Rose of Ardeen- Dickinson (MS) pre1936 Hudson B
[From Ballads and Songs from Mississippi by Arthur Palmer Hudson; Hudson on the advice of Louise Pound includes his two versions under Child 295.
R. Matteson 2014]
B. "Rose of Ardeen." Communicated by Miss Emma Ruth Corban Fayette, who obtained it from Mrs. C. A. Dickinson, of Hamburg, Franklin County.
1 When first to this country a stranger I came,
I courted a damsel called Mary by name.
She was neat, tall and slender; her age was sixteen;
She was the flower of this country and the Rose of Ardeen.
2 Along came a young squire worth thousands a year.
He courted this damsel and called her his dear;
But her father was so wealthy, her beauty so high,
That upon this young squire she'd scarcely cast her eye.
3 "Mary, Mary"' said he,
"I fear that your beauty my ruin will be,
I fear that your beauty my ruin will prove;
I wish that your hatred to me would turn to love."
4 "I have no hatred for you nor for any man,
But for me to love you is more than I can;
So you had as well retire and change your discourse,
For I'll never marry you unless I am forced."
5 Six weeks not gone, six weeks not passed,
Until this young damsel took sick in her breast.
Took sick in her breast, and for what she knew not,
She sent for this young squire to come to see her die.
6 "O Mary, O Mary, O Mary," said he,
"Do you well remember when you stilted [sic] me, [1]
And when you slighted, you slighted with scorn;
And now I'll remind you of things past and gone.
Yes, past and gone, forgotten and forgave; [2]
I'll go to your burial, I'll dance on your grave."
7. She pulled from her fingers some diamond rings three,
Saying, "Here, take them and wear them while dancing on me;
But remember, remember, remember, I pray,
that the girl loves you dearest lies in the cold silent clay."
1. slited
2. should be quatrain here.