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, “Ireckon, Ike, it’s can-
dle-lightin’ time.”

Den de chillum snuggle up to me, an’ all com-
mence 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 innercent 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 hollah, “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.”

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