Jefferson City- anon (NC) c1930 Lunsford D
[No informant, location or date, estimated from age, location of MSS in collection. From: Bascom Lamar Lunsford Collection, Box 69, Folder B; Southern Appalachian Archives, Liston B. Ramsey Center for Regional Studies, Mars Hill University; Identifier mh00022. Minor corrections made in spelling and punctuation.
R. Matteson 2017]
Jefferson City- no informant named.
1. In Jefferson City I used to dwell
There lived a girl that I loved so well
She courted me my life away
And now with me she will not stay.
2. There lived another girl in that same town
She took my love and set me down
She took the stranger up on her knee
And told to him what he wouldn't tell me.
3. And I can tell you the reason why
She has more gold and silver than I;
Her gold will melt and her silver fly
And then she will be as poor as I.
4. As I went up stairs to make my bed
Just one word to dear mother I said
Go bring me a chair and I'll sit down
With pen and ink I'll write it down.
5 On ever line I'll drop a tear
Tis crying oh sweet Willie, my dear.
On ever line I'll drop a tear
Tis crying oh sweet Willie, my dear.
6. Her father came home the door he broke
He found her hanging by the rope
He drew his swipe and cut her down,
And on her breast those words he found.
7. Oh mother, oh mother you do not know
The [pain] the sorrow this has brought to me
Since I first gained that young man's life
Now on this rope I'll end my life.
8. Go dig my grave both wide and deep
Place a marble stand at my head and feet
And on my grave plant a cedar tree
To show to this world that I died for he.
9. And at my feet plant a willow tree
That it may mourn and weep for me
And in that tree place a white turtle dove
To show this world that I died for love.