4B. Young Charlotte- Cooke (WV) 1926
4B - YOUNG CHARLOTTE
Communicated by Miss Dixie Cooko, Cyclone, Wyomlng County, November 1, 1926. 0btainod from her mother.
Young Charlotte lived on a mountain side,
Ia a wild and lonely spot,
There were no dwellings for three miles wide,
Except her father's cot.
And yet on many a winter night
Young swains were gathered there,
For her father kept a social abode,
And she was very fair.
3 Ono New Yearr s evon as the sun went dorHn,
Fair looked her wishful eye
Out from ths frosty window pano
As tho merry sleighs wsnt by.
At the village fifteen niles away
Tfas to be a ball that night;
Altbough the alr rras pleroing colde
Her hoart nas warrn and lightr
Brightly beanod her laughing eyr
As a well hown voice sb.e heardr
And dashing up to the oottage door,
Her lovorr s sleigh appeared.
n0 daughter dearril the mothor crled,
'r Thi s blanket around you foldr
For it is a dreadful night abroad,
You will got your death of cold.'l
t0 nay, 0 *y, " Young Charlotte orled,
As she laughed like a gypsy queen,
'fTo ride in a blanket all nuffled up,
I nver would be s6rrr
uMy silken oloak is quite enough,
You know itt s linod throughoutr
4nd there is ny silkon scarf to twine
My head and neck about.n
Her bonnet and her gloves wro onr
She jumped lnto tho slelghl
And wriftly sped dom ths morrntain side,
And oter tho hills arla,$o
With rnuffled beat 8o sllentlY
Five nlles at length wer Passod,
,And Charley wlth a fsw and slr-lverlng rrvordse
The silenae broke at last.
Spoke Charlesr 'tEow fast the freezing loo
I s gatherod on nY brow. rl
Toung Charlotte then gav the replf,r
nI fm growing warmor rtowon
He oraoked his whipr he urged lr"ls steedsr
Muoh faster than beforet
And thus five other drearY nilesr
In silence were Passed or er.
Thus on they ro11 through the frosty air
And the bllstering ool'd starllghte
Until at last tho village lamPs
And the ball roon oame in slght.
Thoy reaohod the door and Charles sprang out
And hel.d hie hand to herr
"Tfhy slt you like a monumentr
That hath no powr to stlr?tr
Ee took her hand ln his,
It nras cold and hard as any stone,
He tore the mantle from her faoe,
And the oo1d, stars or sr it shoner
And quiokly in tho J,lghted hsllt
Her llfeless form he boroe
Young Charlotter s 6yes wero olosed for aye,
Her volce ulas heard Eo Inof,oo
And there ho sat doune bY her side,
T[hl1e bltter toars did flow;
He arled, "hly ownr my darllng brido,
You never moro shall Ltoow.rl
18 Ee tnd.ned hls arts6 about her neck,
Ee klssod her marblo brow'
.And hls thoughts flew back to whero she said,
"I'm growing warmer now."
Laws G17.
See NC II 492.