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Paul Laurence Dunbar - How Lucy Backslid
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De times is mighty stirrin` `mong de people up ouah way,
  Dey `sputin` an` dey argyin` an` fussin` night an` day;
  An` all dis monst`ous trouble dat hit meks me tiahed to tell
  Is `bout dat Lucy Jackson dat was sich a mighty belle.

  She was de preachah`s favoured, an` he tol` de chu`ch one night
  Dat she travelled thoo de cloud o` sin a-bearin` of a light;
  But, now, I `low he t`inkin` dat she mus` `a` los` huh lamp,
  Case Lucy done backslided an` dey trouble in de camp.

  Huh daddy wants to beat huh, but huh mammy daihs him to,
  Fu` she lookin` at de question f`om a ooman`s pint o` view;
  An` she say dat now she would n`t have it diff`ent ef she could;
  Dat huh darter only acted jes` lak any othah would.

  Cose you know w`en women argy, dey is mighty easy led
  By dey hea`ts an` don`t go foolin` `bout de reasons of de haid.
  So huh mammy laid de law down (she ain` reckernizin` wrong),
  But you got to mek erlowance fu` de cause dat go along.

  Now de cause dat made Miss Lucy fu` to th`ow huh grace away
  I `s afeard won`t baih no `spection w`en hit come to jedgement day;
  Do` de same t`ing been a-wo`kin` evah sence de worl` began,--
  De ooman disobeyin` fu` to `tice along a man.

  Ef you `tended de revivals which we held de wintah pas`,
  You kin rickolec` dat convuts was a-comin` thick an` fas`;
  But dey ain`t no use in talkin`, dey was all lef` in de lu`ch
  W`en ol` Mis` Jackson`s dartah foun` huh peace an` tuk de chu`ch.

  W`y, she shouted ovah evah inch of Ebenezah`s flo`;
  Up into de preachah`s pulpit an` f`om dah down to de do`;
  Den she hugged an` squeezed huh mammy, an` she hugged an` kissed 

huh dad,
  An` she struck out at huh sistah, people said, lak she was mad.

  I has `tended some revivals dat was lively in my day,
  An` I `s seed folks git `uligion in mos` evah kin` o` way;
  But I tell you, an` you b`lieve me dat I `s speakin` true indeed,
  Dat gal tuk huh `ligion ha`dah dan de ha`dest yit I `s seed.

  Well, f`om dat, `t was "Sistah Jackson, won`t you please do dis er dat?"
  She mus` allus sta`t de singin` w`en dey `d pass erroun` de hat,
  An` hit seemed dey was n`t nuffin` in dat chu`ch dat could go by
  `Dout sistah Lucy Jackson had a finger in de pie.

  But de sayin` mighty trufeful dat hit easiah to sail
  W`en de sea is ca`m an` gentle dan to weathah out a gale.
  Dat `s whut made dis ooman`s trouble; ef de sto`m had kep` away,
  She `d `a` had enough `uligion fu` to lasted out huh day.

  Lucy went wid `Lishy Davis, but w`en she jined chu`ch, you know
  Dah was lots o` little places dat, of cose, she could n`t go;
  An` she had to gin up dancin` an` huh singin` an` huh play.--
  Now hit`s nachul dat sich goin`s-on `u`d drive a man away.

  So, w`en Lucy got so solemn, Ike he sta`ted fu` to go
  Wid a gal who was a sinnah an` could mek a bettah show.
  Lucy jes` went on to meetin` lak she did n`t keer a rap,
  But my `sperunce kep` me t`inkin dah was somep`n` gwine to drap.

  Fu` a gal won`t let `uligion er no othah so`t o` t`ing
  Stop huh w`en she teks a notion dat she wants a weddin` ring.
  You kin p`omise huh de blessin`s of a happy aftah life
  (An` hit`s nice to be a angel), but she `d ravah be a wife.

  So w`en Chrismus come an` mastah gin a frolic on de lawn,
  Did n`t `sprise me not de littlest seein` Lucy lookin` on.
  An` I seed a wa`nin` lightnin` go a-flashin` f`om huh eye
  Jest ez `Lishy an` his new gal went a-gallivantin` by.

  An` dat Tildy, umph! she giggled, an` she gin huh dress a flirt
  Lak de people she was passin` was ez common ez de dirt;
  An` de minit she was dancin`, w`y dat gal put on mo` aihs
  Dan a cat a-tekin` kittens up a paih o` windin` staihs.

  She could `fo`d to show huh sma`tness, fu` she could n`t he`p but know
  Dat wid jes` de present dancahs she was ownah of de flo`;
  But I t`ink she `d kin` o` cooled down ef she happened on de sly
  Fu` to noticed dat `ere lightnin` dat I seed in Lucy`s eye.

  An` she would n`t been so `stonished w`en de people gin a shout,
  An` Lucy th`owed huh mantle back an` come a-glidin` out.
  Some ahms was dah to tek huh an` she fluttahed down de flo`
  Lak a feddah f`om a bedtick w`en de win` commence to blow.

  Soon ez Tildy see de trouble, she jes` tu`n an` toss huh haid,
  But seem lak she los` huh sperrit, all huh darin`ness was daid.
  Did n`t cut anothah capah nary time de blessid night;
  But de othah one, hit looked lak could n`t git enough delight.

  W`en you keeps a colt a-stan`nin` in de stable all along,
  W`en he do git out hit `s nachul he `ll be pullin` mighty strong.
  Ef you will tie up yo` feelin`s, hyeah `s de bes` advice to tek,
  Look out fu` an awful loosin` w`en de string dat hol`s `em brek.

  Lucy`s mammy groaned to see huh, an` huh pappy sto`med an` to`,
  But she kep` right on a-hol`in` to de centah of de flo`.
  So dey went an` ast de pastoh ef he could n`t mek huh quit,
  But de tellin` of de sto`y th`owed de preachah in a fit.

  Tildy Taylor chewed huh hank`cher twell she `d chewed it in a hole,--
  All de sinnahs was rejoicin` `cause a lamb had lef de fol`,
  An` de las` I seed o` Lucy, she an` `Lish was side an` side:
  I don`t blame de gal fu` dancin`, an` I could n`t ef I tried.

  Fu` de men dat wants to ma`y ain`t a-growin` `roun` on trees,
  An` de gal dat wants to git one sholy has to try to please.
  Hit`s a ha`d t`ing fu` a ooman fu `to pray an` jes` set down,
  An` to sacafice a husban` so `s to try to gain a crown.

  Now, I don` say she was justified in follerin` huh plan;
  But aldough she los` huh `ligion, yit she sholy got de man.
  Latah on, w`en she is suttain dat de preachah `s made `em fas`
  She kin jes` go back to chu`ch an` ax fu`giveness fu` de pas`!
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