Old Josh, in: A Prayer for Old Josh (1905)) Last Episode))

Old Josh, in:
A Prayer for Old Josh (1905)
(Last Episode)


(Old Josh died, just like that, simple, perhaps too simple. He was sick in bed, his body weak (the summer of 1905), he told his son, “I is sick, an’ I dont wants to live like dis, lits me die, I’m ready…” and he closed his eyes, went to sleep for three days, and when Jordan came to see how he was doing, on the first day of July, he was dead. Jordan called Silas from the barn, and Silas was mad, asked Jordan, “Wuy’s yu wait so long to tells me me pa’s dead? (angry with a tear in his eye).” Jordan looked up at Silas (leanng against the windowsill, near the bed, over looking, down upon his father’s frame, said calmly, “He only die five minutes ago…!” Then they had his funeral, and a few prayers were said, and I suppose a few harps in heaven were sounding :)


At The funeral



Silas: I hear de harps of God,
I Hear de voice er Jesus
Ringing, I hear de ringing
Singing, I hear de singing
Come, my brother,
Come see you’ mother
(Angels’ hands held out)
An’ dere he sees de throne,
An’ de Chillun playing below

(Silas hesitates, gets his composure, and goes on to his second poetic song, a prayer in essence:)


When me ole pa Josh come to die
Wes all so worry ‘bout de condition
He been a talkin’ man, he wuz
He luve to fight Lurd, I knows
But he a quite man at night
When he in his big armchair
Oh, Lord dey ain’t nothin’ all to his talk
He fuss ‘bout nothin’ all day long
Luh he like de donkey, and de fox
An’d de little squirrel who luves to talk
But he ok, he raise us boys fair
Ole Marster Hightower luvs him too
(wuy ever he be)
So please take des little prayer
Dere aint nothin’ de matter wid his
Luve for you…I done axe You—
Here me Lord! Hear me! Amen!



Jordan: wut yu-all thinkin’ he doin’ up yonder now Silas?
Silas: I supposen he a talkin’ to de angels ‘bout yus and me, brother!



2-13-2007