ENCOURAGEMENT

  Who dat knockin’ at de do’? 
  Why, Ike Johnson,—­yes, fu’ sho! 
  Come in, Ike.  I ’s mighty glad
  You come down.  I t’ought you ’s mad
  At me ’bout de othah night,
  An’ was stayin’ ‘way fu’ spite. 
  Say, now, was you mad fu’ true
  Wen 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’got
  Tellin’ you ’bout Tildy Scott. 
  Don’t you know, come Thu’sday night,
  She gwine ma’y Lucius White? 
  Miss Lize say I allus wuh
  Heap 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!

THE BOOGAH MAN

  W’en de evenin’ shadders
    Come a-glidin’ down,
  Fallin’ black an’ heavy
    Ovah hill an’ town,
  Ef you listen keerful,
    Keerful ez you kin,
  So ‘s you boun’ to notice
    Des a drappin’ pin;
  Den you ’ll hyeah a funny
    Soun’ ercross de lan’;
  Lay low; dat’s de callin’
    Of de Boogah Man!

  Woo-oo woo-oo!
    Hyeah him ez he go erlong de way;
  Woo-oo, woo-oo!
    Don’ you wish de night ’ud t’un to day?
  Woo-oo, woo-oo!
    Hide yo’ little peepers ‘hind yo’ han;
  Woo-oo, woo-oo!
    Callin’ of de Boogah Man.

  W’en de win ‘s a-shiverin’
    Thoo de gloomy lane,
  An’ dey comes de patterin’
    Of de evenin’ rain,
  W’en de owl’s a-hootin’,
    Out daih in de wood,
  Don’ you wish, my honey,
    Dat you had been good? 
  ’T ain’t no use to try to
    Snuggle up to Dan;
  Bless you, dat’s de callin’
    Of de Boogah Man!