From the sheet music at Johns Hopkins University; also at the Library of Congress.


POPPING CORN
Words and music by Aug. Loumey, ©1874.

1. And there they sat a-popping corn, John Stiles and Susan Cutter,
John Stiles as fat as any ox, And Susan, fat as butter.
And there they sat, and shell’d the corn, And raked and stirr’d the fire,
And talk’d of diff’rent kinds of ears, And hitch’d their chairs up nigher.

CHORUS: And there they sat a-popping corn, John Stiles and Susan Cutter,
John Stiles as fat as any ox, And Susan, fat as butter.

2. Then Susan she the popper shook, Then John he shook the popper,
Till both their faces grew as red As saucepans made of copper.
And then they shell’d, and popp’d, and ate, All kinds of fun a-poking,
And he haw-haw’d at her remarks, And she laugh’d at his joking. CHORUS

3. And still they popp’d and still they ate; John’s mouth was like a hopper,
And stirr’d the fire and sprinkled salt, And shook and shook the popper.
The clock struck nine and then struck ten, And still the corn kept popping.
It struck eleven then struck twelve, And still no signs of stopping. CHORUS

4. And John he ate, and Susan thought The corn did pop and patter;
Till John cried out: “The corn’s afire! Why, Susan, what’s the matter?”
Said she: “John Stiles, it’s one o’clock; You’ll die of indigestion.
I’m sick of all this popping corn. Why don’t you pop the question?”

LAST CHORUS: Said she: “John Stiles, it’s one o’clock; You’ll die of indigestion.
I’m sick of all this popping corn. Why don’t you pop the question?”