The Bedford Gazette

Select Poetry.

DE COUNTERBAN'.

Go 'way, you common black man!
I'se cutting quite a figger.
Dont you see I'se a counterban'?
Go 'way you common nigger!

Oh! who wouldn't be a counterban',
And fill de lofty station;
Be de envy ob de white folks,
De pillar ob de nation.

Go 'way, you vulgar white man;
I keeos no common 'ciety.
I'se so bery 'clusive—
Go 'way, you ebery day variety.

Oh! who wouldn't be a counterban',
And fill de lofty station;
Be de envy ob de white folks,
De gemman ob de nation.

I hab de freedom ob de cities;
I'se de guest ob all de nation;
'Cause I'se so mig!ity popular
Wid dein, dey call de bobalition.

Oh! who wouldn't be a counterban',
And fill de lofty station;
Be de envy ob de white folks,
De pole-star ob de nation.

I dine wid ali de hifalutin';
I partake ob de collation,
Wid all de foreign functionaries,
And am bully ob de creation.

Oh! who wouldn't be a counterban'.
And fill de lofty station;
Be de envy ob de white folks,
De pet lamb ob de nation.

I attend at all de levees,
Whar de common folks are slighted;
Whar counterbans', and Senators,
Dey only am invited.

Oh! who wouldn't be a counterban'
And fill de lofty station;
Be de envy ob de white folks,
De mainstay ob de nation.

I'se de cynosure ob all dar eyes,—
De Congress, and de Presidential;
Golly! I feel as dough I'd bust,
I'se so full ob de consequential.

Oh! who wouldn't be a counterban',
And fill de lofty station;
Be de envy ob de white folks,
De loadstone ob de nation.

Dey's gwine to send me to de Russias
To represent the peoples;
I'll tell 'em all about do ho cake,
De blue-tail fiy, de trowsers and de steeples.

Oh! who wouldn't be a counterban',
And fill de lofty station;
Be de envy ob de white folks,
And represent de nation.

Dey's gwine to sond me up to Congress,
To bring ole massa in de traces;
Dey want's to elewate do white man,
By de 'malgamation ob de races.

Oh! who wouldn't be a counterban'
And fill de lofty station;
Be de envy ob de white folks,
And de leber ob de nation.