"Hear the children gayly shout
Half past four, school is out
Merry, merry, playful girls and boys
Thinking of games and toys
Slates, sleds, dolls and books
Oh how happy each one looks
'Now for snowballs', Harry cried
And to hit his sister tried
Sister Flora full of fun
With her little hand making one
At her brother Harry threw
Swift it flew and hit his nose
'Have I hurt you brother dear?'
Asked his sister running near
'No indeed', said he
'This is only sport for me.'"
(Following is a familiar prayer when she was a child) [HR: not ex-slave]:
"Savior, tender shepherd hear me
Bless the little lambs tonight
Through the darkness be they nearest
Watch my sleep 'til morning light
Bless the friends I love so well
Take me when I die to heaven
Happy there with thee to dwell."
(Following is a very familiar song:)
"'Dear mother,' said a little fish
'Pray, is this naughty fly
I am very hungry and I wish
You would let me go and try.'
'Sweet innocence', the mother cried,
And started from her nook,
'The hurried fly is but to hide
The sharpness of the hook'.
So he thought he'd venture out
To see if it was true
Around about the hook he played
With many a long look.
'Dear me', to himself he said
'I'm sure it's not a hook'
So as he fainter, fainter grew
With hallowed voice, he cried,
'If I had minded you
I would not then have died'."
Following are some old riddles, they may be of no value.
Riddle—'I rode over the bridge, and yet I walked.'
Answer—'Yet I' was the name of the dog with me.
Riddle—'Big at the bottom
Little at the top,
Something in the middle
Goes flippity flop.'
Answer—Churn.
Riddle—'Way down yonder in the meadow is a little red heifer.
Give'r her some hay she will eat it.
Give'r her some water she will die.'
Answer—Fire.
Riddle—'I went over Hefil Steeple
Then I met a heap of people
Some were k-nick
Some were k-nack
Some were the color of brown tobacco
They were neither men, women, nor children.'
Answer—Bees.
(Note:—Annie Bridges is quite a character. When giving her speeches and singing her songs she dramatizes them while walking across the room. She is hard of hearing and can be heard for quite a distance. She receives an old-age pension. She is considered by many, a sort of nuisance around town, since she is always begging for something. Some are afraid of her.)
(Following is a song of Abraham Lincoln she sang):
"If it hadn't been for Uncle Abraham
What would we a'done?
Been down in de cotton field,
Pickin' in de sun."