And, sure enough, he did, for all I could do and say, and he sung several pieces while I wuz ondressin’—he sung ’em loud. I remember he sung the hull of “Robert Kidd” and “André’s Lament,” besides some hymns.
Sez he, “I’ve been pent up and bound down so long that I’m a-goin’ to swing right out and act all I want to.”
And happy—why, happy is no name for the feelin’s of that man, and I felt the same—yes, indeed! Only, as my nater is, I acted more megum, though I did kinder jine in with him in the chorus—
“My name is Robert Kidd,
As I sailed, as I sailed.”
I wuz so perfectly happy that I had to.
And when he struck into the hymns I jined in strong, right there in my nightgown—“On Canaan’s happy banks I stand,” and “Long time I have wandered,” and etcetery.
Why, Josiah sung the most of the time for days and days.
When Deacon Henzy come to see him, instead of advancin’ and shakin’ hands dignified, as a foreign traveller ort to, he jest advanced onto him, a-singin’ loud—
“Home agin, Deacon, home agin, from a foreign shore.