Passion Flowers (Watson)/An Old-Time Silhouette

An Old Time Silhouette.

I'se de king o' all de "Qua'tuhs,"
Ain' you nevvuh hearn o' Jake?
Dey couldn' run de "Place" d'out'n me;
I dances fuh old Marsa,
Wile I rattles o' de bones,
En keeps de flies frum pesterin' o' he.

I'se good at trackin' rabbits,
En at huntin' o' de coon;
En at wadin' fuh de crawfish in de stream,
En at ketchin' o' de minners,
En at grubbin fuh de wurms,
En at heppin' hitch de sorril kerridge team.

I hes time tuh loaf en lissin
W'en I'se comp'nin wid de burds,
En a-layin' whar de clovuh's sweet en high.
I hes hearn de bees er dronin',
En de crickits whut dey chu'ps
Ter de katydids dat answers hoppin' by.

Ole Marsa he looks ti'ed,
En old Miss she's po❜ly too,
En I'se glad dat I is Jake instid o' dey;
Fuh dey sees er heap er trouble,
En I'se notice many er day
Dat w'ite folks, dey ain' got no time tuh play.

De "Big House" mighty fine,
En de cheers look mighty sof';
But I'de ruther be er rollin' on de flo'
O' de cabin, w'en at night
De niggers hes er sight
O' fun whut Marsa could'n hev, yuh know.

He's skeer'd 'bout de craps,
'Bout de rain en 'bout de shine;
I ain't skeer'd 'bout er nothin' 'tall, yuh see.
I'se de king o' all de "Qua'tuhs,"
Crackin' whups en crackin' jokes,
An', folks, now doan yuh wush dat yuh wuz me?