Pleading

If you lub me, Joanie, only tell me, dear,
            Do not be so cold
            When my lub is bold;
Do not mek dis burnin’ heart o’ mine get drear,
            Tek it for your own,
            For ’tis yours alone.

I hab eber lub’d you from I saw your face
            On dat Monday morn
            ’Mongst de peas an’ corn:
Lightly did you trip along wid yout’ful grace,
            Wid de kerchief red
            Wound about your head.

Durin’ de revival we b’en use’ fe pray,
            Spirit we b’en hab,
            How we use’ fe sob!
Yet how soon did all of it from we get ’way!
            Lub kiver de whole,
            We feget we “soul.”

Though I could’n’ see you when you younger b’en,
            It was better so,
            For we older grow,
An’ I can protect you now from udder men,
            If you’ll only be
            Fe me one, Joanie.

How I saw you proudly draw up to your height—
            As we strolled along
            Gay in laugh an’ song,
Passin’ by de peenies sheddin’ greenish light—
            ’Cos my lips did miss,
            Stealin’ one lee kiss!

’Member you de days down by de river-side,
            I prevented you
            Your washin’ to do,
Teasin’ you at times till you got vex’ an’ cried,
            An’ I try de while
            To coax you fe smile?

Joanie, when you were me own a true sweetheart,
            I lived in de air
            ’Douten t’ought of care,
Thinkin’, O me Joan dat’ nuttin’ could we part,
            Naught to mek me fear
            Fe me own a dear.

When in church on Sunday days we use’ fe sit,
            You dressed in light pink,
            How we used fe wink!
Wha’ de parson say we cared for not a bit,
            Nuttin’ could remove
            Our sweet t’oughts from love.

I am thinkin’, Joanie, when de nights were lone,
            An’ you were afraid
            Of each darkened shade,
An’ I use’ fe guide you over river-stone,
            How you trusted me
            Fe care you, Joanie.

’Member you de time when many days passed by,
            An’ I didn’ come
            To your hill-side home,
How you wrote those sad, sad letters to know why,
            Till I comfort gave
            To my Joanie brave?

In those happy days, me Joan, you loved me then,
            An’ I t’ought dat you
            Would be ever true;
Never dreamed you would forsake me for strange men,
            Who caan’ lub you so
            Much as thrown-up Joe.

Joanie, fickle Joanie, give up Squire’s son;
            You wi’ soon hate him
            An’ his silly whim,
An’ your heart wi’ yearn fe me when I am gone;
            So, ’fo’ ’tis too late,
            Come back to your mate.

Joanie, when you’re tired of dat worthless man,
            You can come back still
            Of your own free will:
Nummo girl dis true, true heart will understan’;
            I wi’ live so-so,
            Broken-hearted Joe.

An’, Joan, in de days fe come I know you’ll grieve
            For de foolishniss
            Dat you now call bliss:
Dere’s no wrong you done me I would not forgive;
            But you choice your way,
            So, me Joan, good-day!