72. LXXII.
YE LAMENT OF JOSEPH BOWERS.
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[Description: 631EAF. Page 257. In-line illustration of two men sitting on a
step, pouring liquid into mugs. A dog walks in front of them.]
1. PART THE 1.
My name it is Joe Bowers, and I hev a brother Ike;
We lived in ole Missouri, in the famous county Pike;
We both wuz Locofocos, my brother Ike and me,
Jest ez strong and nasty ez there lived in Missou-ree.
Now Ike and me both hed nice farms, and wuz fore-handed
like;
I hed five hundred acres, and the same hed brother Ike,
And fifty healthy niggers—men, gals, and boys—hed we,
Ez good and likely darkeys ez ther wuz in Missou-ree.
We wuz gittin rich, indeed we wuz, and doin mighty well;
Our crops we got in reg'lar—hed enuff to use and sell;
Indeed, more prosp'rous men you 'd travel fur to see,
Than me and brother Ike, in Pike County, Missou-ree.
In 1860, 'lection come—Lord, was n't ther a muss!
It stirred up all the country, and reached even down to us.
The man wot told us how to vote, come round and said that we
Must help for to make Breckinridge to carry Missou-ree.
He told us that if Linkin should our ruler be,
He 'd take our niggers from us all, and every one set free.
That, wuss than that, if we to him the power to do it gave,
Black Cuffee he 'd the master be, and Joe Bowers be the slave.
2. PART THE 2.
Election past, and our Breckinridge wuz cadawshusly chawd up,
For Linkin run the appinted race jest like a yaller pup;
Then the man wat told us how to vote, come round and sed
that we
Could only find our rites in the South Confed'racy.
I did n't understood it, but I histid up my hat
For Suthern rites, our system, and sech other things as that,
Attendid all the meetins held to help along the cause,
And viggerously damd old Abe and his Abolishn laws.
The war broke out, and me and Ike bled mity freely then;
I gave a thousand dollars toward a regiment of men,
And thought that if 't would keep our nigs from bein stole
away,
The money we invested wuz well spent, and sure would pay.
3. PART THE 3.
Well, Gin'ral Price come to our parts with his grand ar-mi-ee;
They campt on my plantation, foot, hoss, artillery.
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[Description: 631EAF. Page 259. In-line illustration of two men holding rifles; one of them has fallen.]
The Gin'ral used my house, his men burnt all they could n't
steal;
Ther wuz nary rooster left to crow, nor nary pig to squeal.
The fences vanished quicker, and my barns the cusses
found
Convenient for to cook the hogs they found runnin loose
around,
Next mornin Gin'ral Price, sez he, “You 're a true Southern
son;
You 're not the man for Abolisheners to spit upon.
“Them patriots you see, Joe—
[I see em a roastin eggs in the ashes uv my fences, barns, and sich,]
—are a fitin for your sake,
We 're playin a heavy game jest now, and our niggers is
the stake,
We need your mules and hosses, Joe, and your healthy
niggers, too—
You may keep all the old ones—for our uses they won't do.
“Sech money ez you hev, Joe, we 'll borrer, for you know
Onless we hev the spelter, all our efforts is no go.”
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[Description: 631EAF. Page 260. In-line illustrations; one pictures a group
of men on horses with two people and a dog bowing down before one of
them; the other pictures a group of people walking or on horses heading
toward a ship in the distance.]
And noticing a rope noose that they 'd rigged up to a tree,
(Wich is a Missouri hint, used extensively to inspire confidence in Confederit money,)
We willin give em what they askt, did brother Ike and me.
They took my hosses and my mules, and ev'ry nig I hed,
'Cept two small babies and a old one that wuz nearly dead,
Six hundred dollars in good gold—they left me nary cent,
Then settin fire to my house—
[To prevent the enemy from occupyin it,]
—this band of patriots went.
4. PART THE 4—CONCLUSION.
A workin on the levee, in Cincinnati-ee
Is not quite bein a planter in Pike County, Missou-ree,
Joe Bowers wanted Suthern rites; he got em all, and he
Thinks he could live without em, if he wuz back in Missou-ree.
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[Description: 631EAF. Page 261. In-line illustration picturing two grave stones and a frog. One of the grave stones reads "Here Lies Joe Bowers," the other reads "J.B."]
EPITAFF—THE PINT TO WHICH IS OBVIOUS,
Wich I wish inscribed on my tomb-stone, if my Administrator kin sell
my land for enuff to buy one:
“HERE LIES JOE BOWERS.
HE WUZ WELL. HE WOULD BE BETTER. HE TOOK MEDICINE.
AND HERE HE IS.”
