[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 y[=o]' 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 m[=o]' 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 t[=o]l';
Fer dat's m[=o]' 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 y[=o]' 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 prop