{"id":129,"date":"2021-06-16T10:05:47","date_gmt":"2021-06-16T14:05:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca\/claudemckay\/?post_type=chapter&p=129"},"modified":"2022-02-03T08:52:32","modified_gmt":"2022-02-03T13:52:32","slug":"two-an-six","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/claudemckay\/chapter\/two-an-six\/","title":{"raw":"Two-An'-Six","rendered":"Two-An’-Six"},"content":{"raw":"MERRY voices chatterin',\r\nNimble feet dem patterin',\r\nBig an' little, faces gay,\r\nHappy day dis market day.\r\n\r\nSateday![footnote]Saturday[\/footnote] de marnin' break,\r\nSoon, soon market-people wake;\r\nAn' de light shine from de moon\r\nWhile dem boy, wid pantaloon\r\nRoll up ober dem knee-pan,\r\n'Tep[footnote]Step[\/footnote] across de buccra lan'\r\nTo de pastur whe' de harse[footnote]Where the horse[\/footnote]\r\nFeed along wid de jackass,\r\nAn' de mule cant' in de track'[footnote]Canters in the track. A Jamaican pasture is seamed with tracks made by the animals in walking[\/footnote]\r\nWid him tail up in him back,\r\nAll de ketchin' to defy,\r\nNo ca' how[footnote]I don't care how; no matter how[\/footnote] dem boy might try.\r\n\r\nIn de early marnin' -tide,\r\nWhen de cocks crow on de hill\r\nAn' de stars are shinin' still,\r\nMirrie by de fireside\r\nHots[footnote]Warms[\/footnote] de coffee for de lads\r\nComin' ridin' on de pads\r\nT'rown across dem animul\r\nDonkey, harse too, an' de mule,\r\nWhich at last had come do'n cool.[footnote]Given up his skittishness[\/footnote]\r\nOn de bit dem hoI' dem full :\r\nRacin' ober pastur' lan',\r\nSee dem comin' ebery man,\r\nComin' fe de steamin' tea[footnote]Generic name for any non-alcoholic hot drink[\/footnote]\r\nOber hilly track an' lea.\r\n\r\nHard-wuk'd donkey on de road\r\nTrottin' wid him ushal[footnote]Usual, pronounced without the second 'u'[\/footnote] load, \u2014\r\nHamper[footnote]Panniers[\/footnote] pack' wi' yarn an' grain,\r\nSour-sop,[footnote]Anona muricate\u2014 a fruit[\/footnote] an' Gub'nor cane.[footnote]Governor cane; a yellow-striped sugar-cane[\/footnote]\r\n\r\nCous' Sun[footnote]Cousin James. Sun is the regular nickname for James[\/footnote] sits in hired dray,\r\nDrivin' 'long de market way\r\nWhole week grindin' sugar-cane\r\nT'rough de boilin' sun an' rain,\r\nNow, a'ter[footnote]After[\/footnote] de toilin' hard,\r\nHe goes seekin' his reward,\r\nWhile he's thinkin' in him min'\r\nOf de dear ones Ief' behin',\r\nOf de loved though ailin' wife,\r\nDarlin' treasure of his life,\r\nAn' de picknies, six in all,\r\nWhose 'nuff[footnote]Enough = many[\/footnote] burdens 'pon him fall:\r\n\r\nSeben[footnote]Seven[\/footnote] lovin' ones in need,\r\nSeben hungry mouths fe feed;\r\nOn deir wants he thinks alone,\r\nNeber dreamin' of his own,\r\nBut gwin' on wid joyful face\r\nTill him re'ch[footnote]Till he reaches[\/footnote] de market-place.\r\n\r\nSugar bears no price te-day,\r\nThough it is de mont' o' May,\r\nWhen de time is hellish hot,\r\nAn' de water-cocoanut[footnote]Immature cocoanut, the milk of which is a delicious drink[\/footnote]\r\nAn' de cane bebridge[footnote]Beverage[\/footnote] is nice,\r\nMix' up wid a lilly ice.