Echoes of Spring :: :: University of Virginia Library

A CONGRATULATION.

Whut brung you from Fauginyah?
An' when did you git back?
I'm gled to see you Moses,
Sho I am, that is a fact;
An' how 'ave I been gittin 'long?
I think I heard you say,
Jes' toler'ble I thank you;
Been livin' de same ol' way.

Now how is ol Fauginyah?
Whut route you say you took,
Through ol' Culpeppah county?
I know huh like a book;
You found down dah good people;
An' I 'lowed you would befo',
You see I wasn't lyin';
Did they hate to see you go?

I kin see you've had good vitt'ls,
Fah you's lookin' slick an' stout;
Dem fo'kes eat in Fauginyah,
An' de grub is nevuh out;
Go way boy! now hush I tell you!
Talkin' bout dat cracklin' bread,
Go way wid dem greasy chittlins,
An' dat steamin' sody bread!

You kaint tell me 'bout dat cookin',
How dem women fry sweet co'n;
For you see I know all 'bout it;
Right dah I was bred an' bo'n;
Knows all 'bout dat greasy co'n-bread,
Like a wedge, in size an' weight,
When you touch it wid yo' fingas,
It will crumble in yo' plate.

Dem delicious sody-biscuits,
Was de bes' you evah eat;
An' dat good ol' home-cured-bacon,
An' dem hams is hard to beat;
In all de homes you tarried
In ev'ry neighborhood,
You found de young fo'kes clever,
An' de ol' fo'kes kin' an' good.

You nevah seed sich clevah fo'kes,
You say in all yo' life?
Now Mose, mind whut I tell you!
Right down dah, pick you a wife;
Dem gals down dah 's wo'th somethin',
Dey all kin cook an' sew;
Their hands is not too tendah,
To 'ply them to de hoe.

Dey 's all de time contented,
An' nevah care to roam, except—
Whut 's dis you tell me?
You've brung a good wife home?
I thought you had been co'ten,
By dat so'tah sheepish smile;
Hush! you didn't marry 'Liza,
Ol' man Sutton's baby child?

Well I'm beat to hear dat Moses,
So I mus' shake hands a new;
Gone an' married 'Liza Sutton!
Ha! Ha! Ha! ef dat don't do.
Few fo'kes know de Sutton family,
An' their standin' jes' like me,
Mark de words I'm 'bout to tell you!
You done married Quality.