And for the country’s honor fought The black man once a slave. Encouched within the history’s folds The statement, “he was brave!” Within the marching ranks to-day Are remnants of the freed Who fought and bled upon the field When ’twas the country’s need. TRUSSY’S VISIT. Bress mah life! why, dis hain’t Trussey? Go ’way Chile! whut dat yo’ say? Yo’ hain’t fiddlin’ Peedah’s sonny— Who’d er tho’t it, any way! Ax me ef I knowed yo’ daddy— Knowed each uddah yeahs ergo. Me an’ him hab bof togeddah, Hoed er many ’taytah ro’. Res’ yo’ duddin’s! take de sofa, Make yo’se’f jes’ lak yo’ home. ’Cep’ mos’ free mah hooskerpalty, Plenty time eroun’ to roam. See, hyeah, Dina, am dem chittlins An’ dem hog feet th’ew er bile? Who yo’ think we got fo’ dinnah? Ol’ fren’ Fiddlin’ Peedah’s chile! Well, sah, I hain’t seed yo’ daddy Since dat fight at Possum Trot. Dog mah socks, we bof togeddah, Whoop’d de debbil on de spot! Still er libbin’ down in Guinea? Why, dat’s my ol’ rompin’ groun’. Hain’t er spot, ner nook, ner crebbice Dat I doan’ know ’bout dat town. Ready, Dinah? Bress de Lawd! umph! Mah ol’ lady am er sight. Kin she cook? Whut? Doan’ yo’ staht me! She kin sho’ put things up right! Walk out, Trussy; go pertaykin’ Ub de bes’ de ol’ man’s got! Kose tain’t much, but prob’ly sumfin’s Dah will kinedah tech de spot! Go ’head, say de bressins, Trussy, Fo’ de Lawd sakes cut ’em short. Lemme pos’ yo’ fo’ yo’ staht in, Doan’ yo’ preach an’ try to e’ort— “Make us thankful, Heab’nly Faddah, Fo’ dis hyeah pussipyus spread; Hyeah deez few mos’ feeble ’spreshyuns Dat yo’ umble sahvunt shed. “Gibb us wid ah daily bread, sah! Chicken, an’ all sech ez dat! Th’ow in now an’ den er possum, Coon wid plenty lean an’ fat! “Po’ dy bressins on dis family— Put mo’ chickens on dey roos’; Things git skace, dey needs er he’pin’, Len’ er ban’, gibb ’em er boos’.” Jump in, Trussy; git to business! Ebbry fellah fo’ himse’f. Whut’s hyeah fo’ us on dis table’s Nuf to take er possum’s bref. Ha! ha! Trussy, dem ol’ hog feet Sots dis ol’ soul all er chune! Ha! ha! Dina? look at Trussy Kock dat lef’ eye at dat coon! Yo’ hain’t full kin to yo’ daddy Ef yo’ doesn’t lak de coon; Possum, chicken, sweepahtaytahs. An’ de sumpshus musherroon. Tell us ’bout ol’ Tootsy Tadpole. Slipshod Beebe, Feeby Scott! Susan Rhinehole. Sukie Slowup, Husky Botts, de res’ de lot. Does I ’membah Slimmy Twostep? Who? dat dah ol’ onry cuss? Usetah hug de stove when happy, In church raised all kine o’ fuss?