Encouragement
Who dat knockin’ at de do’?Why, Ike Johnson,—yes, fu’ sho!Come in, Ike. I ‘s mighty gladYou come down. I t’ought you ‘s madAt me ’bout de othah night,An’ was stayin’ ‘way fu’ spite.Say, now, was you mad fu’ trueWen I kin’ o’ laughed at you?Speak up, Ike, an’ ‘spress yo’se’f.
‘T ain’t no use a-lookin’ sad,An’ a-mekin’ out you ‘s mad;Ef you ‘s gwine to be so glum,Wondah why you evah come.I don’t lak nobidy ‘roun’Dat jes’ shet dey mouf an’ frown,—Oh, now, man, don’t act a dunce!Cain’t you talk? I tol’ you once,Speak up, Ike, an’ ‘spress yo’se’f.
Wha ‘d you come hyeah fu’ to-night?Body ‘d t’ink yo’ haid ain’t right.I ‘s done all dat I kin do,—Dressed perticler, jes’ fu’ you;Reckon I ‘d ‘a’ bettah wo’My ol’ ragged calico.Aftah all de pains I ‘s took,Cain’t you tell me how I look?Speak up, Ike, an’ ‘spress yo’se’f.
Bless my soul! I ‘mos’ fu’gotTellin’ you ’bout Tildy Scott.Don’t you know, come Thu’sday night,She gwine ma’y Lucius White?Miss Lize say I allus wuhHeap sight laklier ‘n huh;An’ she ‘ll git me somep’n new,Ef I wants to ma’y too.Speak up, Ike, an’ ‘spress yo’se’f.
I could ma’y in a week,Ef de man I wants ‘ud speak.Tildy’s presents ‘ll be fine,But dey would n’t ekal mine.Him whut gits me fu’ a wife‘Ll be proud, you bet yo’ life.I ‘s had offers; some ain’t quit;But I has n’t ma’ied yit!Speak up, Ike, an’ ‘spress yo’se’f.
Ike, I loves you,—yes, I does;You ‘s my choice, and allus was.Laffin’ at you ain’t no harm.—Go ‘way, dahky, whah ‘s yo’ arm?Hug me closer—dah, dat ‘s right!Was n’t you a awful sight,Havin’ me to baig you so?Now ax whut you want to know,—Speak up, Ike, an’ ‘spress yo’se’f!