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American Ballads and Folk Songs________
Standin' on de corno', readin' of a bill, Up step a man name o' Bad Texas Bill: "Look here, bully, ain' yo' name Lee Brown? B'lieve you are de rascal shot yo' woman down."
"Yes, oh, yes," says. "This is him.
If you got a warrant, jes' read it to me."
He says: "You look like a fellow that knows what's bes\
Come 'long wid me—you're under arres'."
When I was arrested, I was dressed in black j Dey put me on a train, an' dey brought me back. Dey boun' me down in de county jailj Couldn' get a human for to go my bail.
Early nex' mornin' 'bout half pas' nine, I spied oP jedge drappin' down de line. I heered ol' jailer when he cleared his th'oat, "Nigger, git ready for de deestreec' cote."
Deestreec* cote is now regin,
Twelve big jurymen, twelve hones' men.
Five mo' minutes up step a man,
He was holdin' my verdic' in his right han\
Verdic' read murder in de firs' degree.
I said, "O Lawd, have mercy on me."
I seed ol' jedge when he picked up his pen,
Say, "I don' think you'll ever kill a woman ag'in.
"This here killin' of women natchly got to stop, I don't know whether to hang you er not. Ninety-nine years on de hard, hard groun', 'Member de night you blowed de woman down."
Here I is, bowed down in shame, I got a number instead of a name.
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