26. My Old Brown Coat and Me- Cox (WV) 1918
26 MY OLD
BROWN COAT AND ME
Contributed by Mr. Floyd Brooks Cox, Morgantown, Mongalia County, May 8, 1918. Learned from his mother.
Hexatonic; Ly/I.
aa1 ab
I toiled upon my father's farm,
T1II I was twenty-one,
And then I took a farm myself
And manhood's life begun.
I worn a coat of homespun brown,
It wasn't fair to see,
And all the maidens in the town
Laughed at my coat and me.
2. I fell in love with Mary Braid
Tllhose father kept the store r
And never ilas a maLden loved
More tenderly before.
But ldary she was very proudl
^0nd haughty as can be,
She said that she oould never wed
{y old brornr ooat and ne.
I nevor stopped to plead ny o&Bo1
For pleadlng nas ln vat n,
I bade farewell to l{ary Braid,
Nor saw hor face again.
I f m forty surnnors o1d to-dayr
And rLchoe ftll ny storer
My ohildren on the sward do play,
Hy wlfe slngs at the door.
If ve lands enough and mon6y now,
And honor fllIo ny fee,
And all. ttro naldens in the town
Ro s p e of ny ooat and !l o
frve graln enough upon ny lande
My house stands proud and hlgh,
Theret s not a nan ln all the town
Can wear euoh cloth as I.
But !{ary Brai d , who despl eed
My old brom ooat and rR r
Is narried to a l,arryerrs 6otr1
Hie nam le Jason Lse.
He wore a ooat of shlny bLack,
And talked so proud and greatl
That ![ary thought her d surely be
A rioh and noble mate.
Liko nany another glrl she found
Her error quite too late,
And now her hoart is ead and sore,
She mourns a grievous fate.
For oh, alaet her husband roamg
A pirate on the sea,
And Mary wlehes she had wed
My old brown ooat and me.
7. Come listen, maidens, to my song,
For it's of oountloss prico;
Just thlnk upon the truth I sing,
3nd follow this advice.
Tlhen you are oalled upon to choose,
To bow the bended knee,
Just ttrink upon that fatal scorn,
My old brown ooat and me.
See OFS iV 304.