In the early days of this country many immigrants came to our shores. These hard-working people had to struggle to earn a living, learn a new language, and know enough about their new homeland to gain citizenship. The citizen status was awarded by a federal magistrate who often tested the prospective Americans before swearing in the applicants.

This apocryphal story is told of one Luigi Dominico who appeared before the magistrate. He was very nervous about what might be asked of him for he had studied long and hard for this big day. The judge, after what seemed an awfully long time of staring at Luigi, finally asked the all-important question.

His voice seemed to boom out when he asked , "Who was George Washington ?" Luigi faltered and stammered for a moment and then smiled and stated the following:

Oh, Georgha da Wash, he gretta da man,

He makka no bluff, playa no granda stan’

Hees poppa geev him axe, say, "Leesten to me,

Go choppa weeth axe all theengs wot you see.

Choppa down theesa house, go choppa da barn,

Choppa down da pee-ann, I no geev a darn.

But Georgha, wan theeng, makka prom now to me,

You no choppa down thata neece cherry tree."

Poppa go way an’ he come home to sup,

He looka da tree - - - eet all choppa up!

And poppa so mad, he no talk - - - he justa hees.

He say, " Cussa dam, wotta Blackhan’ do thees?"

Now Georgha da Wash no shedda da tear,

An’ say, "Notta know, too bad I ho here,

Maybe bird chop eet down, maybe beeg honeybee";

Naw! Georgha da Wash, he jess say, "Eeta me!" (*)

Oh, Georgha da Wash, he fighta da war

An’ makka da Breetish to feel gooda sore.

Da Breetish say, "Georgha, you playa da game,

Keepa da rules for da war an’ no be ashame.

All summertime fight, een wintertime bes’

Ever’bodie go home an’ takka good res’.

Een winter da Hesh you musta no touch.

Now Georgha ,be good, lay offa da Dutch."

But Georgha he wait till da river all froze - - -

An’ thenna he hitta da Dutch on da nose.

Da Breetish get mad an’ makka da shout

An’ say, "Georgha, who lay all these Hessian boys out?"

 

Now Georgha da Wash mighta talk thees way,

"Mebbe drink mucha whiskey an’ getta too gay,

An’ shoota themselves, you waitta, I see."

Naw! Georgha da Wash, he jess say, "Eeta me!" (*)

(*) line accompanied by thumping fist on chest