"Does I know Ol' Mexico Cole? Yessum, I reckon I do. He us a dawk man, a tolable dawk man, wid black hair an dawk eyes. He us what you say a medium built man. Yessah, Ol' Mexico Cole! He wuz a doctah. I 'member de night he wuz on his way home wen de storm cum up. De lighten lightened an de thunder thundered! Sho' wuz a powful storm! He'z a-ridin' along on his hoss wen all ob a sudden a big lim' done fall off a tree an smash him flat. Dat's mighty bad, I tell yo, mighty bad. Yessuh, ol' Mexico Cole, I 'members him.
"One time he walk on a tradin' boat an he see a bottle full ob sompin' he don't know what. He picks it up an smell a deep breaf. Dat really frowed him out fur a spell. Dey had to give 'em a half a bottle ob melted grease! Yessum, I 'members Ol' Mexico Cole."
Two of Aunt Ann's favorite songs are:
I
"By'm by don' you griebe atter me
(This line repeated four times)
II
Wen I'm gone don' you griebe atter me
" " " " " " " "
" " " " " " " "
By'm by don' you griebe atter me.
III
De Lawd has prepared de way an
has carried my soul away
(This line repeated three times)
By'm by don' you griebe atter me.
IV
Wen I'm dead don' you griebe atter me
(This line repeated three times)
By'm by don' you griebe atter me."
The second song is sung by a "mighty clevah woman" to her lover. The negro woman is at home rocking her baby, her husband is sitting not far away. A weird little whistle is heard. The negro woman sings to warn her lover of danger.
"Oh, de win's in de wes',
An' de cuckoo's in de nes',
No lodgin' hyar foah you,
By you baby by yoo.
Oh, de devil's in de man,
Cain't you unnerstan',
No lodgin' hyar foah you,
By you baby by yoo.
(Repetition of the first verse.)"
[Edward Taylor]
Interview with Edward Taylor,
St. Louis, Missouri.
(Written by Grace E. White,
St. Louis, Mo.)
Born "Around 1812"
The subject of this sketch is Edward Taylor, exact age not known, but he is positive he is over 115 years old. He lives in a two room frame cottage in the rear of 8013 Dale Avenue, St. Louis County, Missouri, with his wife of less than twelve months and says she is in her 50's.
Taylor is a tall, slender, almost erect old man, looks well for his age, very hard of hearing, his hair well mingled with gray. He believes God has called him to preach holiness to the world, and it is a hard matter to keep his mind on an interview for his ex-slave experiences instead of preaching to his interviewer. His story follows: