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Paul Laurence Dunbar - Breaking The Charm
Work rating: Low

Caught Susanner whistlin`; well,
  It`s most nigh too good to tell.
  `Twould `a` b`en too good to see
  Ef it had n`t b`en fur me,
  Comin` up so soft an` sly
  That she didn` hear me nigh.
  I was pokin` `round that day,
  An` ez I come down the way,
  First her whistle strikes my ears,--
  Then her gingham dress appears;
  So with soft step up I slips.
  Oh, them dewy, rosy lips!
  Ripe ez cherries, red an` round,
  Puckered up to make the sound.
  She was lookin` in the spring,
  Whistlin` to beat anything,--
  "Kitty Dale" er "In the Sweet."
  I was jest so mortal beat
  That I can`t quite ricoleck
  What the toon was, but I `speck
  `T was some hymn er other, fur
  Hymny things is jest like her.
  Well she went on fur awhile
  With her face all in a smile,
  An` I never moved, but stood
  Stiller `n a piece o` wood--
  Would n`t wink ner would n`t stir,
  But a-gazin` right at her,
  Tell she turns an` sees me--my!
  Thought at first she `d try to fly.
  But she blushed an` stood her ground.
  Then, a-slyly lookin` round,
  She says: "Did you hear me, Ben?"
  "Whistlin` woman, crowin` hen,"
  Says I, lookin` awful stern.
  Then the red commenced to burn
  In them cheeks o` hern. Why, la!
  Reddest red you ever saw--
  Pineys wa`n`t a circumstance.
  You `d `a` noticed in a glance
  She was pow`rful shamed an` skeart;
  But she looked so sweet an` peart,
  That a idee struck my head;
  So I up an` slowly said:
  "Woman whistlin` brings shore harm,
  Jest one thing `ll break the charm."
  "And what`s that?" "Oh, my!" says I,
  "I don`t like to tell you." "Why?"
  Says Susanner. "Well, you see
  It would kinder fall on me."
  Course I knowed that she `d insist,--
  So I says: "You must be kissed
  By the man that heard you whistle;
  Everybody says that this `ll
  Break the charm and set you free
  From the threat`nin` penalty."
  She was blushin` fit to kill,
  But she answered, kinder still:
  "I don`t want to have no harm,
  Please come, Ben, an` break the charm."
  Did I break that charm?--oh, well,
  There`s some things I must n`t tell.
  I remember, afterwhile,
  Her a-sayin` with a smile:
  "Oh, you quit,--you sassy dunce,
  You jest caught me whistlin` _once_."
  Ev`ry sence that when I hear
  Some one whistlin` kinder clear,
  I most break my neck to see
  Ef it `s Susy; but, dear me,
  I jest find I `ve b`en to chase
  Some blamed boy about the place.
  Dad `s b`en noticin` my way,
  An` last night I heerd him say:
  "We must send fur Dr. Glenn,
  Mother; somethin `s wrong with Ben!"
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