Minor Groups- Moral Themes
B. Moral Themes
79. Patient Jo 174
80. The Poor Man 176
81. The Sweeper 178
82. The Temperance Ship * 179
B. Moral Themes
Two or three of these four numbers are English. "Patient Joe," perhaps learned from a Sunday-school book of 1849, has
15 stanzas about an English miner. "The Poor Man" is a
dialogue between a virtuous poor man and a generous noble.
"The Sweeper," on the subject of death, the leveler, satirizes
four professions, all of which could be either English or Amer-
ican: statesman, lawyer, parson, doctor. "The Temperance
Ship," which seems to be connected with the Washington
176 A Pioneer Songster
temperance movement started in 1840, is certainly American; it
has the rhythm of a popular early minstrel song, "Old Dan
Tucker," which was published in 1842.
jp. Patient Jo
This story of an infinitely patient man dramatically rewarded was
supposed to be morally enlightening. Jackson reprints the verses
from The Child's Book of Ballads, which was published by the
American Sunday-School Union in 1 849. The Douglass version lacks
stanzas 3, 4, and 8 of Jackson and has other minor variations.
Patient Jo
1 . Have you heard of the collier of honest renown
Who dwelt on the borders of New Castle town
His name it was Joseps [Joseph] you better may know
When I tell you he was always called patient Jo
2 . Whatever betied him he thought it was right
And providence still he kept ever in sight
To those who love god let things turn as they would
He was certain that all worked together for good
3. If the land was afflicted with war he declared
T'was a needful correction for the sins which he shared
But when merciful heaven bid slaughter to cease
How thankful was Josept for the blessings of peace
4. Though his wife was but sickly his gettings but small
A mind so submissive prepared him for all
He lived on his gaines were they greater or less
But the giver he ceased not each moment to bless
5. When taxes ran high and provisions were dear
Still Joseph declared he had nothing to fear
That when rich and when poor he alike understood
That all things together were working for good
6. It was Josephs ill fortune to work in a pit
With some who beleived that profaneness was wit
When disaster befell him much pleasure they showed
And laughfed and said Joseph will this work for good
Minor Groups — English and American 177
7. But ever when these would profanely advance
That this happened by luck and that happened by chance
Still Joseph insisted no chance could be found
Not a sparrow by accident falls to the ground
8. Among his companions that worked in the pit
And made him the but of their profligate wit
Was idle tim jinkins who drank and who gamed
Who mocked at the bible and was not ashamed
9. One time at the pit his comrads he found
They chatted prepareing to go under ground
Tim Jinkins as usual was turning to jest
Jos notion that all things which happened were best
10. Whilst jo on the ground had unthinkingly laid
His prvisions for dinner of bacon and bread
A dog on his w r atch seized the bread and the meat
And off with his prey ran with footsteps so fleet
11. Now to see the delight that tim Jenkins expresed
Is the loss of thy dinner to Jo for the best
I have no doubt of it says Joseph but as i must eat
Its my duty to try to recover my meat
12. So saying he followed the dog a long round
Whilst tim Jenkins lauging and swearing went down under
ground
Poor jo soon returned though his bacon was lost
For the dog he a good dinner had made at his cost
13. When Joseph came back he expested a sneer
But the face of each colier [spoke] horrow and fear
What a narrow escape hast thou had they all said
The pit has fallen in and tim Jenkins is dead
14. How sincere was the gratitude Joseph expressed
How warm the compassions that glowed in his breast
Thus evenst great and small if awright understood
Will be found to be working to gether for good
15. When my meal Joseph cried was first stolen away
And i had no prospect of eating to day
178 A Pioneer Songster
How could it appear to a short sighted sinner
That my life would be saved by the loss of my dinner
80. The Poor Man
The Journal of the Folk-Song Society (I [1883], 79) gives a tune
for this song and mentions the publication in Johnson's Scots Mu-
sical Museum (1792) of a version and tune contributed by Robert
Burns. That melody was considered much like "There'll Never Be
Peace Till Jamie Comes Home." A long broadside in the Roxburgh
collection names the tune "The Two English Travellers."
The third line's repeating or echoing the second line in stanzas 1,
2, 3, 5, and 6 is unusual, repetition probably taking the place of for-
gotten lines. Although the wording and details of the several versions
vary greatly, the poor man's work and his companionship with his
family remain in all. The Douglass version is much like the Flanders
one except for the interchanging of stanzas 2 and 3 and the inclu-
sion in Flanders of a stanza about the dinner. Gardner's "The Jolly
Thresherman," Brown's "The Thresherman," and another song in
Flanders called "The Labourer," which was "copied literatim from
the Green Mountain Songster," start with an explanation of the way
the nobleman happened to the meet the poor man, whereas the
Douglass version begins with the nobleman's question. The ring as
a token of favor and the dinner at which the land is given do not ap-
pear in Gardner, Flanders, or Brown.
