then, joining hands again, they would dance around, singing,
“All jine han’s, an’ hyear we go.”
And now the dancers would drop hands once more, and go to patting, while one of the men would step out with a branch of honeysuckle or yellow jessamine, or something twined to form a wreath, or a paper cap would answer, or even one of the boys’ hats—anything that would serve for a crown; then he would sing,
“Lipto, lipto—fi-yi-yi;
Lipto, lipto, hyear am I,
Er holdin’ uv dis goldin’ crown,
An’ I choose my gal fur ter dance me down.”
Then he must place the crown on the head of any girl he chooses, and she must step out and dance with him, or, as they expressed it, “set to him” (while all the rest patted), until one or the other “broke down,” when the man stepped back in the ring, leaving the girl in the middle, then they all joined hands, and began the game over again, going through with the wheeling around and clapping of hands and the bowing of heads just as before; after which the girl would choose her partner for a “set to,” the song being the same that was sung by the man, with the exception of the last line, which was changed to
“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.