Old Josh, in: Old Bunker Bridge (1895))Episode Seven)) [2nd Series]

Old Josh, in:
Old Bunker Bridge (1895)
(Episode Seven)




(—Pamela Swiler, born 1847; was 19-years old when she met Charles Hightower, had three kids by 1880; at that time she was 43-years old. She lived in New Orleans. Charles used to see her a few times a year, and often would buy her whatever she wanted, and was very kind to her. At one time, he even hired someone to take naked pictures of her so he could have them on the plantation when he wanted to think about her, look at her.
She remained faithful to him (as a lover) all those years. She didn’t go to his funeral, it was his wish, he was a half century or older than her.
How much money he gave her is not known, but she owns a house in New Orleans, and it is paid for. Her house is not that far from Bourbon Street, Old Josh has seen it, on a few trips with Mr. Hightower, throughout the years, when He’d take Josh with him. It has a barn to the side of it also, and a stone wall around the house for safety. She has painted the wall and the house blue, Mr. Hightower’s special color. There has been a few occasions in which she has gone to Ozark, Alabama, when Mr. Hightower’s wife was visiting relatives in South Carolina to be with him, and once he took her to the Old Bunker Bridge, I say once, and only once. He took her down to Bunker Bridge, Old Josh remembers that day quite well. He told it so many times to Silas, his son, Silas made a poem out of it, and Old Josh has him read it to him, now and then, and today, yes, today is the day, that is exactly what Old Josh wants Silas to do—read it again, they are now under the Old Bunker Bridge. It is down by Goose Creek, it crosses over the creek which is not a big creek, and not a big bridge, made of stone, and you can climb down the embankment, up along side its bank, and rest under the thin old bridge, like they are doing now.)


The Poem


Bunker Bridge

Wid its old stonework
The old Bunker Bridge
Cover’ de ’ thin waters
An’ weeds and pines,
Rats and fireflies
In summer, dat roam
Under it arch
De moccasin and de rattl er
O dem slavery times…back in ‘66
Old pa Josh sees da marster
An’ de girl Pamla
And hooid de sound er snak’
Dang’ous wid de pizen
De moccasin an’ de rattle r
Under de Bunker Bridge
Wid de long tail,
He creep an’ hum de chime
An’ de Marster sees de convict
He hide an’ cry dey help
And Old pa Josh sees da marster
An’ marster gits help…

Old Marster Hightower
Dont know, de tales
And the spooks,
De outlaws
Under de old bunker Bridge

Crimeals gittin’ shackles off
But Old Josh sav him
For de time bein’,
He shoo a varmint—
“Sav by a ign’ant nigger”
Marster Hightower say.
Old Josh wild a mind
Like dat of a cat
“Which way to go,”
De varmint say
“Jes a fool nigger,”
Hightower whisper
I hears him…
But he gits a longer life
An’ old Josh gits food
Another day…
An’ he goes fishin’
Under Bunker Bridge!
An’ Hightower stay away!

#1684 2-7-2007