Ponchus Pilut

Ponchus Pilut _ust_ to be Ist a _Slave_, an’ now he’s _free_. Slaves wuz on’y ist before The War wuz—an’ _ain’t_ no more.

He works on our place fer us,— An’ comes here—_sometimes_ he does. He shocks corn an’ shucks it.—An’ He makes hominy “by han’!”—

Wunst he bringed us some, one trip, Tied up in a piller-slip: Pa says, when Ma cooked it, “MY! This-here’s gooder’n you _buy_!”

Ponchus _pats_ fer me an’ sings; An’ he says _funny_ things! Ponchus calls a dish a “_deesh_”— Yes, an’ _he_ calls fishes “_feesh_”!

When Ma want him eat wiv us He says, “’Skuse me—’deed you mus’!— Ponchus know’ good manners, Miss.— He ain’ eat wher’ White-folks is!”

’Lindy takes _his_ dinner out Wher’ he’s workin’—roun’ about.— Wunst he et his dinner spread In our ole wheelborry-bed.

_Ponchus Pilut_ says “_’at’s_ not His _right_ name,—an’ done fergot What his _sho’-’nuff_ name is now— An’ don’ matter none _no_how!”

Yes, an’ Ponchus he’ps Pa, too, When our _butcherin’s_ to do, An’ scalds hogs—an’ says, “Take care ’Bout it, er you’ll _set the hair_!”

Yes, an’ out in our back-yard He he’ps ’Lindy rendur lard; An’, wite in the fire there, he Roast’ a pigtail wunst fer me.—

An’ ist nen th’ole tavurn-bell Rung, down-town, an’ he says, “Well!— Hear dat! _Lan’ o’ Caanan_, Son, Ain’t dat bell say ‘_Pigtail done!_’

—‘_Pigtail done!_ _Go call Son!—_ _Tell dat_ _Chile dat_ _Pigtail done!_’”