[footnote]Mixed lip with a little ice[\/footnote]\r\nBig an' little, great an' small,\r\nAfou yam is all de call;[footnote]The variety of yam called \"ahfoo\" is the thing principally asked for by young and old[\/footnote]\r\nSugar tup an' gill[footnote]Tup (twopence of the old Jamaica coinage) is 1 1\/2d : gill, 3\/4d. So \"tup and gill\" is 2 1\/4d[\/footnote] a quart,\r\nYet de people hab de heart\r\nWantin' brater[footnote]Insist on having 'brahter,' a little extra on top of (over) the quart[\/footnote] top o' i',\r\nWant de sweatin' higgler fe\r\nRam de pan an' pile i' up,\r\nYet sell i' fe so-so tup.[footnote]Sell it for a bare tup[\/footnote]\r\n\r\nCousin Sun is lookin' sad,\r\nAs de market is so bad;\r\n'Pon him han' him res' him chin,\r\nQuietly sit do'o thinkin'\r\nOf de loved wife sick in bed,\r\nAn' de children to be fed--\r\nWhat de labourers would say\r\nWhen dem know him couldn' pay;\r\nAlso what about de mill\r\nWhe' him hire[footnote]Which he hires, or hired[\/footnote] from ole Bill;\r\nSo him think, an' think on so,\r\nTill him t'oughts no more could go.\r\n\r\nThen he got up an' began\r\nPickin' up him sugar-pan:[footnote]His sugar pans (tins)[\/footnote]\r\nIn his ears rang t'rough de din\r\n\"Only two-an'-six a tin!\"\r\nWhat a tale he'd got to tell,\r\nHow bad, bad de sugar sell!\r\n\r\nTekin' out de lee amount,\r\nHim set do'n an' begin count;\r\nAll de time him min' deh doubt[footnote]His mind is doubting[\/footnote]\r\nHow expenses would pay out;\r\nAh, it gnawed him like de ticks,\r\nSugar sell fe two-an'-six!\r\n\r\nSo he journeys on de way,\r\nFeelin' sad dis market day;\r\nNo e'en buy[footnote]Doesn't even buy[\/footnote] a little cake\r\nTo gi'e baby when she wake, --\r\nPassin' 'long de candy-shop\r\n'Douten eben mek a stop\r\nTo buy drops fe las'y[footnote]Lasty (Iahsty), pet name for the Benjamin of a family[\/footnote] son,\r\nFor de lilly cash nea' done.\r\nSo him re'ch him own a groun',\r\nAn' de children scamper roun',\r\nEach one stretchin' out him han',\r\nLookin' to de poor sad man.\r\n\r\nOh, how much he felt de blow,\r\nAs he watched dem face fall low,\r\nWhen dem wait an' nuttin' came\r\nAn' drew back deir han's wid shame!\r\nBut de sick wife kissed his brow:\r\n\"Sun, don't get down-hearted now;\r\nEf we only pay expense\r\nWe mus' wuk we common-sense,\r\nCut an' carve, an' carve an' cut,\r\nMek gill sarbe fe quattiewut';[footnote]Make 3\/4d. serve for quattieworth, 1 1\/2d[\/footnote]\r\nWe mus' try mek two ends meet\r\nNeber mind how hard be it.\r\nWe won't mind de haul an' pull,\r\nWhile dem pickny belly full.\"[footnote]If only the children have enough to eat[\/footnote]\r\n\r\nAn' de shadow lef' him face,\r\nAn' him felt an inward peace,\r\nAs he blessed his better part\r\nFor her sweet an' gentle heart :\r\n\"Dear one 0' my heart, my breat',\r\nWon't I lub you to de deat'?\r\nWhen my heart is weak an' sad,\r\nWho but you can mek it glad?\"\r\n\r\nSo dey kissed an' kissed again,\r\nAn' deir t'oughts were not on pain,\r\nBut was 'way down in de sout'\r\nWhere dey'd wedded in deir yout',\r\nIn de marnin' of deir life\r\nFree from all de grief an' strife,\r\nHappy in de marnin' light,\r\nNever thinkin' of de night.\r\n\r\nSo dey k'lated[footnote]After all the business was fixed, i.e., when the accounts were made up[\/footnote] eberyt'ing;\r\nAn' de profit it could bring,\r\nA'ter all de business fix',\r\nWas a princely two-an'-six.","rendered":"

