“An’ I choose my man fur ter dance me down.”
“Lipto” was followed by “De One I Like de Bes’,” which was a kissing game, and gave rise to much merriment. It was played, as the others were, by the dancers joining hands and forming a ring, with some one in the middle, and singing,
“Now while we all will dance an’ sing, O choose er partner fum de ring; O choose de lady you like bes’; O pick her out fum all de res,’ Fur her hansum face an’ figur neat; O pick her out ter kiss her sweet. O walk wid her erroun’ an’ roun’; O kneel wid her upon de groun’; O kiss her once, an’ one time mo’; O kiss her sweet, an’ let her go. O lif’ her up fum off de groun’, An’ all jine han’s erroun’ an’ roun’, An’ while we all will dance an’ sing, O choose er partner fum de ring.”
At the words “choose de lady you like bes’,” the middle man must make his selection, and, giving her his hand, lead her out of the ring. At the words “walk wid her erroun’ an’ roun’,” he offers her his arm, and they promenade; at the words “kneel wid her upon de groun’,” both kneel; when they sing “kiss her once,” he kisses her; and at the words “one time mo,” the kiss is repeated; and when the dancers sing “lif’ her up fum off de groun’,” he assists her to rise; and when they sing “all jine han’s erroun’ an’ roun’,” he steps back into the ring, and the girl must make a choice, the dancers singing, “O choose de gemmun you like bes’;” and then the promenading and kneeling and kissing were all gone through with again.
Some of the girls were great favorites, and were chosen frequently; while others not so popular would perhaps not be in the middle during the game.
“De One I Like de Bes’” was a favorite play, and the young folks kept it up for some time, until some one suggested sending for “Uncle Sambo” and his fiddle, and turning it into a sure-enough dance. Uncle Sambo was very accommodating, and soon made his appearance, then partners were taken, and an Old Virginia reel formed. The tune that they danced by was “Cotton-eyed Joe,” and, the words being familiar to all of them as they danced they sang,
“Cotton-eyed Joe, Cotton-eyed Joe, What did make you sarve me so, Fur ter take my gal erway fum me, An’ cyar her plum ter Tennessee? Ef it hadn’t ben fur Cotton-eyed Joe, I’d er been married long ergo.