Part 91

2. Of all the crimes recorded Our histories do not tell Of a single crime more brutal, Or e'en a parallel. It was said by men of wisdom (?) "No knowledge shall they have, For if you educate a Negro You unfit him for a slave."

3. Fred Douglass' young mistress, Moved by a power divine, Determined she would let the rays Of knowledge on him shine, But her husband said, "'Twill never do, 'Twill his way to freedom pave, For if you educate a Negro You unfit him for a slave."

4. But there is no mortal being Who can the wheels of progress stay; An all-wise God intended He should see the light of day. God drew back the sable curtains That shut out wisdom's rays, He did give unto him knowledge And unfit him for a slave.

5. But God's works were not completed, For he had made decree, Since all men are born equal, Then all men shall be free. He removed the yoke of bondage, And unto him freedom gave; He did educate the Negro And unfit him for a slave.

6. When the Negro gained his freedom Of body and of soul, He caught the wheels of progress, Gave them another roll. He was held near three long centuries In slavery's dismal cave, But now he is educated And unfitted for a slave.

7. He's able to fill any place On this terrestrial ball, All the way from country teacher To the legislative hall. He has proved himself a hero, A soldier true and brave, And now he's educated And unfit to be a slave.

8. We have lawyers and we've doctors, Teachers and preachers brave, And a host of noble women, Who have safely crossed the wave. We are pressing on and upward, And for education crave, For it's written now in history, We shall never more be slaves.

TOPIC XXXIV.

A NEGRO IN IT.

BY MRS. LENA MASON.

1. In the last civil war, The white folks, they began it, But before it could close, The Negro had to be in it.

2. At the battle of San Juan hill, The rough-riders they began it; But before victory could be won The Negro had to be in it.

3. The Negro shot the Spaniard from the tree, And never did regret it; The rough-riders would have been dead to-day Had the Negro not been in it.

4. To Buffalo, McKinley went, To welcome people in it; The prayer was prayed, the speech made, The Negro, he was in it.

5. September sixth, in Music Hall, With thousands, thousands in it, McKinley fell, from the assassin's ball, And the Negro, he got in it.

6. He knocked the murderer to the floor, He struck his nose, the blood did flow; He held him fast, all nearby saw, When for the right, the Negro in it.

7. J. B. Parker is his name, He from the state of Georgia came; He worked in Buffalo, for his bread, And there he saw McKinley dead.

8. They bought his clothes for souvenirs, And may they ever tell it, That when the President was shot A brave Negro was in it.

9. He saved him from the third ball, That would have taken life with it; He held the foreigner fast and tight, The Negro sure was in it.

10. McKinley now in heaven rests, Where he will ne'er regret it; And well he knows, that in all his joys There was a Negro in it.

11. White man, stop lynching and burning This black race, trying to thin it, For if you go to heaven or hell You will find some Negroes in it.

12. Parker knocked the assassin down, And to beat him, he began it; In order to save the President's life, Yes, the Negro truly was in it.

13. You may try to shut the Negro out, The courts, they have begun it; But when we meet at the judgment bar God will tell you the Negro is in it.

14. Pay them to swear a lie in court, Both whites and blacks will do it; Truth will shine, to the end of time, And you will find the Negro in it.

TOPIC XXXV.

THE NEGRO'S ADVERSITIES HELP HIM.

BY PROF. JOSEPH D. BIBB, A. M.

PROF. JOSEPH D. BIBB, A. M.