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I remember, well remember,
.
That dark and dreadful day,
.
When they whispered to me, "Chloe,
.
Your children's sold away!" 1.
It seemed as if a bullet
.
Had shot me through and through,
.
And I felt as if my heart-strings
.
Was breaking right in two. 1.
And I says to cousin Milly,
.
"There must be some mistake;
.
Where's Mistus?" "In the great house crying --
.
Crying like her heart would break. 1.
"And the lawyer's there with Mistus;
.
Says he's come to 'ministrate,
.
'Cause when master died he just left
.
Heap of debt on the estate. 1.
"And I thought 'twould do you good
.
To bid your boys good-bye --
.
To kiss them both and shake their hands,
.
And have a hearty cry. 1.
"Oh! Chloe, I knows how you feel,
.
'Cause I'se been through it all;
.
I thought my poor old heart would break,
.
When master sold my Saul." 1.
Just then I heard the footsteps
.
Of my children at the door,
.
And then I rose right up to meet them,
.
But I fell upon the floor. 1.
And I heard poor Jakey saying,
.
"Oh, mammy, don't you cry!"
.
And I felt my children kiss me
.
And bid me, both, good-bye. 1.
Then I had a mighty sorrow,
.
Though I nursed it all alone;
.
But I wasted to a shadow,
.
And turned to skin and bone. 1.
But one day dear uncle Jacob
.
(In heaven he's now a saint)
.
Said, "Your poor heart is in the fire,
.
But child you must not faint." 1.
Then I said to uncle Jacob,
.
If I was good like you,
.
When the heavy trouble dashed me
.
I'd know just what to do. 1.
Then he said to me, "Poor Chloe,
.
The way is open wide:"
.
And he told me of the Saviour,
.
And the fountain in His side. 1.
Then he said "Just take your burden
.
To the blessed Master's feet;
.
I takes all my troubles, Chloe,
.
Right unto the mercy-seat." 1.
His words waked up my courage,
.
And I began to pray,
.
And I felt my heavy burden
.
Rolling like a stone away. 1.
And a something seemed to tell me,
.
You will see your boys again --
.
And that hope was like a poultice
.
Spread upon a dreadful pain. 1.
And it often seemed to whisper,
.
Chloe, trust and never fear;
.
You'll get justice in the kingdom,
.
If you do not get it here. [2] The Deliverance 2.
Master only left old Mistus
.
One bright and handsome boy;
.
But she fairly doted on him,
.
He was her pride and joy. 2.
We all liked Mister Thomas,
.
He was so kind at heart;
.
And when the young folkes got in scrapes,
.
He always took their part. 2.
He kept right on that very way
.
Till he got big and tall,
.
And old Mistus used to chide him
.
And say he'd spile us all. 2.
But somehow the farm did prosper
.
When he took things in hand;
.
And though all the servants liked him,
.
He made them understand. 2.
One evening Mister Thomas said,
.
"Just bring my easy shoes;
.
I am going to sit by mother,
.
And read her up the news." 2.
Soon I heard him tell old Mistus
.
We're bound to have a fight;
.
But we'll whip the Yankees, mother,
.
We'll whip them sure as night!" 2.
Then I saw old Mistus tremble;
.
She gasped and held her breath;
.
And she looked on Mister Thomas
.
With a face as pale as death. 2.
"They are firing on Fort Sumpter;
.
Oh! I wish that I was there! --
.
Why, dear mother! what's the matter?
.
You're the picture of despair." 2.
"I was thinking, dearest Thomas,
.
'Twould break my very heart
.
If a fierce and dreadful battle
.
Should tear our lives apart." 2.
"None but cowards, dearest mother,
.
Would skulk unto the rear,
.
When the tyrant's hand is shaking
.
All the heart is holding dear." 2.
I felt sorry for old Mistus;
.
She got too full to speak;
.
But I saw the great big tear-drops
.
