Part 8 (1/2)
The confusion resulting from this trifling circ.u.mstance was fearful.
”Dut” made the first child. The question, ”What did he make yer fur?”
was promptly answered, ”Ma.r.s.e Adum.” ”Eve wuz de fus man.” ”Ma.r.s.e Cain wuz de fus 'oman.” ”Ma.r.s.e Abel kilt his brudder.” ”Ma.r.s.e Noah wuz de fus one slewed.” ”Ma.r.s.e Thuselum built de ark.” And so on, until the old man had to begin all over again, and give each one a new answer. The catechising through with, Uncle Bob said:
”Now, chil'en, I gwine splain de Scripchurs ter yer. I gwine tell yer boutn Dan'l in de lions' den. Dan'l wuz er good Christyun man wat lived in de Bible; and whedder he wuz er white man or whedder he wuz er brack man I dunno; I ain't nuber hyeard n.o.body say. But dat's neder hyear nor dar; he wuz er good man, and he pray tree times eby day. At de fus peepin' uv de day, Brer Dan'l he usen fur ter hop outn his bed and git down on his knees; and soon's eber de horn hit blowed fur de hans ter come outn de field fur dinner, Brer Dan'l he went in his house, he did, and he flop right back on 'is knees. And wen de sun set, den dar he wuz agin er prayin' and er strivin' wid de Lord.
”Well, de king uv dat kentry, he 'low he nuber want no prayin' bout 'im; he sez, sezee, 'I want de thing fur ter stop;' but Brer Dan'l, he nuber studid 'im; he jes prayed right on, tell by'mby de king he 'low dat de nex' man wat he cotch prayin' he wuz gwine cas'm in de lions' den.
”Well, nex' mornin, soon's Brer Dan'l riz fum 'is bed, he lit right on 'is knees, an' went ter prayin'; an' wile he wuz er wrestlin' in prar de pater-rollers dey come in, an' dey tied 'im han' an' foot wid er rope, an' tuck 'im right erlong tell dey come ter de lions' den; an' wen dey wuz yit er fur ways fum dar dey hyeard de lions er ro'in an' er sayin', 'Ar-ooorrrrar! aroooorrrrrar!' an' all dey hearts 'gun ter quake sept'n Brer Dan'l's; he nuber note's 'em; he jes pray 'long. By'mby dey git ter de den, an' dey tie er long rope roun' Brer Dan'l's was'e, an' tho 'im right in! an' den dey drawed up de rope, an' went back whar dey come fum.
”Well, yearly nex' mornin hyear dey come agin, an' dis time de king he come wid 'em; an' dey hyeard de lions er ro'in, 'Ar-ooorrrrar!
arooorrrrar!' an' dey come ter de den, an' dey open de do', an' dar wuz de lions wid dey mouf open an' dey eyes er s.h.i.+nin', jes er trompin'
backerds an' forerds; an' dar in de corner sot an angel smoovin' uv 'is wings; an' right in de middle uv de den was Dan'l, jes er sot'n back dar! Gemmun, _he wuzn totch!_ he nuber so much as had de smell uv de lions bout'n 'im! he wuz jes as whole, mun, as he wuz de day he wuz born! Eben de boots on 'im, sar, wuz ez s.h.i.+ny ez dey wuz wen dey put 'im in dar.
”An' he jes clum up de side uv de den, he did; an' soon's uber his feet tech de yeath, he sez ter de king, sezee, 'King, hit ain't no usen fur yer ter fool erlong o' me,' sezee; 'I'm er prayin' man mysef, an I 'low ter live an' die on my knees er prayin' an' er sarvin' de Lord.' Sezee, 'De Lord ain't gwine let de lions meddle long o' me,' sezee; 'I ain't fyeard o' nufn,' sezee. 'De Lord is my strengt an' my rocks, an' I ain't er fyeard o' NO man.' An' wid dat he helt er preachin', sar, right whar he wuz; an' he tol' 'em uv dey sins, an' de goodness uv de Lord. He preach de word, he did, right erlong, an' atter dat he 'gun ter sing dis hymn:
”'Dan'l wuz er prayin' man; He pray tree times er day; De Lord he hist de winder, Fur ter hyear po' Dan'l pray.'
”Den he 'gun ter call up de mo'ners, an' dey come too! Mun, de whole yeath wuz erlive wid 'em: de white folks dey went up; an' de n.i.g.g.e.rs _dey_ went up; an' de pater-rollers _dey_ went up; an' de king _he_ went up; an' dey all come thu an' got 'ligion; an' fum dat day dem folks is er sarvin' de Lord.
”An' now, chil'en, efn yer be like Brer Dan'l, an' say yer prars, an'
put yer pen'ence in de Lord, yer needn be er fyeard uv no lions; de Lord, he'll take cyar uv yer, an' he'll be mighty proud ter do it.
”Now,” continued the old man, ”we'll close dis meet'n by singin' uv er hymn, an' den yer kin all go. I'll give de hymn out, so's dar needn't be no 'scuse 'bout not know'n uv de words, an' so's yer all kin sing.”
The children rose to their feet, and Uncle Bob, with great solemnity, gave out the following hymn, which they all, white and black, sang with great fervor:
”O bless us, Lord! O bless us, Lord!
O bless us mo' an' mo'; Unless yer'll come an' bless us, Lord, We will not let yer go.
”My marster, Lord; my marster, Lord-- O Lord, he does his bes', So when yer savin' sinners, Lord, Save him wid all de res'.
O bless us, Lord! O bless us, Lord!
An' keep us in yer cyar; Unless yer'll come an' bless us, Lord, We're gwine ter hol' yer hyear.
”My missus, Lord; my missus, Lord, O bless my missus now-- She's tryin' hard ter serve yer, Lord, But den she dunno how.
O bless us, Lord! O bless us, Lord!
O bless us now, we pray; Unless yer'll come an' bless us, Lord, We won't leave hyear ter day.
”Deze chil'en, Lord; deze chil'en, Lord, O keep dey little feet Er gwien straight ter hebn, Lord, Fur ter walk dat golden street.
O bless us, Lord! O bless us, Lord!
O come in all yer might; Unless yer'll come an' bless us, Lord, We'll wrestle hyear all night.
”Deze n.i.g.g.e.rs, Lord; deze n.i.g.g.e.rs, Lord, Dey skins is black, hit's true, But den dey souls is white, my Lord, So won't yer bless dem too?
O bless us, Lord! O bless us, Lord!
O bless us mo' an' mo'; Unless yer'll come an' bless us, Lord, We'll keep yer hyear fur sho.