Ballads & Songs of Southern Michigan-songbook

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Unhappy Love                         75
18 OXFORD CITY
The Michigan version of this song, common in English broadsides, is very similar to texts recorded in Vermont and New Brunswick except that it lacks stanzas 3, 4, and 6 of those versions, for which see Flanders and Brown, pp 92-93, and Kittredge, JAFL, XXX, 356-358 For references to broadsides and other versions see tbtd., p. 356. The present version was sung in 1934 by Mrs. Peter Miller, West Branch.
It was just late of Oxford City, The truth to you I now will tell; Twas about a servant who a lady courted, A nice young lady of that place.
She loved him well but for a distance Her love didn't seem to be very true. He said, "My dear, I know you slight me, I know you love some other one."
About six weeks or shortly after This young lady was asked to a dance. This jealous young man he followed after, For to lay her in her grave so low.
He mixed a dose of poison bitters
And put it into a glass of wine,
And gave it to her, his own true loved one,
Who drank it down most cheerfully.
5 About five minutes or shortly after
She said, "My dear, will you take me home?