Cum here, Mandy, what's you chewin',
Take dat bread right out yo' mouf,
Do you know what you'se doin'?
You'se de worry ob dis hous'.
Put dat bread right on de shef dar,
Case 'tis much as we kin do
To gib you bread at meal time
Till hard times is fru.
En Ike, you shet dat safe do'!
Take dat spoon right out dem beans!
'Member well, you git no mo'!
Y'all de wo'st chaps eber seen!
Yo' daddy'd be distracted
Ef he knowed jis how y'all eat,
Case it takes mos' all his earnings
Jis to keep you brats in meat.
Now, 'member well, you ebery one,
No br'ad between yo' meals you eat,
Beans nor 'taters, no not one!
Cabbage or bacon meat.
En, la sakes! here cums little John,
Mudder's baby boy,
Wid my ham bone under arm,
Lickin' it wid joy.
Gib it to mudder, honey,
Cum, let's wash yo' face;
Jane, you set de table,
And fix t'ings all in place.
Yo' daddy'll soon be in de do',
He'll be hungry, too,
Hurry, Jane, don't be so slow!
Ike, min' dar what you do!
Chillun, wash yo' faces,
Put on dem aprons new;
Be kerful, now, don't tar dem,
What eber else you do.
Gib me my linsey dress, dar,
Does you heah, my lad?
Yo' mammy mus' be lookin' good
When she meets yo' dad.
Jane, take de rabbit off de stove,
De hominy en 'taters,
En git dat smalles' chiny dish,
For de stewed tomaters.
Leabe dat gravy dish alone!
Mincin' in it on a sly,
La sakes! mussy me!
Who eat dat punkin pie?
You boys stop dat fightin'!
Sich noise I neber heahd,
Put de stools up to de table,
Not anodder word!
All de eatins minced in!
Dat's de kind o' luck
I seems to hab wid you kids
When daddy cums from wuk!