A running down her cheek. 2.
Mister Thomas too was troubled
.
With choosing on that night,
.
Betwixt staying with his mother
.
And joining in the fight. 2.
Soon down into the village came
.
A call for volunteers;
.
Mistus gave up Mister Thomas,
.
With many sighs and tears. 2.
His uniform was real handsome;
.
He looked so brave and strong;
.
But somehow I could'nt help thinking
.
His fighting must be wrong. 2.
Though the house was very lonesome,
.
I thought 'twould all come right,
.
For I felt somehow or other
.
We was mixed up in that fight. 2.
And I said to Uncle Jacob,
.
"How old Mistus feels the sting,
.
For this parting with your children
.
Is a mighty dreadful thing." 2.
"Never mind," said Uncle Jacob,
.
"Just wait and watch and pray,
.
For I feel right sure and certain,
.
Slavery's bound to pass away; 2.
"Because I asked the Spirit,
.
If God is good and just,
.
How it happened that the masters
.
Did grind us to the dust. 2.
"And something reasoned right inside,
.
Such should not always be;
.
And you could not beat it out my head,
.
The Spirit spoke to me." 2.
And his dear old eyes would brighten,
.
And his lips put on a smile,
.
Saying, "Pick up faith and courage,
.
And just wait a little while." 2.
Mistus prayed up in the parlor,
.
That the Secesh all might win;
.
We were praying in the cabins,
.
Wanting freedom to begin. 2.
Mister Thomas wrote to Mistus,
.
Telling 'bout the Bull's Run fight,
.
That his troops had whipped the Yankees
.
And put them all to flight. 2.
Mistus' eyes did fairly glisten;
.
She laughed and praised the South,
.
But I thought some day she'd laugh
.
On tother side her mouth. 2.
I used to watch old Mistus' face,
.
And when it looked quite long
.
I would say to Cousin Milly,
.
The battle's going wrong; 2.
Not for us, but for the Rebels. --
.
My heart would fairly skip,
.
When Uncle Jacob used to say,
.
"The North is bound to whip." 2.
And let the fight go as it would --
.
Let North or South prevail --
.
He always kept his courage up,
.
And never let it fail. 2.
And he often used to tell us,
.
"Children, don't forget to pray;
.
For the darkest time of morning
.
Is just 'fore the break of day." 2.
Well, one morning bright and early
.
We heard the fife and drum,
.
And the booming of the cannon --
.
The Yankee troops had come. 2.
When the word ran through the village,
.
The colored folks are free --
.
In the kitchens and the cabins
.
We held a jubilee. 2.
When they told us Mister Lincoln
.
Said that slavery was dead,
.
We just poured our prayers and blessings
.
Upon his precious head. 2.
We just laughed, and danced, and shouted
.
And prayed, and sang, and cried,
.
And we thought dear Uncle Jacob
.
Would fairly crack his side. 2.
But when old Mistus heard it,
.
She groaned and hardly spoke;
.
When she had to lose her servants,
.
Her heart was almost broke. 2.
'Twas a sight to see our people
.
Going out, the troops to meet,
.
Almost dancing to the music,
.
And marching down the street. 2.
After years of pain and parting,
.
Our chains was broke in two,
.
And we was so mighty happy,
.
We didn't know what to do. 2.
But we soon got used to freedom,
.
Though the way at first was rough;
.
But we weathered through the tempest,
.
For slavery made us tough. 2.
But we had one awful sorrow,
.
It almost turned my head,
.
When a mean and wicked cretur
.
Shot Mister Lincoln dead. 2.
'Twas a dreadful solemn morning,
.
I just staggered on my feet;
.
And the women they were crying
.
And screaming in the street. 2.
But if many prayers and blessings
.
Could bear him to the throne,
.
I should think when Mister Lincoln died,
.
That heaven just got its own. 2.
Then we had another President, --
.
What do you call his name?
.
