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131
SHADRACH BROWN'S TURKEY
If jus' you want to see a chile dat's honnes' for to stay,
You take delib'rate look at him dat speaks to you to-day!
I hardly t'ink you're suah to fin', in all de country o'er,
A chap dat walks a straighter crack along a slippery floor.
But often,—wid repentin'-streaks it mus' be understood—
I sit an' t'ink o' good ol' times I wasn't half so good.
You take delib'rate look at him dat speaks to you to-day!
I hardly t'ink you're suah to fin', in all de country o'er,
A chap dat walks a straighter crack along a slippery floor.
But often,—wid repentin'-streaks it mus' be understood—
I sit an' t'ink o' good ol' times I wasn't half so good.
'Twas twenty year ago to-night, so fur as I ken trace,
When Shadrach Brown he come to me, wid business in his face:
He says, “De T'ursday holiday is hangin' out its sign;
An' when it comes to thankfulness, dere ain't no color-line.
We ought to hab de sleekest roast of either spring or fall”;
Whereat I says, “Dat's well enough; but whaih's de whaihwithal?”
When Shadrach Brown he come to me, wid business in his face:
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An' when it comes to thankfulness, dere ain't no color-line.
We ought to hab de sleekest roast of either spring or fall”;
Whereat I says, “Dat's well enough; but whaih's de whaihwithal?”
De answer was, “Dere's lots o' folks a-livin' mighty near,
Wid turkey-gobblers on deir roosts, dey wouldn't use, dis year;
If dey would lend 'em to de poor, 'twould only serve 'em right;
You fin' de stingies' man in town, an' deal wid him to-night.
An' I will cook it on your stove, admit our famblies free,
An' have a big Thanksgivin' feast,” says Shadrach Brown to me.
Wid turkey-gobblers on deir roosts, dey wouldn't use, dis year;
If dey would lend 'em to de poor, 'twould only serve 'em right;
You fin' de stingies' man in town, an' deal wid him to-night.
An' I will cook it on your stove, admit our famblies free,
An' have a big Thanksgivin' feast,” says Shadrach Brown to me.
Now dat was not at all de way my early years was teached,
It won't agree wid any text dat commonly is preached;
But Brown, he was a prosper man, an' owned his mule an' cow,
An' I was sort o' hypnertized, I s'pose dey'd call it now;
An' so I own—repentin' deep—I hope it ain't too late—
I started out to toil fur Brown, an' do his biddin' straight.
It won't agree wid any text dat commonly is preached;
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An' I was sort o' hypnertized, I s'pose dey'd call it now;
An' so I own—repentin' deep—I hope it ain't too late—
I started out to toil fur Brown, an' do his biddin' straight.
I set an' studied half an hour to make de fac' appear
Who was de stingies' man I knowed in all de country near;
An' den I made de deal with him dat night; (I strongly vow,
I hope de Lawd forgives me dat—I wouldn't do it now)!
An' Brown was standin' by my stove, at mornin's soonest ray,
An' helped undress de veteran, and cooked him half a day.
Who was de stingies' man I knowed in all de country near;
An' den I made de deal with him dat night; (I strongly vow,
I hope de Lawd forgives me dat—I wouldn't do it now)!
An' Brown was standin' by my stove, at mornin's soonest ray,
An' helped undress de veteran, and cooked him half a day.
An' den de famblies gathered roun', partakin' ob de cheer,
An' grinnin' says, “Dere ain't no lack of gratitudin', here!”
An' every one dat turkey praised, wid floppin' fork an' knife,
To see him endin' usefully a long an' peaceful life;
An' wid a wink an' wid a shrug, an' wid a smile of glee,
“We're dinin' wid de stingies' man!” says Shadrach Brown to me.
An' grinnin' says, “Dere ain't no lack of gratitudin', here!”
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To see him endin' usefully a long an' peaceful life;
An' wid a wink an' wid a shrug, an' wid a smile of glee,
“We're dinin' wid de stingies' man!” says Shadrach Brown to me.
An' all de festival was fine, an' wouldn't have had a hitch,
If little 'Panimondas Brown didn't turn us in de ditch:
He spoke up, “Pappie, when I went to feed de chicks, dis morn,
De brindle rooster took de cake, a gobblin' of de corn;
I had a look aroun' de roost—I peeped into de well—
De turkey gobbler's up an' gone we's fattin' for to sell.”
If little 'Panimondas Brown didn't turn us in de ditch:
He spoke up, “Pappie, when I went to feed de chicks, dis morn,
De brindle rooster took de cake, a gobblin' of de corn;
I had a look aroun' de roost—I peeped into de well—
De turkey gobbler's up an' gone we's fattin' for to sell.”
Den Brown he kind o' looked at me like one ob us must die;
But I caressed de carvin'-knife, an' gazed him in de eye;
I says, “Now Shadrach, look-a-here; you tol' me what to do;—
Of all de chaps in all dis town, de stingies' one is you.”
An' den he sort o' wilted down, as meek as meek could be;
“I've cooked my goose an' turkey, too,” says Shadrach Brown to me.
But I caressed de carvin'-knife, an' gazed him in de eye;
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Of all de chaps in all dis town, de stingies' one is you.”
An' den he sort o' wilted down, as meek as meek could be;
“I've cooked my goose an' turkey, too,” says Shadrach Brown to me.
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