American Old Time Song Lyrics: 34 The Hotel Royal Fire

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 34

THE HOTEL ROYAL FIRE.
Copyright, 1892, by Henry J. Wehman.
By Grace Carleton. Tune-"The Picture that Is Turned toward the Wall."

In the midnight and the silence came a cry of wild despair;
The sky was lurid with the light of death;
Oh, the pity for the victims that were calmly sleeping there.
To feel so soon the flames' devouring breath.
There was manhood in its vigor, and womanhood so bright;
The youth of beauty and the aged sire;
Oh, the horror, so appalling, on that dark and awful night,
When the bells rang for the Hotel Royal fire.

Chorus.
There is mourning, sad and dreary; there are hearts so lone and weary;
There's a cry from out the city for a fate so dark and dire'
Hark! the moans of anguish swelling! See the blackened ruins, telling
Of the horror of the Hotel Royal fire.

'Mid the flames the victims pleaded to our firemen bold and brave.
The gallant boys all danger there defied;
In that dread and awful moment they had come to shield and save,
But many forms had perished, side by side.
Oh, the cries, for help imploring, still are ringing in the air;
Its memory from our hearts will ne'er expire;
God protect the souls of those who gave their lives up in despair
When the bells rang for the Hotel Royal fire.

Chorus.
There are eyes so sadly weeping, there are hearts their sorrow keeping,
There is loneliness in homes, to think of death so dark and dire;
Oh, the moans of anguish swelling; oh, the blackened ruins telling
Of the horror of the Hotel Royal fire.