Well, if the colored folks forget him
.
They would'nt be much to blame. 2.
We thought he'd be the Moses
.
Of all the colored race;
.
But when the Rebels pressed us hard
.
He never showed his face. 2.
But something must have happened him,
.
Right curi's I'll be bound,
.
'Cause I heard 'em talking 'bout a circle
.
That he was swinging round. 2.
But everything will pass away --
.
He went like time and tide --
.
And when the next election came
.
They let poor Andy slide. 2.
But now we have a President,
.
And if I was a man
.
I'd vote for him for breaking up
.
The wicked Ku-Klux Klan. 2.
And if any man should ask me
.
If I would sell my vote,
.
I'd tell him I was not the one
.
To change and turn my coat; 2.
If freedom seem'd a little rough
.
I'd weather through the gale;
.
And as to buying up my vote,
.
I hadn't it for sale. 2.
I do not think I'd ever be
.
As slack as Jonas Handy;
.
Because I heard he sold his vote
.
For just three sticks of candy. 2.
But when John Thomas Reeder brought
.
His wife some flour and meat,
.
And told he had sold his vote
.
For something good to eat, 2.
You ought to seen Aunt Kitty raise,
.
And heard her blaze away;
.
She gave the meat and flour a toss,
.
And said they should not stay. 2.
And I should think he felt quite cheap
.
For voting the wrong side;
.
And when Aunt Kitty scolded him,
.
He just stood up and cried. 2.
But the worst fooled man I ever saw,
.
Was when poor David Rand
.
Sold out for flour and sugar;
.
The sugar was mixed with sand. 2.
I'll tell you how the thing got out;
.
His wife had company,
.
And she thought the sand was sugar,
.
And served it up for tea. 2.
When David sipped and sipped the tea,
.
Somehow it didn't taste right;
.
I guess when he found he was sipping sand
.
He was mad enough to fight. 2.
The sugar looked so nice and white --
.
It was spread some inches deep --
.
But underneath was a lot of sand;
.
Such sugar is mighty cheap. 2.
You'd laughed to seen Lucinda Grange
.
Upon her husband's track;
.
When he sold his vote for rations
.
She made him take 'em back. 2.
Day after day did Milly Green
.
Just follow after Joe,
.
And told him if he voted wrong
.
To take his rags and go. 2.
I think that Samuel Johnson said
.
His side had won the day,
.
Had not we women radicals
.
Just got right in the way. 2.
And yet I would not have you think
.
That all our men are shabby;
.
But 'tis said in every flock of sheep
.
There will be one that's scabby. 2.
I've heard, before election came
.
They tried to buy John Slade;
.
But he gave them all to understand
.
That he wasn't in that trade. 2.
And we've got lots of other men
.
Who rally round the cause,
.
And go for holding up the hands
.
That gave us equal laws, 2.
Who know their freedom cost too much
.
Of blood and pain and treasure,
.
For them to fool away their votes
.
For profit or for pleasure. [3] Aunt Chloe's Politics 3.
Of course, I don't know very much
.
About these politics,
.
But I think that some who run 'em,
.
Do mighty ugly tricks. 3.
I've seen 'em honey-fugle round,
.
And talk so awful sweet,
.
That you'd think them full of kindness
.
As an egg is full of meat. 3.
Now I don't believe in looking
.
Honest people in the face,
.
And saying when you're doing wrong,
.
That 'I haven't sold my race.' 3.
When we want to school our children,
.
If the money isn't there,
.
Whether black or white have took it,
.
The loss we all must share. 3.
And this buying up each other
.
Is something worse than mean,
.
Though I thinks a heap of voting,
.
I go for voting clean. [4] Learning to Read 4.
Very soon the Yankee teachers
.
Came down and set up school;
.
But, oh! how the Rebs did hate it, --
.
It was agin' their rule. 4.
Our masters always tried to hide
.
Book learning from our eyes;
.
