Good goes with honesty, I say, To honour an' to bless; To rich an' poor alike it brings A wealth o' happiness. The 'ristercrats ain't got it all, Fur much to their su'prise, That's one of earth's most blessed things They can't monopolize. POSSUM Ef dey 's anyt'ing dat riles me An' jes' gits me out o' hitch, Twell I want to tek my coat off, So 's to r'ar an' t'ar an' pitch, Hit's to see some ign'ant white man 'Mittin' dat owdacious sin-- Wen he want to cook a possum Tekin' off de possum's skin. W'y dey ain't no use in talkin', Hit jes' hu'ts me to de hea't Fu' to see dem foolish people Th'owin' 'way de fines' pa't. W'y, dat skin is jes' ez tendah An' ez juicy ez kin be; I knows all erbout de critter-- Hide an' haih--don't talk to me! Possum skin is jes lak shoat skin; Jes' you swinge an' scrope it down, Tek a good sha'p knife an' sco' it, Den you bake it good an' brown. Huh-uh! honey, you 's so happy Dat yo' thoughts is 'mos' a sin When you 's settin' dah a-chawin' On dat possum's cracklin' skin. White folks t'ink dey know 'bout eatin', An' I reckon dat dey do Sometimes git a little idee Of a middlin' dish er two; But dey ain't a t'ing dey knows of Dat I reckon cain't be beat Wen we set down at de table To a unskun possum's meat! ON THE ROAD I 's boun' to see my gal to-night-- Oh, lone de way, my dearie! De moon ain't out, de stars ain't bright-- Oh, lone de way, my dearie! Dis hoss o' mine is pow'ful slow, But when I does git to yo' do' Yo' kiss 'll pay me back, an' mo', Dough lone de way, my dearie. De night is skeery-lak an' still-- Oh, lone de way, my dearie! 'Cept fu' dat mou'nful whippo'will-- Oh, lone de way, my dearie! De way so long wif dis slow pace, 'T 'u'd seem to me lak savin' grace Ef you was on a nearer place, Fu' lone de way, my dearie. I hyeah de hootin' of de owl-- Oh, lone de way, my dearie! I wish dat watch-dog would n't howl:-- Oh, lone de way, my dearie! An' evaht'ing, bofe right an' lef', Seem p'int'ly lak hit put itse'f In shape to skeer me half to def-- Oh, lone de way, my dearie! I whistles so's I won't be feared-- Oh lone de way, my dearie! But anyhow I's kin' o' skeered, Fu' lone de way, my dearie. De sky been lookin' mighty glum, But you kin mek hit lighten some, Ef you 'll jes' say you's glad I come, Dough lone de way, my dearie. A DEATH SONG Lay me down beneaf de willers in de grass, Whah de branch 'll go a-singin' as it pass. An' w'en I 's a-layin' low, I kin hyeah it as it go Singin', "Sleep, my honey, tek yo' res' at las'." Lay me nigh to whah hit meks a little pool, An' de watah stan's so quiet lak an' cool, Whah de little birds in spring, Ust to come an' drink an' sing, An' de chillen waded on dey way to school.