Butcher Boy- Clara Walpert (IL) 1938 Neely C
[From Tales and Songs of Southern Illinois page 145-148 by Charles Neely published in 1938. Neely comments, "This is a very popular ballad in southern Illinois."
R. Matteson 2017]
C. Butcher Boy- Secured by Mr. William H. Creed from the MSS book of Mrs. Clara Walpert of that city.
In Jersey City where I did dwell
A butcher boy I loved so well;
He courted me my heart away,
And now with me he will not stay.
There is another girl in this same town;
My love he goes and sits him down;
He takes the strange girl on his knee,
And tells her what he don't tell me.
It is a grief to me and I'll tell you why,
Because she has more gold than I,
But her gold will melt and silver fly,
And in time of need she be poor as I.
Oh, what a foolish maid am I
To hang myself for a butcher boy.
Go dig my grave both wide and deep,
Place a marble stone at my head and feet
And on my breast a turtle dove
To show the world I died for love.