Waxford Girl- Reba Dearmoren (AR) 1969 Hunter F
[From Missouri State; Max Hunter Folk Song Collection; Cat. #0641 (MFH #670) . Minor editing. Also in Ozark Collection.
Listen: https://maxhunter.missouristate.edu/songinformation.aspx?ID=0641
R. Matteson 2016]
Waxford Girl - As sung by Reba Dearmore, Mountain Home, Arkansas on January 7, 1969
VERSE 1
T'was in the town of Nero
I used to live an' dwell
And was in th town of Waxford
That I owned a flour mill
I fell in love with the Waxford girl
With th dark an' rolling eye
I asked her to marry me,
And this was her reply.
VERSE 2
We went down to her sister's house
The wedding to provide
I ask her to walk with me
Along the river side.
We walked along and we talked along
Till we came to level ground
I drew a stake from off the fence
And I knocked that lady down.
VERSE 3
She fell upon her bended knees
Have mercy, she did cry
O, Johnny do not murder me
For I'm not prepared to die,
I paid no heed to what she said
I threw her on the moss
The ground all around her
Was covered with the bloody froth.
VERSE 4
I picked her up by the yellow locks
And I flung her 'round an 'round
I threw her in th river
That runs through Waxford town.
Lie there, lie there, you Waxford girl
Lie there, lie there, I cried;
Lie there, lie there, you Waxford girl
To me you'll never be tied.
VERSE 5
T'was ten o'clock or after
When I got home that night
There sit my dear old Mother
All in a dreadful fright.
"O Son, O Son, what have you done
To soil your hands an' clothes?"
The answer that I gave to her
Was the bleeding at the nose
VERSE 6
I called for a candle
To light me off to bed
The next was for hankerchief
To tie my aching head.
I turned around about the room
No comfort could I find;
The flames of Hell flowin' 'round me
An' the Waxford girl behind.
VERSE 7
Come all ye young people,
Take warning from me;
Don't kill your true lover,
It is a cruelty,
It is a cruelty.