She jes' spreads huh mouf and hollahs, "Come to Jesus," twell you hyeah Sinnahs' tremblin' steps and voices, Timid-lak a-drawin' neah; Den she tu'ns to "Rock of Ages," Simply to de cross she clings, An' you fin' yo' teahs a-drappin' When Malindy sings. Who dat says dat humble praises Wif de Master nevah counts? Heish yo' mouf, I hyeah dat music, Ez hit rises up an' mounts-- Floatin' by de hills an' valleys, Way above dis buryin' sod, Ez hit makes its way in glory To de very gates of God! Oh, hit's sweetah dan de music Of an edicated band; An' hit's dearah dan de battle's Song o' triumph in de lan'. It seems holier dan evenin' When de solemn chu'ch bell rings, Ez I sit an' ca'mly listen While Malindy sings. Towsah, stop dat ba'kin', hyeah me! Mandy, mek dat chile keep still; Don't you hyeah de echoes callin' F'om de valley to de hill? Let me listen, I can hyeah it, Th'oo de bresh of angels' wings, Sof an' sweet, "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," Ez Malindy sings. THE PARTY Dey had a gread big pahty down to Tom's de othah night; Was I dah? You bet! I nevah in my life see sich a sight; All de folks f'om fou' plantations was invited, an' dey come, Dey come troopin' thick ez chillun when dey hyeahs a fife an' drum. Evahbody dressed deir fines'--Heish yo' mouf an' git away, Ain't seen no sich fancy dressin' sence las' quah'tly meetin' day; Gals all dressed in silks an' satins, not a wrinkle ner a crease, Eyes a-battin', teeth a-shinin', haih breshed back ez slick ez grease; Sku'ts all tucked an' puffed an' ruffled, evah blessed seam an' stitch; Ef you 'd seen 'em wif deir mistus, could n't swahed to which was which. Men all dressed up in Prince Alberts, swaller-tails 'u'd tek yo' bref! I cain't tell you nothin' 'bout it, y' ought to seen it fu' yo'se'f. Who was dah? Now who you askin'? How you 'spect I gwine to know? You mus' think I stood an' counted evahbody at de do.' Ole man Babah's house-boy Isaac, brung dat gal, Malindy Jane, Huh a-hangin' to his elbow, him a-struttin' wif a cane; My, but Hahvey Jones was jealous! seemed to stick him lak a tho'n; But he laughed with Viney Cahteh, tryin' ha'd to not let on, But a pusson would 'a' noticed f'om de d'rection of his look, Dat he was watchin' ev'ry step dat Ike an' Lindy took. Ike he foun' a cheer an' asked huh: "Won't you set down?" wif a smile, An' she answe'd up a-bowin', "Oh, I reckon 't ain't wuth while." Dat was jes' fu' Style, I reckon, 'cause she sot down jes' de same, An' she stayed dah 'twell he fetched huh fu' to jine some so't o' game; Den I hyeahd huh sayin' propah, ez she riz to go away, "Oh, you raly mus' excuse me, fu' I hardly keers to play." But I seen huh in a minute wif de othahs on de flo', An' dah wasn't any one o' dem a-playin' any mo'; Comin' down de flo' a-bowin' an' a-swayin' an' a-swingin',