You bid me hold my peace And dry my fruitless tears, Forgetting that I bear A pain beyond my years. You say that I should smile

Caught Susanner whistlin’; well, It’s most nigh too good to tell. ‘Twould ’a’ b’en too good to see Ef it had n’t b’en fur me, Comin’ up so soft an’ sly

I GREW a rose within a garden fa… And, tending it with more than lov… I thought how, with the glory of i… I should the darkness of my life i… And, watching, ever smiled to see…

WHEN you and I were young, the d… Were filled with scent of pink and… And full of joy from dawn till clo… From morning’s mist till evening’s… And when the robin sung his song

W’EN us fellers stomp around, mak… Gramma says, 'There’s certain tim… W’en they need a shingle or the so… She says 'we’re a—itchin’ for a ri… An’ she says, 'Now thes you wait,

I GREW a rose once more to pleas… All things to aid it —dew, sun, wi… Were kindly; and to shield it from… I fenced it safely in with gratefu… No other hand than mine shall pluc…

ON the wide veranda white, In the purple failing light, Sits the master while the sun is l… And his dreamy thoughts are drowne… In the softly flowing sound

Want to trade me, do you, mistah?… W’y you could n’t buy my Sukey fu… Dat ol’ mare o’ mine? Yes, huh coat ah long an’ shaggy,… Dat’s a ring—bone, yes, you right,…

Because you love me I have much a… Had you despised me then I must h… But since I knew you trusted and… I could not disappoint you and so…

UNDERNEATH the autumn sky, Haltingly, the lines go by. Ah, would steps were blithe and ga… As when first they marched away, Smile on lip and curl on brow,

Dey been speakin’ at de cou’t—hous… An’ laws—a—massy me, 'T was de beatness kin’ o’ doin’s Dat evah I did see. Of cose I had to be dah

WINTAH time hit comin’ Stealin’ thoo de night; Wake up in the mo’nin’ Evah ting is white; Cabin lookin’ lonesome

DE sun hit shine an’ de win’ hit… Ol’ Brer Rabbit be a—layin’ low, He know dat de wintah time a—comin… De huntah man he walk an’ wait, He walk right by Brer Rabbit’s ga…