American Old Time Song Lyrics: 59 The Pardon Came Too Late

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 59

THE PARDON CAME TOO LATE.
Copyright, 1891, by Willis Woodward & Co.

A fair-haired boy in a foreign land at sunrise was to die;
in a prison-cell he sat alone, from his heart there came a sigh;
Deserted from the ranks, they said, the reason none could say;
They only knew the orders were that he should die nest day;
And as the hours glided by, a messenger on wings did fly
To save this boy from such a fate-a pardon, but it came too late.

Chorus.
The volley was fired at sunrise, just after break of day,
And while the echoes lingered, a soul had passed away
Into the arms of his Maker, and there to hear his fate;
A tear, a sigh, a sad "good-bye "-the pardon came too late.

And 'round the camp-fire burning bright the story then was told;
How his mother on a dying-bed called for her son so bold;
He hastened to obey her wish, was captured on the way;
She never saw her boy so fair-he died at break of day;
And when the truth at last was known, his Innocence at once was shown,
To save from such an unjust fate a pardon sent, but 'twas too late.-Cho.