University of Virginia Library

Search this document 

expand section 
expand section 
expand section 
expand section 
expand section 
expand section 
expand section 
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The Suitor
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


325

The Suitor

Miss Marfy sco'n young Issac so,
He swaih he sholy die;
He stan' befo huh cabin do',
An' hol' his hea't an' sigh.
Oh, swing yo' lady roun' and roun',
An' grant huh gent'man's grace;
Fu' dey's a smile behine de frown
On evah lady's face.
Miss Marfy cas' huh mantle down;
Young Issac tek it up.
De smile hit chase erway huh frown;
She ax him in to sup.
Miss Marfy drap huh han'kerchuh;
Young Issac pick it up.
He say he didn't need wid huh
No sugah in his cup.
Miss Marfy talk; young Issac smile,
An' mos' fu'git to eat,
An' kind o' back'ard aftahw'ile
He daihed to call huh sweet.
Young Issac ain't a-sighin' now,
He swaihs he nevah did;
He lookin' fu' a' o'ange bough
To deck Miss Marfy wid.
Oh, swing yo' lady roun' an' roun',
An' grant huh gent'man's grace;
Fu' dey's a smile behine de frown
On evah lady's face.
Mebbe some one comes to jine you;
Well, dat's good, but not de bes',
Less'n dat you's kind o' lonesome,
Er ain't honin' fu' de res'.
Den you wants to tell a sto'y,
Er you wants to hyeah de news

326

Kind o' hald tol', while you's stealin'
Ev'y now an' den a snooze.
W'en you's tiahed out a-hoein',
Er a-followin' de plow,
Whut's de use of des a-fallin'
On yo' pallet lak a cow?
W'y, de fun is all in waitin'
In de face of all de tiah,
An' a-dozin' an' a-drowsin'
By a good ol' hick'ry fiah.
[_]

Century Magazine 63 (November 1901): 22.