I found many versions of this song at the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, Arkansas. Some of the versions had as many as 40 lines, but the version collected locally by Dr. Bill McNeil had 32. The song was originally published in 1887 as "Old Maid's Last Hope" and credited to E. S. Thilp, of whom nothing else seems to be known. After a little more research, I will post a version or two.