1878 R.T. Cooke Happy Dodd Ch. xxvi: They’ll make up to-night, and she’ll be as pleasant as a basket of chips.at basket of chips (n.) under basket, n.1
1878 R.T. Cooke Happy Dodd Ch. xii: Ef there’as a mortal thing I can do to [...] chirk ye up, I want to do it right off.at chirk (up), v.
1878 R.T. Cooke Happy Dodd Ch. xxvii: I didn’t feel real cherk this week, so ’t I didn’t go to sewin’.at chirk, adj.
1878 R.T. Cooke Happy Dodd Ch. xxvii: You’re as clever as a robin. I guess you’ve done me more good than the minister and meetin’ together.at clever, adj.
1878 R.T. Cooke Happy Dodd Ch. xvii: I’sd as lieves take care o’ two on ’em as that skip-jack of a girl of his’n.at skip-jack, n.