MERRY voices chatterin’,
\nNimble feet dem patterin’,
\nBig an’ little, faces gay,
\nHappy day dis market day.<\/p>\n

Sateday![1]<\/sup><\/a> de marnin’ break,
\nSoon, soon market-people wake;
\nAn’ de light shine from de moon
\nWhile dem boy, wid pantaloon
\nRoll up ober dem knee-pan,
\n‘Tep[2]<\/sup><\/a> across de buccra lan’
\nTo de pastur whe’ de harse[3]<\/sup><\/a>
\nFeed along wid de jackass,
\nAn’ de mule cant’ in de track’[4]<\/sup><\/a>
\nWid him tail up in him back,
\nAll de ketchin’ to defy,
\nNo ca’ how[5]<\/sup><\/a> dem boy might try.<\/p>\n

In de early marnin’ -tide,
\nWhen de cocks crow on de hill
\nAn’ de stars are shinin’ still,
\nMirrie by de fireside
\nHots[6]<\/sup><\/a> de coffee for de lads
\nComin’ ridin’ on de pads
\nT’rown across dem animul
\nDonkey, harse too, an’ de mule,
\nWhich at last had come do’n cool.[7]<\/sup><\/a>
\nOn de bit dem hoI’ dem full :
\nRacin’ ober pastur’ lan’,
\nSee dem comin’ ebery man,
\nComin’ fe de steamin’ tea[8]<\/sup><\/a>
\nOber hilly track an’ lea.<\/p>\n

Hard-wuk’d donkey on de road
\nTrottin’ wid him ushal[9]<\/sup><\/a> load, \u2014
\nHamper[10]<\/sup><\/a> pack’ wi’ yarn an’ grain,
\nSour-sop,[11]<\/sup><\/a> an’ Gub’nor cane.[12]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Cous’ Sun[13]<\/sup><\/a> sits in hired dray,
\nDrivin’ ‘long de market way
\nWhole week grindin’ sugar-cane
\nT’rough de boilin’ sun an’ rain,
\nNow, a’ter[14]<\/sup><\/a> de toilin’ hard,
\nHe goes seekin’ his reward,
\nWhile he’s thinkin’ in him min’
\nOf de dear ones Ief’ behin’,
\nOf de loved though ailin’ wife,
\nDarlin’ treasure of his life,
\nAn’ de picknies, six in all,
\nWhose ’nuff[15]<\/sup><\/a> burdens ‘pon him fall:<\/p>\n

Seben[16]<\/sup><\/a> lovin’ ones in need,
\nSeben hungry mouths fe feed;
\nOn deir wants he thinks alone,
\nNeber dreamin’ of his own,
\nBut gwin’ on wid joyful face
\nTill him re’ch[17]<\/sup><\/a> de market-place.<\/p>\n

Sugar bears no price te-day,
\nThough it is de mont’ o’ May,
\nWhen de time is hellish hot,
\nAn’ de water-cocoanut[18]<\/sup><\/a>
\nAn’ de cane bebridge[19]<\/sup><\/a> is nice,
\nMix’ up wid a lilly ice.[20]<\/sup><\/a>
\nBig an’ little, great an’ small,
\nAfou yam is all de call;[21]<\/sup><\/a>
\nSugar tup an’ gill[22]<\/sup><\/a> a quart,
\nYet de people hab de heart
\nWantin’ brater[23]<\/sup><\/a> top o’ i’,
\nWant de sweatin’ higgler fe
\nRam de pan an’ pile i’ up,
\nYet sell i’ fe so-so tup.[24]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Cousin Sun is lookin’ sad,
\nAs de market is so bad;
\n‘Pon him han’ him res’ him chin,
\nQuietly sit do’o thinkin’
\nOf de loved wife sick in bed,
\nAn’ de children to be fed–
\nWhat de labourers would say
\nWhen dem know him couldn’ pay;
\nAlso what about de mill
\nWhe’ him hire[25]<\/sup><\/a> from ole Bill;
\nSo him think, an’ think on so,
\nTill him t’oughts no more could go.<\/p>\n

Then he got up an’ began
\nPickin’ up him sugar-pan:[26]<\/sup><\/a>
\nIn his ears rang t’rough de din
\n“Only two-an’-six a tin!”
\nWhat a tale he’d got to tell,
\nHow bad, bad de sugar sell!<\/p>\n

Tekin’ out de lee amount,
\nHim set do’n an’ begin count;
\nAll de time him min’ deh doubt[27]<\/sup><\/a>
\nHow expenses would pay out;
\nAh, it gnawed him like de ticks,
\nSugar sell fe two-an’-six!<\/p>\n

So he journeys on de way,
\nFeelin’ sad dis market day;
\nNo e’en buy[28]<\/sup><\/a> a little cake
\nTo gi’e baby when she wake, —
\nPassin’ ‘long de candy-shop
\n‘Douten eben mek a stop
\nTo buy drops fe las’y[29]<\/sup><\/a> son,
\nFor de lilly cash nea’ done.
\nSo him re’ch him own a groun’,
\nAn’ de children scamper roun’,
\nEach one stretchin’ out him han’,
\nLookin’ to de poor sad man.<\/p>\n