Knowledge did'nt agree with slavery --
.
'Twould make us all too wise. 4.
But some of us would try to steal
.
A little from the book,
.
And put the words together,
.
And learn by hook or crook. 4.
I remember Uncle Caldwell,
.
Who took pot liquor fat
.
And greased the pages of his book,
.
And hid it in his hat. 4.
And had his master ever seen
.
The leaves upon his head,
.
He'd have thought them greasy papers,
.
But nothing to be read. 4.
And there was Mr. Turner's Ben,
.
Who heard the children spell,
.
And picked the words right up by heart,
.
And learned to read 'em well. 4.
Well, the Northern folks kept sending
.
The Yankee teachers down;
.
And they stood right up and helped us,
.
Though Rebs did sneer and frown. 4.
And I longed to read my Bible,
.
For precious words it said;
.
But when I begun to learn it,
.
Folks just shook their heads, 4.
And said there is no use trying,
.
Oh! Chloe, you're too late;
.
But as I was rising sixty,
.
I had no time to wait. 4.
So I got a pair of glasses,
.
And straight to work I went,
.
And never stopped till I could read
.
The hymns and Testament. 4.
Then I got a little cabin
.
A place to call my own --
.
And I felt as independent
.
As the queen upon her throne. [5] Church Building 5.
Uncle Jacob often told us,
.
Since freedom blessed our race
.
We ought all to come together
.
And build a meeting place. 5.
So we pinched, and scraped, and spared,
.
A little here and there:
.
Though our wages was but scanty,
.
The church did get a share. 5.
And, when the house was finished,
.
Uncle Jacob came to pray;
.
He was looking mighty feeble,
.
And his head was awful gray. 5.
But his voice rang like a trumpet;
.
His eyes looked bright and young;
.
And it seemed a mighty power
.
Was resting on his tongue. 5.
And he gave us all his blessing --
.
'Twas parting words he said,
.
For soon we got the message
.
The dear old man was dead. 5.
But I believe he's in the kingdom,
.
For when we shook his hand
.
He said, "Children, you must meet me
.
Right in the promised land; 5.
"For when I done a moiling
.
And toiling here below,
.
Through the gate into the city
.
Straightway I hope to go." [6] The Reunion 6.
Well, one morning real early
.
I was going down the street,
.
And I heard a stranger asking
.
For Missis Chloe Fleet. 6.
There was something in his voice
.
That made me feel quite shaky.
.
And when I looked right in his face,
.
Who should it be but Jakey! 6.
I grasped him tight, and took him home --
.
What gladness filled my cup!
.
And I laughed, and just rolled over,
.
And laughed, and just give up. 6.
"Where have you been? O Jakey, dear!
.
Why didn't you come before?
.
Oh! when you children went away
.
My heart was awful sore." 6.
"Why, mammy, I've been on your hunt
.
Since ever I've been free,
.
And I have heard from brother Ben, --
.
He's down in Tennessee. 6.
"He wrote me that he had a wife,"
.
"And children?" "Yes, he's three."
.
"You married, too?" "Oh, no, indeed,
.
I thought I'd first get free." 6.
"Then, Jakey, you will stay with me,
.
And comfort my poor heart;
.
Old Mistus got no power now
.
To tear us both apart. 6.
"I'm richer now than Mistus,
.
Because I have got my son;
.
And Mister Thomas he is dead,
.
And she's nary one. 6.
"You must write to brother Benny
.
That he must come this fall,
.
And we'll make the cabin bigger,
.
And that will hold us all. 6.
"Tell him I want to see 'em all
.
Before my life do cease:
.
And then, like good old Simeon,
.
I hope to die in peace."
Frances Ellen Watkins
Read poems about / on: children, freedom, courage, mother, remember, house, school, brother, hope, pain, women, sorrow, believe, candy, kiss, power, heaven, justice, husband, loss
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Frances Ellen Watkins
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