At Candle Lightin' Time
When I come in f’om de co’n-fiel’ aftah wo’kin’ ha’d
all day,
It’s amazin’ nice to fin’ my suppah all erpon de way;
An’ it’s nice to smell de coffee bubblin’ ovah in de
pot,
An’ it’s fine to see de meat a-sizzlin’ teasin’-lak an’
hot.
But when suppah-time is ovah, an’ de t’ings is
cleahed away;
Den de happy hours dat foller are de sweetes’ of de
day.
When m co’ncob pipe is sta’ted, an’ de smoke is
drawin’ prime,
My ole ‘ooman says, “I reckon, Ike, it’s candle-
lightin’ time.”
Den de chillum snuggle up to me, an’ all commence
to call,
“Oh, say, daddy, now it’s time to mek de shadders
on de wall.”
So I puts my han’s togethah—evah daddy knows
de way,—
An’ de chillum snuggle closer roun’ ez I begin to say:—
“Fus’ thing, hyeah come Mistah Rabbit; don’ you
see him wo’k his eahs?
Huh, uh! dis mus’ be a donkey,—look, how inner-
cent he ‘pears!
Dah’s de ole black swan a-swimmin’—ain’t she got
a’ awful neck?
Who’s dis feller dat ‘s a-comin’? Why, dat’s ole
dog Tray, I ‘spec!”
Dat’s de way I run on, tryin’ fu’ to please ‘em all
I can;
Den I hollahs, “Now be keerful—dis hyeah las’ ‘s
de buga-man!”
An’ dey runs an’ hides dey faces; dey ain’t skeered
—dey’s lettin’ on:
But de play ain’t raaly ovah twell dat buga-man is
gone.
So I jes’ teks up my banjo, an’ I plays a little chune,
An’ you see dem haids come peepin’ out to listen
mighty soon.
Den my wife says, “Sich a pappy fu’ to give you
sich a fright!
Jes’ you go to baid, an’ leave him: say yo’ prayers
an’ say good-night.”
