10

A Day, with Lula Wright

10

dey tries ter make me sit down out I can't sit down. I jes' got ter keep
agoin'."
Her daughter, who lives just across the road came in just here and
said, "Ma, they are havin' a party down the road. I think I'll go."
Before she had finished, her mother was sighing, "Umph, umph, I jes'
don't lack dem parties. Mos' of de youngsters cut up so dese days.
Dey gits ter drinking an' fighting. Honey, ma wish yo' didn't want
ter go, 'cause I be worried till yo' come back."

"Well, I guess I
won't go." She assured her mother that she didn't want to "cause her
no worry," and she went out.

Miss Lu gave a sigh of relief. "It's
so mucher trouble gwine on; I hates ter see um go to dese frolics.
When I wuz a girl de boys didn't cut up lack de do now. We would play
nice games. I kin 'member how I useter love ter play Stealin' Partners.
We would all git in a ring, each one have his own partner and one odd
one would be in de ring, den we'd sing:

'Rosie, Lady Rosie
O..o..o Rosie
Rosie Lady Rosie.

I got a house ter put yo' in,
Rosie Lady Rosie.
I got a house ter put yo' in,
Rosie, Lady Rosie.'

All us would he clappin' our hands and pattln' our feet. O, we
had a good time," She laughed. "Den we useter have'cake walks'; dey

give a cake ter de one whit walks de straightest. I useter git all dem
cakes. O man, I could strut straight."

She got up and walked across the floor to show me how she useter
strut. "I can't strut lack dat now, I got rheumatism in dese ol' joints
now." She laughed.

"But you do get about fine", I said to her.

"Yas'm I been had good health, scusin' I useter have the toothache
'n I done had all of dem took out now. Dey useter give me so much trouble

523

A Day, with Lula Wright

10

dey tries ter make me sit down out I can't sit down. I jes' got ter keep
agoin'."
Her daughter, who lives just across tho road came in just here and
said, "Ma, they, are havin' a party, down the road. I think I'll go."
Before she had finished, her mother was sighing, "tonph, umph, I jes9
don't lack dam parties* Nos9 of do youngsters cut up so dose days*
Bey, gits tor drinking an1 fighting*

Honey, ma wish ye 9 didn't want

tor go, 9cauae I he worried till yp 1 come back."[i "Well, I guess Z
«
won't go*" She assured her mother that she didn't want to cause her
no worry* and she went out*

Euo"inoiliui gare a sigh of relief*

so mucker trouble gwiae on; Z hates tor see um go to dose

"It's

freliefs.

When I was a girl do hoys dida't cut up lack da do now* We would play,
nice games* I kin 9member how Z useter lore tor play, Stealia9 Partners.
We would all git in a ring, each one hare his own partner and one odd
one would he In do ring, den we'd sings
'Bosle, Lady, Bosle
O..o«.o Bosle
Bosle Lady Bosle.
Z got a house tor put yp' in,
Bo ate Lady.. Bosle.
Z got a house tor put yp 9 in,
Bosle, Lady Bosle*1
ill us would he clappin9 our hands and pattln9 our feet. 0, we
had a good time**

She laughed.

"Den we useter hare1 cake walks'; day

giro a cake tor do one what walks do straltest*
cakes*

Z useter git all dam

0 man, Z could strut straight."

She got up and walked across the floor to show me how she useter
strut*
now*"

n

Z can't strut lack dat now, Z got rheumatism in dose ol 9 joints

She laughed.
"But you do get about fine", Z said to her*

"Yas'm I been had good health, s^cusin' I useter have the toothache
'n I done had all of dem took out now* Dey useter give me so much trouble

523