The Poor Man
1 . Come poor man come poor man come tell unto me true
How you maintain your family and how you get then tho' [them
through]
How you maintain your family the most of them are small
You've nothing but your labor to maintain them all
2. Theres hedging there ditching theres nothing but what i can do
Theres nothing comes amiss to mee i harrow and i plow
Theres nothing comes amiss to me i harrow and i plow
So i maintain my family by the sweating of my brow
3. When i get up in the morning im always in good cheer
With a flail in one hand and the other a bottle of beer
Minor Groups — English and American 179
With a flail in one hand and the other a bottle of beer
And i do live as happy as those thats thousands a year
4. When i go home at knight my wife receiveth me
I take my youngest child and i dangle it on my knee
The older ones come running round they make a prattling noise
And that is all the comfort a poor man enjoys
5. My wife and i are honest a though we be poor
Weve lived like lambs togater this ten long years or more
Weve lived like lambs togather this ten long years or more
And we can feed the beggar that comes to our door
6. A noble man hearing what this poor man did say
He invited him to dine with him the very next day
He invited him his wife and his children all to bring
In token of favor he gave him a ring
7. So early the next morning this poor man arose
He dressed his children up in the finest of their clothes
This poor man his wife and his seven children small
They all went to dine in this noble mans hall
8. T'was then after dinner he soon did let him know
What into this poor mans hands he had for to bestow
T'was forty or fifty good acres of his land
He gave him in writing and signed his own hand
9. Saying on this you may live happy all of your life
Therefore i do entreat you be kind unto your wife
Be kind unto your wife and children all around
Theres few such noble men to be found
Si. The Sweeper
This song has not been identified. BrotvJi mentions the fact that
satiric ballads were "not infrequent in the heyday of printed bal-
ladry, the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries" and prints two,
"Hard Times" and "The Dodgers," which satirize different occupa-
tions as "The Sweeper" does. The reference to Washington would
support the idea that this is an early American song.
180 A Fioneer Songster
The Sweeper
i. Though I sweep too and fro old iron to find
Brass pins rusty nails they are all to my mind
Though I wear a sound head unto George Washington
Though I ragged and poor with a clear concience i sing
Chorus Though i sweep to and fro i will have you to know
There are sweepers in high spirits as well as in tow
[low]
2. Theres the states man he sweeps but what is it for
His own coffers to fill both in peace and in war
Though the action be dirty he cares not a straw
If he gets but the money the rebess [rebels? ] may jaw
though i sweep &c.
3. The lawyer sweeps money out of his ctients purse
And he makes him hes never the worse
What we gain by our own craft we'll endeavor to conceal
Weel gain more the next court come let us appeal
though i sweep &c
4. Theres the parson he tells you you never should g[o]
To hear a man preach what he will not stand to
He will load you precepts disdainfull of weatth [wealth]
While under his gown he is still sweeping of pelth [pelf]
though i sweep &c
5. One sweeps you from this life i cannot tell Where
Or whither you go to the doctor dont care
He will bring in his bill your long purse for to breath [broach?]
And he laughs in his sleeve while he rides in his coach
though i sweep &c
6. But honesty is best in what station we were
For the grand sweeper death we must soon all prepare
Theres your statesman your parson your physic and your law
When death takes a sweep youre no more than a straw
though i sweep &c
82. The Temperance Ship
The Washingtonian temperance movement, according to A. B.
Grosh's Washingtonian Pocket Companion (4th ed., Utica, N.Y.,
1845), was started in Baltimore on April 5, 1840, by six men who had
Minor Groups — English and American
i»i
been drunkards themselves. The organization was not sponsored by
any religious or political group but was based simply on the idea of
mutual helpfulness among fellow sufferers. The fact that the Com-
panion had a second edition of five thousand copies and a third edi-
tion of ten thousand within such a short time indicates the demand
for these songs.
Although "The Temperance Ship" is not given in the Companion,
its reference to Washingtonians relates it to that group of songs, and
the mention of the ship's having "sailed four years ore more" makes
1844 the earliest possible date for it; possibly it was composed after
publication of the Companion. "Julia S Stevens" is written twice
across the side of the paper on which this song is written but in dif-
ferent ink.
[The Temperance Ship]
1 . The Temperance ship is now afloat
She is called by all a splended boat
With washingtonians we will man her
And on her raise the temperance banner
Huzza weel raise the temperance banner
Huzza weel raise the temperance banner
Huzza weel raise the temperance banner
From the old bay state to indiana
2. Behold her riding on the gale
The wind is filling every sail
The crew are shouting loud hosanna
And proudly waves the temperance banner
Huzza well raise &c
3. This ship has sailed four years ore more
Sehe neer was beached nor ran a shore
The worst of storms she has out braved
And Hosts of deathless drunkards saved
Huzza well raise &c
4. Come join us then ye old and young
Our banner to the breeze is flung
We want your help to sing this song
And help the temperance ship along
Huzza well raise &c
5. The temperance men are turning out
And well they know what they are about
This temperance song now before us
Here the song and here the chorus