American Old Time Song Lyrics: 41 Sweethearts

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 41

SWEETHEARTS.
Copyright, 1893, by Francis, Day & Hunter.
Words by Chas. Wilmott. Music by Henry E. Pether.

In a far off quaint old village, by a cottage gate one day
Stands a maiden, softly sobbing, while the soldiers match away,
Jack, her darling Jack, amidst them, thro' her tears are dimly seen:
War has come und they are parted, tho' since childhood they have been:

Chorus.
Sweethearts, sweethearts, two hearts linked in one,
her's may break but for England's sake duty must be done;
They said "good-by," and bound for a foreign shore
he marched away to the war that day, to return no more.

Jack had been a brave young farmer, toiling-ah, the old, old tale-
Year by year to see around him all his crops and labor fall,
Forced at last to take the shilling, off'ring then to set her free,
But, when parting, love had conquered, and thro' life they vowed to be:

Chorus.
Sweethearts, sweethearts, two hearts linked in one,
Her's may break but for England's sake duty has been done;
They said "Good-by," and then on that foreign shore
He passed away in the dawning gray, to return no more.

Loudly roars the din of battle, in a fearful night attack,
Sword in band, first in the conflict, and the first to fall, is Jack;
In his arms his comrade takes him, And with failing, broken breath,
Hears him murmuring "My Nellie "-loved in life, und loved in death.

Chorus.
Sweethearts, sweethearts, two hearts linked in one,
Her's may break but for England's sake duty has been done;
They said "Good-by," and then on that foreign shore
He passed away in the dawning gray, to return no more.