A Country Courtship.

When Aw started a courtin' eaur Moll,
Ther's nobedy knows bother Aw had,
For hoo thowt hoo'r a lady, yo' know,
Un Aw'r nobbut a naybor lad ;
Aw hung abeaut th' heause ov a neet
Un wondert if Molly wur in,
But Aw ceauched if hoo coom to th' dur,---
Aw'r awlus so feart a bein' sin.

Aw bowt sum new cloas un a hat,
Aw thowt Aw'd bi fine, done yo' see !
Un Aw bowt a new pair o' shoon —
Two sizes too little for me ;
Fur hoo sed ut mi feet wur too big,
Un howt to bi lapped in a poke,
Aw teawed wi' thoose shoon ———— wol ut last
Aw could hardly hopple un woak.

Aw donned misel op ov a neet
Wol Aw'r as fine as a fiddler's foo',
Aw kept lookin' i'th' glass every day
Un wishin' mi mustache ud groo ;
Mi yure wur like bristles un thurns ————
Fro' mi toppin' reyght to mi creawn,
So Aw bowt sum hair oil un stuff
O purpose to mack it lie deawn.

Once Aw bowt her a bonnet i'th teawn —
Wi' fleawers as yollow as gowd,
But hoo ripped it i' bits, un hoo sed-
" Theau foo' ! its a hundert year owd " ;
Then Aw bowt her sum ribbons un things,
Un a nice little collar o' lace,
Hoo sed —" They're just like mi gronmother wears ! "
Un hoo thrut um slap i' mi face.

T'other neet, as Aw coom fro' mi wark,
Aw met her ut bottom o'th broo,
Un hoo sed ut hoo'd getten fere sick
O' bein' followed abeaut bi a foo' ;
But ut lung-length hoo had to gi'e in, —
Hoo seed ut Aw'r noan to be sed !
So hoo hoped ut Aw'd larn sum wit,
Un try to bi reet i' mi yed.

Then Aw kussed booath her shawl un her hont ———
Aw wur very nee crazy wi bliss,
Un hoo smiled, un sed ——-" Jamie, theau foo',
Dosto think ther's nowt else theau con kiss ? "
Aw'll bi hanged if Aw knew what hoo meant,
Aw bothert un wondert o week !
But if hoo'll nobbut just say it agen -
Aw'll kuss her next time op o'th cheek.

by

Ammon Wrigley