At Candle-Lightin' Time.
By Paul Laurence Dunbar.
[By permission of the Author.]
When I come in f'om de co'n-nel' aft ah wukin' 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 things is chared away,
Den de happy hours dat foller are de sweetes' of de day.
When my co'n-cob pipe is sta'ted, an' de smoke is drawin' prime,
My ole 'ooman says, "I reckon, Ike, it's candle-lightin' time.'
Den de chillun snuggle up to me, an' all commence 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 chillun' snuggle closer roun' ez I begin to say:
"Fus thing, hyeah come Mistah Rabbit; don' you see him wuk his eahs?
Huh uh! dis urns' 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 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 hollahs, "Now be keerful— dis hyeah las' 's de buga-man!"
