The climate, however, was too severe to allow him to work in New York and he fell ill with a low fever. He determined to return to the South and before he was quite recovered, set out to work his passage on a boat bound for New Orleans. He arrived in port very weak and almost penniless, but secured employment on the _Times_, and with characteristic disregard of health or personal comfort, threw himself, heart and soul into his work. Although young, Russell gave remarkable evidence of training in the best of literature. He gave his work hard, painstaking study, and his insight into the peculiarities and pathos and poetry of the negro character was truly wonderful. Thomas Nelson Page says: “Personally I owe him much. It was the light of his genius, shining through his dialect poems that led my feet in the direction I have since tried to follow.” Dr. C. A. Smith says: “The appearance of ‘Christmas Night in the Quarters’ meant that Southern literature was now become a true reproduction of Southern conditions.” Joel Chandler Harris says: “Irwin Russell’s negro character studies rise to the level of what, in a large way, we term literature. I do not know where there could be a more perfect representation of negro character than his operetta, ‘Christmas Night in the Quarters.’ It is inimitable.” Beginning with the arrival of the negroes who are coming to “Uncle Johnny Booker’s Ball,” this poem says: “Some take the path with shoes in hand, To traverse muddy bottom-land: Aristocrats their steeds bestride— Four on a mule, behold them ride. And ten great oxen draw apace The wagon from ‘de oder place,’ With forty guests, whose conversation Betokens glad anticipation.” Arrived at the scene of merriment the dance is preceded by a prayer by “Brudder Brown,” who takes the middle of the floor to “beg a blessin’ on dis dance.” “O Mahsr! let dis gath’rin’ fin’ a blessin’ in yo’ sight! Don’t jedge us hard fur whut we does—you knows it’s Chris’mus night; An’ all de balunce ob de yeah we does as right’s we kin. Ef dancin’s wrong, O Mahsr; let de time excuse de sin! “We labors in de vineyard, wu’kin’ hard an’ wu’kin’ true; Now, shorely you won’t notus, ef we eats a grape or two, An’ takes a leetle holiday—a leetle restin’ spell,— Bekase, nex’ week, we’ll start in fresh an’ labor twicet as well. “Remember, Mahsr,—min’ dis now,—de sinfulness ob sin Is ’pendin’ ’pon de spirit whut we goes an’ does it in: An’ in a righchis frame ob min’ we’s gwine to dance an’ sing, A feelin’ like King David, when he cut de pigeon-wing. ... “You bless us, please, sah, eben ef we’s doin’ wrong to-night; Kase den we’ll need de blessin’ more’n ef we’s doin’ right; An’ let de blessin’ stay wid us, until we comes to die, An’ goes to keep our Chris’mus wid dem sheriffs in de sky!” ...