O' cose I buys de gal ice-cream, Whut else I gwine to do? I knows jes' how de t'ing 'u'd seem Ef I 'd be sho't wid you. On Sunday, you's at chu'ch a-shoutin', Den all de week you go 'roun' poutin'-- I's mighty tiahed o' all dis doubtin', I tell you cause I's true. HYMN O li'l' lamb out in de col', De Mastah call you to de fol', O li'l' lamb! He hyeah you bleatin' on de hill; Come hyeah an' keep yo' mou'nin' still, O li'l' lamb! De Mastah sen' de Shepud fo'f; He wandah souf, he wandah no'f, O li'l' lamb! He wandah eas', he wandah wes'; De win' a-wrenchin' at his breas', O li'l' lamb! Oh, tell de Shepud whaih you hide; He want you walkin' by his side, O li'l' lamb! He know you weak, he know you so'; But come, don' stay away no mo', O li'l' lamb! An' af'ah while de lamb he hyeah De Shepud's voice a-callin' cleah-- Sweet li'l' lamb! He answah f'om de brambles thick, "O Shepud, I's a-comin' quick"-- O li'l' lamb! LITTLE BROWN BABY Little brown baby wif spa'klin' eyes, Come to yo' pappy an' set on his knee. What you been doin', suh--makin' san' pies? Look at dat bib--you's ez du'ty ez me. Look at dat mouf--dat's merlasses, I bet; Come hyeah, Maria, an' wipe off his han's. Bees gwine to ketch you an' eat you up yit, Bein' so sticky an sweet--goodness lan's! Little brown baby wif spa'klin' eyes, Who's pappy's darlin' an' who 's pappy's chile? Who is it all de day nevah once tries Fu' to be cross, er once loses dat smile? Whah did you git dem teef? My, you 's a scamp! Whah did dat dimple come f'om in yo' chin? Pappy do' know you--I b'lieves you 's a tramp; Mammy, dis hyeah's some ol' straggler got in! Let's th'ow him outen de do' in de san', We do' want stragglers a-layin' 'roun' hyeah; Let's gin him 'way to de big buggah-man; I know he's hidin' erroun' hyeah right neah. Buggah-man, buggah-man, come in de do', Hyeah 's a bad boy you kin have fu' to eat. Mammy an' pappy do' want him no mo', Swaller him down f'om his haid to his feet! Dah, now, I t'ought dat you 'd hug me up close. Go back, ol' buggah, you sha'n't have dis boy. He ain't no tramp, ner no straggler, of co'se; He's pappy's pa'dner an' play-mate an' joy. Come to you' pallet now--go to yo' res; Wisht you could allus know ease an' cleah skies; Wisht you could stay jes' a chile on my breas'-- Little brown baby wif spa'klin' eyes! TIME TO TINKER 'ROUN'! Summah 's nice, wif sun a-shinin', Spring is good wif greens and grass, An' dey 's some t'ings nice 'bout wintah, Dough hit brings de freezin' blas; But de time dat is de fines', Whethah fiel's is green er brown, Is w'en de rain 's a-po'in' An' dey 's time to tinker 'roun.