himself of certain rhymes used by the negro youth in courting. This led on to what are called “courtship questions,” and we found ourselves face to face with a curious set of riddles and dark sayings used by the young negro men as a test of the intelligence of the girls with whom they consort. This field seemed so fertile and interesting that the subject of "Courtship" was allotted for the next meeting, and the member who had suggested the topic agreed to bring in a paper. The paper proved to be very complete and suggestive. Some of the members of the American Folk-Lore Society may remember it, as it was printed in the Journal two or three years ago under the heading, "Plantation Courtship," by F. D. Banks. It was reprinted in the "Workman" soon after. From the publication of the paper in the "Workman," we received in time much additional matter from different parts of the South. To-day, when I open the Society's record at the subject "Courtship," I find seven pages of written and printed matter that has been gathered through that paper of Mr. Banks, and by the coöperation of the Society, the "Workman," and the school's graduates scattered through the South.
The final disposition of all matter collected by the Society, for the present at least, is its entry in the record books. These books are divided into topics suggested by Mrs. Bergen's and Mr. Newell's "Topics for the Collection of Folk-Lore," published some time ago in the Folk-Lore Journal. In this way we are slowly accumulating a collection which we hope may, in course of time, be worthy of publication in book form.
As you will have already discovered, our Society confines itself altogether to the collection, and does not undertake to make any study of comparative folk-lore. There is not in its membership a single scientific folk-lorist, although we hope that when our material is published it may serve as one additional stepping-stone for the advancement of the science of folk-lore. As a society, we are laboring simply for the accumulation of material, and, by means of that accumulation, for a better understanding of the beliefs and imaginings, the hopes and fears, the manners and customs, that form the background of the thought of nearly eight millons of our fellow countrymen,
Alice Mabel Bacon.
Hampton, Va.
