When the question of the enlistment of the negroes in the Northern army was first mooted, the following song made its appearance, and became very popular. It is supposed to be written by one Miles O'Reilly, a private soldier in the Army of the Potomac. Miles is altogether an imaginary personage, and is represented by his clever inventors as the typical Hibernian soldier of the war. The song is sung to the Irish air of the "Low-backed Car":—
"Some tell us 'tis a burning shame
To make the naygers fight,
And that the thrade of being kilt
Belongs but to the white;
But as for me, upon my sowl—
So liberal are we here—
I'll let Sambo be murther'd instead of myself
On every day in the year.
On every day in the year, boys,
And in every hour of the day,
The right to be killt I'll divide wid him,
And divil a word I'll say.
"In battle's wild commotion
I shouldn't at all object
If Sambo's body should stop a ball
That was coming for me direct.
And the prod of a Southern bagnet—
So generous are we here—
I'll resign, and let Sambo take it
On every day in the year.
So hear me, all boys, darlins,
Don't think I'm tippin' you chaff,
The right to be killt we'll divide wid him,
And give him the largest half."
PICKLED ELEPHANT.—584.
Old Rowe kept a hotel in the northern part of York State, which he boasted was the best in those parts; where, as he used to say, you could get anything that was ever made to eat. One day in came a Yankee. He sent his horse round to the stable, and stepping up to the bar, asked old Rowe what he could give him for dinner. "Anything, Sir," said old Rowe; "anything from a pickled elephant to a canary-bird's tongue." "Wal," says the Yankee, eyeing Rowe, "I guess I'll take a piece of pickled elephant." Out bustles Howe into the dining-room, leaving our Yankee friend nonplussed at his gravity. Presently he comes back again. "Well, we've got 'em; got 'em all ready, right here in the house; but you'll have to take a whole 'un, 'cause we never cut 'em." The Yankee thought he would take some cod fish and potatoes.
SAME DRUNK.—585.
A gentleman, finding his servant intoxicated, said, "What, drunk again, Sam? I scolded you for being drunk last night, and here you are drunk again." "No, massa; same drunk, massa, same drunk," replied Sambo.
CATCHING.—586.
"Jem, you've been drinking." "No, I haven't; I've been looking at another man drinking, and it was too much for me."