American Old Time Song Lyrics: 22 Terrible Tragedy

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

TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.
Sung by Louise Sanford.

A long time to come,
I remember it well,
All alone in a poorhouse
A maiden did dwell;
She lived with her father
And mother serene,
Her age it was red and her
Hair was nineteen.

Now this girl had a lover.
Who close by did dwell;
A banty-back roaster
And hump-legged as well.
Said he, fly with me
By the light of yon star.
For you are the eye
Or my apple you are.

Now the beautiful maiden
Said gently, be wise.
Or my father will scratch
Out his nails with your eyes.
If you love me so you'll not
Cause me disgrace,
Cried the girl as she
Buried her hands in her face.

When the girl she refused him,
He knocked down the maid,
Then quickly he opened the
Knife of his blade;
And he soon cut the throat
Of this damsel so fair,
Then he dragged her around
By the head of the hair.

Now just at this moment
The old man appears,
He gazed at the sight there,
With eyes in his tears;
He knelt down beside her and
The cold corpse kissed,
Then he rushed with his
Throat at the murderer's fist.

The old man ordered
The villain to bolt,
He drew a horse pistol
He'd raised from a "colt."
The villain he ran for the
Chimney, that's true,
Said he, now I'll fly,
So he flew up the flue.