The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-08-15
GRANDPA'S C0URTSHIP.

GRANDPA'S C0URTSHIP.
1t wasn't so very long ago-'bout forty years,
] guess,
That first went ACQUIRING Deacon Bodkin's
darter Bess.
Or, leastways, Betsey was her name; but that
amt here nor there.
She was an awful purity gal, with yallow-or-
burn hair,
An cheeks as round an rosy as any temptin
peach
That makes Teller smack lis lips because its
Hit was down in ole Missouri, an was keepin'
bach,
about q match.
/ had little cabin, an good chunk Of a
boss,
In Buck erik bottom, side the erik. The Dea-
On 'tother side a mile or two: an when the
erik was low
fused to ford 1t every day, to see my gal, you
know.
The Deacon-wal I reckon nOtC that he was
purity square;
No better an no wusser then otherpeople air.
But then he want no fayorite with me; an
Twas cause he couldn't see the pint Of ME
a-cOurtn' BesS.
And when he found that me an her was want
He rared and tore, and ordered me to jest git
up an hist ft4N
The reason why he got SO mad at me is easy
told
Twas cause my breeches-pockets wasn't olut-
tered up with gold.
He lowed thatI had better clare, and go jest
where please:
His darter shouldn't hev man as pore as
blacS-eyed peas. 1894
Besides there, was another chap a droyer,
tic had right smart O. money, say a thousand
more or less.
But he was mortal humly, and awk'ard as a
mule,
And Bess declared she want argoin' to hev no
sich fool.
An when the Deacon rared an tore, an Or
dered me away,
She up an vowed, emphatic like, that she
would never stay
To marry any droverthat ever wore ahat
An what the Deacons darter said she meant,
an that was fiat. ~
o Deacon's wife-Aunt Jane-she sort o.
favored me, f &N
An allus made me welcome. when he wasn't
thar to see; #
But when the Deacon rared an swore that
Bess should marry ST.
The drovers name was Silas-) cor he'd know
me reason tDhU,"
Aunt Jane, she sided long o. sess, an wal,
We got our plans all ready, fur we lowed to
run away.
So Bess, she gathered up her close, an met
me In the lane, 11@@sA Itf N
An brung two cups an sassers, that was give
m her by, Aunt Jane; 4fM
Then she clumb up behind me, for my boss
would carry two,
An of we struck to-lDard the erik the highest
distance through.
FUR lowed that we could ford 1t, bein' Tom,
lOgg
But when we reached the ford, see my reck-
oning was out
Fur the erik had riz that very day, and got so
see we couldn't ford it, an it want no use to
try.
The highest bridge acrost the erik was ten
miles of, or so, s
An fur a minute Jest thought our cake had
turned to dough, sl tlf&
An Jest chat very minute, while we was stand
ing still, 3yHdi4l Vlifl
We beerd the sound of horses hoofs. a-tearin'
down the hill. ElEwI}f lsl
An Bess, she give little scream, and lit right
OFF her boss,
For twas her pa acomin', with the drover.
Silas Cross. 81 d
An'-walI, had to elect my thoughts, and that
most thunderin' quick, ~ tn
An so | made a grab fur Bess, and jumped
right in the erik.
The water, billed around u.s. but I struck out
fur the shore, Ae-
An swum as / don't reckin he'd ever SWIM
before; UU
But we got across an there we stood, a.drip.
pin, wet, and cold
An Bess' hair hung, down her back, just like a
shower of gold.
But we were saved, and purity soon we found
some friends OF Bess, | b
An went fur the preacher while they helped
her change her Dress
Inere want no license needed then an
-. twasn't long tell we
Was man an wife, an started home as happy
as could be.
An who should be there waitin' at the bar:
but Tom my hoss2
1 knowed twas safe to leave him, fur he d
toller me across. a
An the bunch of else that Bess had bruno
was there all safe and dry, l
A-hangin 70 the pummel where we left en-
her and /. -
An wal, there haint much moro to tell. but
in about week
The Deacon come a-walkin' in, a-lookfn pow.
erful meek;
An after shaxin' hands with both. he saws.
Would you believe
That ornerY, theivin'Si, he stole my boss an
tuck French leavel Ja
He did-the finest boss had-an' lit right ont
the cuss;
But eff he'd got my darter, too, 'twould beer
blamed sight wuss MM
AN ever sence YOU swiim that erilr T,ve
thought that you and me afF
Would make good pardners, after all: so LETT,
hitch up and gee;
Fur Jane she wantin powerful bad to sec
you both agin, SaFFa
An though You stole nv darter raol,or
twa' mt no sin.
Fur bein' that you saved her from that thievin
rascal ST, tftfW III III ~ ~ :
If anybody, was to blame, guess t wa:
only l." tNHYNmr
An so the Deacon tuck us home to live Will
him an Jane,
An neither of EN- wouldn't hear tn LOT nc or
again. m Flslq' +, =, =, = .
An so we've lived here ever sence. me an
your grandma, Bess,
In this one house fur forty wear recI.in
more or lesS.l
Wal, children, that's the story I've bin prom
Using to you t#EA&N EF'HssTT IT,
An you kin ask your grandma if hay MT told
it true ESD f IT. ~ 4.
-Hclen Whitney Clark, in Continent.