The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1876-05-25
Sam Lawson on Courtin.'

IL member | used to lead the singin' in
them days, and Miry she used to sing coun-
ter, so we sot putty near together in the
singers seats and [ used to think Sunday
mornins when she'd come to mcetin' in
her white dress and her red cheeks and her
bonnet all tipped off with haylock, that
twas for all the world just like June sun
rise to have her come into the singers seats.
Them was the days [ didn't improve my
privileges, boys said Sam, sighing deeply
''There was time that ef I'd spoke there's
no KNOWN what mghtn't happened, cause
you see, boys, was better lookin' in them
days than | be now Now, you mind, boys,
when you grow up, eff you go to waiting
on nice gal, and you're most mind to
speak to her, don't you 90 and put it off,
cause if you do you may live to repent it.
"Well, you, see, from the time that Bill
Elderkin came and took the Academy, |
could see plain enough that it was time for
me to hang up my fiddle. Bill he used
to set in the singers seats, too, and he
would have it that he sung tenor. He no
more sung tenor than skunkbird, but he
made b'lieve that he did, just to git next
to Miry in the singers seats, and then they
used to be writin' backward and forward to
each other till they tore out all the leaves
of the hymn-books and the singin-books be-
sides. Wal, never thought the house o
the Lord was jest the place to be courtin'
in, and | used to get consid able shocked at
the way things went on atween them. Why,
they'd be a writin' all sermon-time and
I've seen him a-lookin at her all through
the long prayer in way that want right,
considerin they were both professors of re-
hgion. But then the fact was old Black
Hoss John was to blame for it, cause he
never let 'em have no chance to home
You see, old Black Hoss he was set agin
Elderkin cause he was poor. You see, his
mother, the old widdah Elderkin, she was
just about the poorest, peakedest old body
over to Sherburne, and went out to days
work, and Bill Elderkin he was all for
books and larnin and Black Hoss John he
thought it was shiftlessness, but Miry she
thought it was a genius, and she got it sot
in her mind he was a-going to be President
Of the United States or some sich
"Wall, old Black Hoss he want none
too polite to Mirys beau in general, but
when Elderkin used to come to see her he
was snarlier than saw he hadn't good
word for him noways and he rake up the
fire right before his face and eyss, and rat
tie about fastening up the windows, and
tramp up to bed, and call down the cham
Der stairs to Miry to go to bed and was
sort o aggravatin' every way.
oval, eff folks want to get a gal set on
havin a man, that ars the way to 90 to
work, Miry had consid'able stiff will of
her own, and if she didn't care about Tom
Beacon before she hated him now and if
she liked Bill Elderkin before, she was
clean gone over to him now and so she
took to goin' to the Wednesday evening
lecture and the Friday evening prayer
meetin', and the singin school, Jest as reg
lar as clock, and, so he did and after
ward they always walked home the longest
way. Fathers may jest as well let their
daughters be courted in the house peace
able, cause if they can't be courted in the
house they'll find places where they can bej
it's jest human natur' "-AHaatic Monthly.