American Old Time Song Lyrics: 22 Here Lies An Actor

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 22

HERE LIES AN ACTOR.
Copyright, 1888, by Willis Woodward & Co.
Words and Music by Paul Dresser.

One evening I was strolling through the city of the dead,
Where folks have slept for many years while birds sang overhead,
The little mound of baby, of father and mother dear,
To see them there united filled mine eye with many a tear;
I saw the grassy spot where my dear old grandpa lay,
And brothers, sisters scattered 'round, a mass of silent clay;
But that which mostly touched me was an open spot of ground,
These words upon a tombstone I saw above the mound:

Chorus.
Here lies an actor, In life play'd many parts,
He had his joys and sorrows, was oftimes sad at heart;
May his sleep here be peaceful, beneath the bright blue skies,
While passing drop a flower where an actor lies.

Many people pass'd the grave that day I knew not whence they came
The old, the young, the deaf, some gray, decrepit, blind and lame,
A silent throng of faces, they moved with gentle tread,
Each searching for a loved one in the city of the dead.
The one spot looked forsaken, no one it seemed drew nigh,
No tears were shed unless perchance they came down from the sky,
But being naught but stranger, with nothing else to do,
Those words impressed me vividly, again I read them through. -Cho

While pond'ring there, a little child with innocence and grace,
It seemed to me celestial, a babe with angel face,
Came up and scattered o'er that spot some flowers rich and rare,
Then kneeling by the actor's grave, bow'd down her head in prayer.
Oh, God! protect my papa thro'out the night and day,
I beg you treat him kindly, he's 'mong strangers far away,
For, oh, we loved him dearly, she said in accents mild,
Please heed the prayer, oh, Father, of an actor's only child.-Cho.