Learn English – The meaning of “Not but what it might have been for something else; but it warn’t.”

The narrator is suggesting that her father drank enough alcohol that his corpse could remain indefinitely preserved, just like a pickle --a darkly humorous exaggeration. Given this state of affairs, she suggests that there is no rush to have a funeral --the body will not decompose.

Nevertheless, her mother has held the funeral at the first possible opportunity, which the narrator thinks is both a sign of her eagerness to be the center of attention as the long-suffering widow, and a mark of how much a relief it is to finally be rid of her alcoholic husband.

In the Southern part of the United States, "sweetie" and "honey" are sometimes used by women or gay men when speaking to others in various situations in public. For instance, a woman at a clothing store might ask a man or a woman, "Do you need any help, sweetie?"

It is not used by straight men except in a flirtatious/sexual or condescending way. The above would not have worked if it were a straight man, as it is supposed to be a 'professional' and not flirtatious atmosphere.

In your above comments, you are coming off as both overly sexual and condescending. "Let me get that for you, sweetie" seems to imply she is incompetent when a man says it to a woman (who are not together romantically), whereas "Let me get that for you" has none of that connotation.

'Sweetie' and other pet names are generally NOT used until you are in an established relationship with someone. Boyfriends and girlfriends may do so, but before that, while dating, it's a little presumptuous and definitely implies that you are together.