my she'ves,

But I 's done my bes' to suit you, so set down an' he'p yo'se'ves."

Tom, he 'lowed: "I don't b'lieve in 'pologisin' an' perfessin',

Let 'em tek it lak dey ketch it. Eldah Thompson, ask de blessin'."

Wish you 'd seed dat colo'ed preachah cleah his th'oat an' bow his head;

One eye shet, an' one eye open,—dis is evah wud he said:

"Lawd, look down in tendah mussy on sich generous hea'ts ez dese;

Make us truly thankful, amen. Pass dat possum, ef you please!"

Well, we eat and drunk ouah po'tion, 'twell dah wasn't nothin' lef,

An' we felt jes' like new sausage, we was mos' nigh stuffed to def!

Tom, he knowed how we 'd be feelin', so he had de fiddlah 'roun',