to see her father about it, who interceded with Mammy so effectually that, when the little folks started off, Chris was with them.  When they got to the open space back of Aunt Nancy’s cabin, and which was called “de play-groun’,” they found that a bright fire of light-wood knots had been kindled to give a light, and a large pile of pine-knots and dried branches of trees was lying near for the purpose of keeping it up.  Aunt Nancy had a bench moved out of her cabin for “Marster’s chil’en” to sit on, while all of the little negroes squatted around on the ground to look on.  These games were confined to the young men and women, and the negro children were not allowed to participate.

Mammy, seeing that the children were safe and in good hands, repaired to “Sis Haly’s house,” where “de chu’ch membahs” had assembled for a prayer-meeting.

Soon after the children had taken their seats, the young folks came out on the playground for a game of Monkey Motions.

They all joined hands, and made a ring around one who stood in the middle, and then began to dance around in a circle, singing,

  “I ac’ monkey moshuns, too-re-loo;
   I ac’ monkey moshuns, so I do;
   I ac’ ’em well, an’ dat’s er fac’—­ I ac’ jes like dem monkeys
  ac’. 
  “I ac’ gemmun moshuns, too-re-loo;
   I ac’ gemmun moshuns, so I do;
   I ac’ ’em well, an’ dat’s er fac’—­ I ac’ jes like dem gemmums
  ac’. 
  “I ac’ lady moshuns, too-re-loo;
   I ac’ lady moshuns, so I do;
   I ac’ ’em well, an’ dat’s er fac’—­ I ac’ jes like dem ladies ac’. 
  “I ac’ chil’en moshuns, too-re-loo;
   I ac’ chil’en moshuns, so I do;
   I ac’ ’em well, an’ dat’s er fac’
   I ac’ jes like dem chil’ens ac’. 
  “I ac’ preacher moshuns, too-re-loo;
   I ac’ preacher moshuns, so I do;
   I ac’ ’em well, an’ dat’s er fac’—­ I ac’ jes like dem preachers
  ac’. 
  “I ac’ nigger moshuns, too-re-loo;
   I ac’ nigger moshuns, so I do;
   I ac’ ’em well, an’ dat’s er fac’—­ I ac’ jes like dem niggers
  ac’.”

The song had a lively air, and Jim picked the accompaniment on the banjo.  Many of the negroes had good voices, and the singing was indeed excellent.

While the dancers were singing the first verse, “I ac’ monkey moshuns,” the one in the middle would screw up his face and hump his shoulders in the most grotesque manner, to represent a monkey.

When they sang “I ac’ gemmun moshuns,” he would stick his hat on one side of his head, take a walking-cane in his hand, and strut back and forth, to represent a gentleman.

In the “lady moshuns,” he would take little mincing steps, and toss his head from side to side, and pretend to be fanning with his hand.

“I ac’ chil’en moshuns” was portrayed by his pouting out his lips and twirling his thumbs, or giggling or crying.

When they sang “I ac’ preacher moshuns,” he straightened himself back, and began to “lay off” his hands in the most extravagant gestures.