... The laugh of the man in blue was only stopped by Uncle Ben's striking up the following hymn, in which the whole company joined:--


                         "A storm am brewin' in de Souf,
                         A storm am brewin' now.
                         Oh! hearken den, and shut your mouf,
                         And I will tell you how:
                         And I will tell you how, ole boy,
                         De storm of fire will pour,
                         And make de black folks sing for joy,
                         As dey neber sing afore.


                         "So shut your mouf as close as deafh,
                         And all you niggas hole your breafh,
                         And do de white folks brown!


                         "De black folks at de Norf am ris,
                         And dey am comin' down--
                         And coming down, I know dey is,
                         To do de white folks brown!
                         Dey'll turn ole Massa out to grass,
                         And set de niggas free,
                         And when dat day am come to pass
                         We'll all be dar to see!


                         "So shut your mouf as close as deafh
                         And all you niggas hole your breafh,
                         And I will tell you how.


                         "Den all de week will be as gay
                         As am de Chris'mas time;

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                         We'll dance all night and all de day,
                         And make de banjo chime,
                         And make de banjo chime, I tink,
                         And pass de time away,
                         Wid 'nuf to eat and 'nuf to drink,
                         And not a bit to pay!


                         "So shut your mouf as close as deafh,
                         And all you niggas hole your breafh,
                         And make de banjo chime."