Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-05-26
a Western Courtship.

Well, you see, arte- the poker scrape,
ne and Sal got along middlin' well for
some time, till made up my mind to fetch
things to a he'd, for I loved her harder and
harder every day, and [ had an idee that
she had a sorter sncaking kindness for me;
bow to dew the thing up right, pestered
me orful. | got some love books and red
how fellers got down on their marrow bones
and talked like parrots. and the gals they
would 60 inter a sort of trance, and then
how they would gently fall into the feller's
arms, but ONE how that way didn't suit
my notion. [ asked marin how dad courted
her, but she said it had been SO long that
she'd forgot all about it. (Unkle Joe alters
says marin done all the courtin.' y At last
| made up my mind to go it bliud, for this
thing was fairly consuming my innerds.-
So | oes over to her daddy's, and when I
got there | sot like a fool, thinking how I
should begin. Sal she said sumthing was
a troublin' me, and seq she-'Aiu't yon
sick, Peter?
'Yes-no,' seq l 8 that is, l amt exact
ly well. l thought I'd come over to night
seq |. That's mighty putty beginnin', any
how, thinks [; SO [ tried again. 1Ssl,'
seq |, and about this time I felt mighty
fainty and Uneasy about the squizerinctum.
'Wha ! SEE Sal.
SAL sez | agin.
What !! seq she.
'Pll get to it arter a while at this lick
thinks |.
Peter seq she, there's sumthin' a
troublin' you powerful, | no. Its nifty
wrong for you tew keep it from a body.
for a innerd sorrer is a consuming fire
She sed this, she did, the dear, sly creeter.
She noed what was the matter all the time,
nifty we'll, and was just a tryin' to fish it
out but was gone SO far | didn't see the
pint. At last [ kinder sorter gulped down
the lump as was rising in my throat, and
SEE I-fSal, does you luv every bodyY
'Well,' seq she, 'thar's dad, and marin,
and (countin' her fingers all the time with
her eyes sorter shut, like a Teller shooting.
off q gun thar's old Pide that were an
old DOW of nofu) can't think of anything
else jist now,' sez she. Now this wur orful
fur a Teller 10 luv, so arter a while | tries
another shute. SEE l. Sal, Pm powerful
lO1CSuIu " uuu, anu L SUu1tLLIlCS GulLk IL
| only had a putty wife to love and to talk
to, and to move and have my bein' with, l
should be a tremendous feller.' With
that she began and named over all the gals
within five miles of thar, and never wunts
cum a nigh namin' of herself, and sed |
< orter get one of them. That sortcr got
my dander up, and SO | hitched my cheer
up close to hern, and shet my eyes, and
TREMENDOUSLY sed-'Sal, you are the very
gal I've been hankering after for a long
time. I luv you all over, from the sole of
your head to the foot of your crown, an |
r don't care who knows it an if you say 80,
| we'll be jined together in the holy bonds
/ ofmatrimony, 6 pluribus unum, world with.
S out end seq | and felt like I'd throwed
!, up an allygatur, | felt so relieved. With
: that she fetched a sorter scream, and
arter a while she sez, seq She Peter
What is't Sally p seq |.
Yes p SEE she, a hiddin' ov her putty
face behind her hands. You may depend
upon it l felt orful good.
Glory Glory " seq [. must hollar
d Sal, or I'll bust wide open. Hsoray fo
j. hooray. | kin jump over a ten rale fence
S. [ can do everything that any Teller could
d would, or orter do With that l sorte
.e sloshed myself down by her, and clinchel
IS the bargain with a kiss-and such a kiss
d talk about yer sugar-talk about yer mer
d lasses-talk about yer blackberry jam
a you couldn't have got me to come mig
" 'em; they would all a tasted sour arter thai
Eff SAILS daddy hadn't hollered out it's tim
a. for all 'onest folks to be in bed, I do believ
ID I'd staid there all mite. Yer orter see
it. me when I got hum. 1 pulled dad cute
Id bed and Rugged him. 1 pulled mar,
IT, outer bed and Rugged her. l pulled Al
ed Jane outer bed and Rugged her. 1 pulle
ed the niger gal outer bed and huge
all her. I roared, [ holiered. l danced abo
he and cut up more capers than you ever hea,
N. tell ov. till dad thot [ was crazy, and 2
a rope to tie me with, Dad seq, Il
ur- gwine to 20 for to get married
u Married ? belloed dad.
cir Married !! squalled marm.
is. Married ! squeaked Ant Jane.
Yes. married 7 seq l. Married
over lined in wedlock hooked on f
ad. worser or for better, for life and for deaf
No. to Sal =: | am that very thing ; me, Pet
les. Sporum, ESQ., With that l up and tell
ties them all about it, from AIpher to Omeg
Ice, They were all nifty pleased and nifty will
: to and I went to bed as proud as a you
lers rooster with his first spurs.
lere O, Jehosifat !! didn't feel tremendc
end good, and kept a getting that way all nj
,ops I didn't slaen a wink. but kept rollin' abb