Oh, how much he felt de blow,
\nAs he watched dem face fall low,
\nWhen dem wait an’ nuttin’ came
\nAn’ drew back deir han’s wid shame!
\nBut de sick wife kissed his brow:
\n“Sun, don’t get down-hearted now;
\nEf we only pay expense
\nWe mus’ wuk we common-sense,
\nCut an’ carve, an’ carve an’ cut,
\nMek gill sarbe fe quattiewut’;[30]<\/sup><\/a>
\nWe mus’ try mek two ends meet
\nNeber mind how hard be it.
\nWe won’t mind de haul an’ pull,
\nWhile dem pickny belly full.”[31]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

An’ de shadow lef’ him face,
\nAn’ him felt an inward peace,
\nAs he blessed his better part
\nFor her sweet an’ gentle heart :
\n“Dear one 0′ my heart, my breat’,
\nWon’t I lub you to de deat’?
\nWhen my heart is weak an’ sad,
\nWho but you can mek it glad?”<\/p>\n

So dey kissed an’ kissed again,
\nAn’ deir t’oughts were not on pain,
\nBut was ‘way down in de sout’
\nWhere dey’d wedded in deir yout’,
\nIn de marnin’ of deir life
\nFree from all de grief an’ strife,
\nHappy in de marnin’ light,
\nNever thinkin’ of de night.<\/p>\n

So dey k’lated[32]<\/sup><\/a> eberyt’ing;
\nAn’ de profit it could bring,
\nA’ter all de business fix’,
\nWas a princely two-an’-six.<\/p>\n

  1. Saturday ↵<\/a><\/li>
  2. Step ↵<\/a><\/li>
  3. Where the horse ↵<\/a><\/li>
  4. Canters in the track. A Jamaican pasture is seamed with tracks made by the animals in walking ↵<\/a><\/li>
  5. I don't care how; no matter how ↵<\/a><\/li>
  6. Warms ↵<\/a><\/li>
  7. Given up his skittishness ↵<\/a><\/li>
  8. Generic name for any non-alcoholic hot drink ↵<\/a><\/li>
  9. Usual, pronounced without the second 'u' ↵<\/a><\/li>
  10. Panniers ↵<\/a><\/li>
  11. Anona muricate\u2014 a fruit ↵<\/a><\/li>
  12. Governor cane; a yellow-striped sugar-cane ↵<\/a><\/li>
  13. Cousin James. Sun is the regular nickname for James ↵<\/a><\/li>
  14. After ↵<\/a><\/li>
  15. Enough = many ↵<\/a><\/li>
  16. Seven ↵<\/a><\/li>
  17. Till he reaches ↵<\/a><\/li>
  18. Immature cocoanut, the milk of which is a delicious drink ↵<\/a><\/li>
  19. Beverage ↵<\/a><\/li>
  20. Mixed lip with a little ice ↵<\/a><\/li>
  21. The variety of yam called \"ahfoo\" is the thing principally asked for by young and old ↵<\/a><\/li>
  22. Tup (twopence of the old Jamaica coinage) is 1 1\/2d : gill, 3\/4d. So \"tup and gill\" is 2 1\/4d ↵<\/a><\/li>
  23. Insist on having 'brahter,' a little extra on top of (over) the quart ↵<\/a><\/li>
  24. Sell it for a bare tup ↵<\/a><\/li>
  25. Which he hires, or hired ↵<\/a><\/li>
  26. His sugar pans (tins) ↵<\/a><\/li>
  27. His mind is doubting ↵<\/a><\/li>
  28. Doesn't even buy ↵<\/a><\/li>
  29. Lasty (Iahsty), pet name for the Benjamin of a family ↵<\/a><\/li>
  30. Make 3\/4d. serve for quattieworth, 1 1\/2d ↵<\/a><\/li>
  31. If only the children have enough to eat ↵<\/a><\/li>
  32. After all the business was fixed, i.e., when the accounts were made up ↵<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>","protected":false},"author":251,"menu_order":33,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[48],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-129","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry","chapter-type-numberless"],"part":3,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/claudemckay\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/129","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/claudemckay\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/claudemckay\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/claudemckay\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/251"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/claudemckay\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/129\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":131,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/claudemckay\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/129\/revisions\/131"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/claudemckay\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/3"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/claudemckay\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/129\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/claudemckay\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=129"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/claudemckay\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=129"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/claudemckay\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=129"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/claudemckay\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=129"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}