164
She Was Happy till She Met You
Randolph, who reports two texts from Missouri (OFS iv 346-7),
notes that in a songbook published by a St. Louis patent medicine
concern it is credited to Chas. Graham and Monroe H. Rosenfeld
and was copyrighted in 1899. It is listed in Shearin's Syllubus as
known in Kentucky.
'She Was Happy till She Met You.' Obtained by Jesse T. Carpenter
some time in the period 1921-23 from the manuscript songbook of Mrs.
C. T. Weatherly of Greensboro, Guilford county.
1 'Twas a bright and sunny day when a young wife went
away
From a husband who had wrung her heart with pain.
On the table lay a note : these simple words she wrote,
'Goodbye ! I hope we'll never meet again.'
To her mother she returned, her home for which she'd
often yearned.
For every spark of love for him had fled ;
But he sought her out at last, with repentance of the past,
When her mother met him at the door and said :
Chorus:
'She was happy till she met you, and the fault is all
your own.
If she wishes to forget you you will please let her alone.
She has come to her own mother, just because there is
no other ;
She'll be happy in her own sweet home.'
2 'I have come to say goodbye,' said the husband with a sigh.
Just let me take her to my heart again.'
428 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE
Said the mother, ' 'Tis too late ; all her love has turned to
hate.
So go your way ; your pleasings^ are in vain.'
'She is my wife,' the husband cried, 'you shall not take her
from my side ;
The law forbids you part us ; we are wed.'
But the mother answered, 'Nay,' as she sadly turned away,
And once again to him she firmly said :