An": As I went up de new cut road, An" she go down de lane; Den I thought I heared somebody say: "Good-bye, ole Lize Jane!"
Well: Jes git "long, Lizie, my true love.
Git "long, Miss Lizie Jane.
Perhaps you"ll [34]sack "Ole Sour Bill"
An" git choked on "Sugar Cain."
[34] Sack = To reject as a lover.
COURTSHIP RHYME SECTION
ANTEBELLUM COURTSHIP INQUIRY
(He) Is you a flyin" lark or a settin" dove?
(She) I"se a flyin" lark, my honey Love.
(He) Is you a bird o" one fedder, or a bird o" two?
(She) I"se a bird o" one fedder, w"en it comes to you.
(He) Den, Mam: I has desire, an" quick temptation, To jine my fence to yo" plantation.
INVITED TO TAKE THE ESCORT"S ARM
Miss, does you lak strawberries?
____*____*____*____*____*____ Den hang on de vine.
____*____*____*____*____*____ Miss, does you lak chicken?
____*____*____*____*____*____ Den have a wing dis time.
SPARKING OR COURTING
I"se heaps older dan three.
I"se heaps thicker dan barks; An" de older I gits, De mo" harder I sparks.
I sparks fast an" hard, For I"se feared I mought fail.
Dough I"se gittin" ole, I don"t co"t lak no snail.
A CLANDESTINE LETTER
Kind Miss: If I sent you a letter, By de crickets, Through de thickets, How"d you answer better?
Kind Suh: I"d sen" you a letter, By de mole, Not to be tol"; Fer dat"s mo" secretter.
ANTEBELLUM MARRIAGE PROPOSAL
(_A proposal of marriage with the answer deferred_)
(He) De ocean, it"s wide; de sea, it"s deep.
Yes, in yo" arms I begs to sleep, Not fer one time, not fer three; But long as we-uns can agree.
(She) Please gimme time, Suh, to "reponder;"
Please gimme time to "gargalize;"
Den "haps I"ll tu"n to "cattlegog,"
An" answer up "greeable fer a s"prise.
IF YOU FROWN
If you frowns, an" I frowns, W"en we goes out togedder; Den all de t"other folks aroun"
Will say: "De rain is fallin" down Right in de sunshine wedder!"
"LET"S MARRY" COURTSHIP
(_A proposal of marriage, with a provisional acceptance_)
(He) Oh Miss Lizie, how I loves you!
My life"s jes los" if you hain"t true.
If you loves me lak I loves you, No knife cain"t cut our love in two.
(She) Grapevine warp, an" cornstalk fillin"; I"ll marry you if mammy an" daddy"s willin".
(He) Rabbit hop an" long dog trot!
Let"s git married if dey say "not."
COURTSHIP
(_A proposal of marriage with its acceptance_)
Kind Miss: I"se on de stage o" action, Pleadin" hard fer satisfaction, Pleadin" "fore de time-thief late; Darfore, Ma"m, now, [35]"cravenate."
If I brung to you a gyarment; To be cut widout scissors, An" to be sewed widout thread; How (I ax you) would you make it, Widout de needle sewin"
An" widout de cloth spread?
Kind Suh: I"d make dat gyarment Wid love from my heart, Wid tears on yo" head; We never would part.
[35] Cravenate = consider.
I WALKED THE ROADS
Well: I walked de roads, till de roads git muddy.
I talked to dat pretty gal, till I couldn" stan" study.