Never Court but One- Minnie Woods c. 1880s
[This song is by L. V. H. Crosby, minstrel composer and S.W. Hazeltine, lyrics in 1853. It's fairly close to the original missing only the half stanza ending:
I regret I sent him that letter,
That will tell him he is free,
From this now and for ever
He is ever dear to me.
R. Matteson 2014]
NEVER COURT BUT ONE
I have finished him a letter,
That will tell him he is free,
From this moment and forever
He is nothing more to me.
And my heart is lighter, gayer,
Since at last the deed's done.
It will teach him that when courting,
He should never court but one.
Everybody in the village
Knows he's been a-courting me,
But this morning he was riding
With that saucy Anna Lee,
And I'll warrant you he's promised
Her to make her soon his bride,
For they say he smiled upon her
As he cantered by her side.
It ls twilight and the evening
That he said he'd call on me;
But "no doubt" he is with Anna
He can stay there for for me.
And as sure as I am living,
If he ever comes here more,
I will act as if we'd never,
Never, never met before.
It is time he should be coming,
And I wonder if he will,
If he does I'll act so coldly,---
What's that coming down the hill,
I declare I out, in the twilight,
There is someone drawing near,
Can it be? Yes, 'tis his figure,
Just as sure as I am here.
Now I wish I had not written
Telling him that he ls free,
For perhaps 'tis but a story
That he rode with Anna Lee,
There he's coming through the gateway,
And I'll meet him at the door,
And tell him that I'll love him,
If he'll court Miss Lee no more.
Sung by Miss Minnie Woods, afterward Mrs. Luther Allen, who "learned it before 1890."