Daniel was the chief hired man of the land. He stirred up the jazz in the palace band. He whitewashed the cellar. He shovelled in the coal. And Daniel kept a-praying:--“Lord save my soul.” Daniel kept a-praying:--“Lord save my soul.” Daniel kept a-praying:--“Lord save my soul.” Daniel was the butler, swagger and swell. He ran up stairs. He answered the bell. And _he_ would let in whoever came a-calling:-- Saints so holy, scamps so appalling. “Old man Ahab leaves his card. Elisha and the bears are a-waiting in the yard. Here comes Pharaoh and his snakes a-calling. Here comes Cain and his wife a-calling. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego for tea. Here comes Jonah and the whale, And the _Sea_! Here comes St. Peter and his fishing pole. Here comes Judas and his silver a-calling. Here comes old Beelzebub a-calling.” And Daniel kept a-praying:--“Lord save my soul.” Daniel kept a-praying:--“Lord save my soul.” Daniel kept a-praying:--“Lord save my soul.” His sweetheart and his mother were Christian and meek. They washed and ironed for Darius every week. One Thursday he met them at the door:-- Paid them as usual, but acted sore. He said:--“Your Daniel is a dead little pigeon. He’s a good hard worker, but he talks religion.” And he showed them Daniel in the lion’s cage. Daniel standing quietly, the lions in a rage. His good old mother cried:-- “Lord save him.” And Daniel’s tender sweetheart cried:-- “Lord save him.” And she was a golden lily in the dew. And she was as sweet as an apple on the tree And she was as fine as a melon in the corn-field, Gliding and lovely as a ship on the sea, Gliding and lovely as a ship on the sea. And she prayed to the Lord:-- “_Send_ Gabriel. _Send_ Gabriel.” King Darius said to the lions:-- “Bite Daniel. Bite Daniel. Bite him. Bite him. Bite him!” [Sidenote: _Here the audience roars with the leader._] Thus roared the lions:-- “We want Daniel, Daniel, Daniel, We want Daniel, Daniel, Daniel. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr” [Sidenote: _The audience sings this with the leader, to the old negro tune._] And Daniel did not frown, Daniel did not cry. He kept on looking at the sky. And the Lord said to Gabriel:-- “Go chain the lions down, Go chain the lions down. Go chain the lions down. Go chain the lions down.” And _Gabriel_ chained the lions, And _Gabriel_ chained the lions, And _Gabriel_ chained the lions, And Daniel got out of the den, And Daniel got out of the den, And Daniel got out of the den. And Darius said:--“You’re a Christian child,” Darius said:--“You’re a Christian child,” Darius said:--“You’re a Christian child,” And gave him his job again, And gave him his job again, And gave him his job again. WHEN PETER JACKSON PREACHED IN THE OLD CHURCH