American Old Time Song Lyrics: 55 Christmas Night At Nellies Country Home

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 55

CHRISTMAS NIGHT AT NELLIE'S COUNTRY HOME.
Copyright, 1897, by Spaulding & Gray.
Words and Music by Tom Martin.

'Twas Christmas night in Dover, a town not far from here,
There lived a loving couple so serene;
Their youngest child, a daughter, was loved both far and near,
A charming little lass of sweet sixteen;
Her custom was on Christmas all the children to invite,
And gather them around a lighted tree;
Then hand a present with a kiss to each sweet tiny mite,
So happy on each Christmas night was she.

Chorus.
The Christmas bells were ringing and tiny voices singing,
Happy hearts that never dreamed of gloom;
Father smiled with mother, and sister laughed at brother,
On Christmas night in Nellie's country home.
For years within that homestead no tidings came of Nell,
She'd gone, alas, but no one knew just where;
'Tis but the same old story, a sweet, confiding lass,
By a lover's broken vow brought to despair:
His promises of marriage he had quite forgot to fill,
And wrecked a home once happy and so bright;
In dreams those dear old parents a vision only see
Of Nellie at her home on Christmas night.

Chorus.
The Christmas bells were ringing and tiny voices singing,
Happy hearts that never dreamed of gloom;
Father smiled with mother, and sister laughed at brother,
On Christmas night in Nellie's country home.
One day there came a letter to that grief-stricken home,
Which stated that poor Nell ere long would die;
It said she begged to gaze on her mother's face again,
With broken hearts to read these lines they tried;
Your daughter Nell is dying were the words the message bore,
With aching hearts before the morning light
They started for the city and they brought their darling back,
But she died within that home on Christmas night.

Chorus.
No Christmas bells were ringing, no merry voices singing,
Saddened hearts that never more will roam;
Father wept with mother, and sister wept with brother,
On Christmas night at Nellie's country home.