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18
JOSHUA'S COURTSHIP.
A NEW ENGLAND BALLAD.
Stout Joshua was a farmer's son,
And a pondering he sat
One night, when the faggots crackling burn'd,
And purr'd the tabby cat.
And a pondering he sat
One night, when the faggots crackling burn'd,
And purr'd the tabby cat.
Joshua was a well-grown youth,
As one might plainly see
By the sleeves that vainly tried to reach
His hands upon his knee.
As one might plainly see
By the sleeves that vainly tried to reach
His hands upon his knee.
His splay-feet stood all parrot-toed
In cow-hide shoes array'd,
And his hair seem'd cut across his brow
By rule and plummet laid.
In cow-hide shoes array'd,
And his hair seem'd cut across his brow
By rule and plummet laid.
And what was Joshua pondering on,
With his widely staring eyes,
And his nostrils opening sensibly
To ease his frequent sighs?
With his widely staring eyes,
And his nostrils opening sensibly
To ease his frequent sighs?
19
Not often will a lover's lips
The tender secret tell,
But out he spoke, before he thought,
“My gracious! Nancy Bell!”
The tender secret tell,
But out he spoke, before he thought,
“My gracious! Nancy Bell!”
His mother at her spinning-wheel
Good woman stood and spun,
“And what,” says she, “is come o'er you,
Is 't airnest or is't fun?”
Good woman stood and spun,
“And what,” says she, “is come o'er you,
Is 't airnest or is't fun?”
Then Joshua gave a cunning look,
Half bashful and half sporting,
“Now what did father do,” says he,
“When first he came a courting?”
Half bashful and half sporting,
“Now what did father do,” says he,
“When first he came a courting?”
“Why Josh, the first thing that he did,”
With a knowing wink said she,
“He dress'd up of a Sunday night,
And cast sheep's eyes at me.”
With a knowing wink said she,
“He dress'd up of a Sunday night,
And cast sheep's eyes at me.”
Josh said no more, but straight went out
And sought a butcher's pen,
Where twelve fat sheep, for market bound,
Had lately slaughtered been.
And sought a butcher's pen,
Where twelve fat sheep, for market bound,
Had lately slaughtered been.
20
He bargain'd with a lover's zeal,
Obtain'd the wish'd for prize,
And fill'd his pockets fore and aft
With twice twelve bloody eyes.
Obtain'd the wish'd for prize,
And fill'd his pockets fore and aft
With twice twelve bloody eyes.
The next night was the happy time
When all New England sparks,
Drest in their best, go out to court
As spruce and gay as larks.
When all New England sparks,
Drest in their best, go out to court
As spruce and gay as larks.
When floors are nicely sanded o'er,
When tins and pewter shine,
And milk-pans by the kitchen wall
Display their dainty line;
When tins and pewter shine,
And milk-pans by the kitchen wall
Display their dainty line;
While the new ribbon decks the waist
Of many a waiting lass,
Who steals a conscious look of pride
Toward her answering glass.
Of many a waiting lass,
Who steals a conscious look of pride
Toward her answering glass.
In pensive mood sat Nancy Bell;
Of Joshua thought not she,
But of a hearty sailor lad
Across the distant sea.
Of Joshua thought not she,
But of a hearty sailor lad
Across the distant sea.
21
Her arm upon the table rests,
Her hand supports her head,
When Joshua enters with a scrape,
And somewhat bashful tread.
Her hand supports her head,
When Joshua enters with a scrape,
And somewhat bashful tread.
No word he spake, but down he sat
And heav'd a doleful sigh,
Then at the table took his aim
And roll'd a glassy eye.
And heav'd a doleful sigh,
Then at the table took his aim
And roll'd a glassy eye.
Another and another flew
With quick and strong rebound,
They tumbled in poor Nancy's lap,
They fell upon the ground.
With quick and strong rebound,
They tumbled in poor Nancy's lap,
They fell upon the ground.
While Joshua smirk'd, and sigh'd, and smil'd
Between each tender aim,
And still the cold and bloody balls
In frightful quickness came.
Between each tender aim,
And still the cold and bloody balls
In frightful quickness came.
Until poor Nancy flew with screams
To shun the amorous sport,
And Joshua found to cast sheeps' eyes
Was not the way to court.
To shun the amorous sport,
And Joshua found to cast sheeps' eyes
Was not the way to court.
1832.
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