67. Rose Connally
The story here is akin to that of 'The Lexington Murder' and 'On
the Banks of the Ohio.' One supposes that it is an Irish stall
ballad, but I have found it reported only from the United States.
Cox (FSS 314-15) prints two versions from West Virginia, both
beginning with a moralizing stanza and both ending with a stanza
in which the murderer names himself (Patsey O'Reilly in A, Mor-
rison in B). Shearin and Combs's syllabus lists it for Kentucky,
a two-stanza fragment entitled 'Rose Colalee' (Colleen?). Henry
and Matteson print (SFLQ v 143) a text from Rominger, North
Carolina, which is close to our A, below. Davis reports it from
Virginia (FSV 273).
OLDER BALLADS — MOSTLY BRITISH 249
A
'Rose Connally.' From Frank Proffitt, Sugar Grove, Watauga county,
in 1939; sung by Frank Proftitt and Nathan Hicks to accompaniment of
the dulcimer and the guitar.
1 Down in the willow garden
Where me and my love did be,
There we sit a-courting ;
My love dropped off to sleep.
2 I had a bottle of the burglar's wine
That my true-love did not know,
And there I poisoned my own true-love,
Down under the banks below.
3 I drew my saber through her,
Which was a bloody knife ;
I threw her in the river.
Which was a dreadful sight.
4 My father always taught me
That money would set me free
If I'd murder that pretty little miss
Whose name was Rose Connally.
5 He's sitting now at his own cabin door,
A-wiping his weeping eyes,
A-looking at his own dear son
Upon the scafifold high.
6 My race is run beneath the sun,
Tho hell's now waiting for me.
For I did murder that pretty little miss
Wliose name was Rose Connally.
'Down in the Willow Garden.' From Thomas Smith, Zionville,
Watauga county ; not dated but with this note signed by Smith : "Written
down by Miss Bessie Smith of Zionville, N. C. It has been sung by
Mrs. Isaacs' folks for several years and is evidently not an old ballad."
Dr. Brown, who evidently called at Zionville later, noted by the name
of Mrs. Isaacs "absent. Her mother Mrs. J. M. Hodges" ; and by the
title he noted "Rose Connally," evidently to indicate an alternate title.
This text differs from A by inserting a new stanza after stanza 3:
4 I threw her into the river,
Which was a sight to see.
My name is Pattimaredo
Who murdered Rose Conalee,
and by substituting for the last stanza of A this:
7 Come all of you young ladies
And warning take by me.
And never sit a-courtin'
Down under the willow tree.
-----------------------
67
Rose Connally
'Rose Connally.' Sung by Frank Proffitt and Nathan Hicks, with dulcimer and
guitar. Recorded at Sugar Grove, Watauga county, in 1939. This melody is
closely related to 'Old Rosin the Beau' of this collection. The second stanza
given in II 249 is a part of the first stanza in the version given in FSUSA 302,
No. 83.
For melodic relationship cf. ***FSUSA 302, No. 83, compare with our varia-
tions, occurring in the stanza ; also ibid. ** our stanza without the variations.
Scale: Hexatonic (4), plagal. Tonal Center; f. Structure: abac (2,2,2,2) =
aai (4,4).
'Down in the Willow Garden.' Sung by anonymous male singer. Recorded,
but no date or place given. This is also closely related to 'Old Rosin the Beau'
and to 676(1), which follows.
For melodic relationship cf. ***FSUSA 302, No. 83 ; compare with our
variations occurring in the stanza.
Scale: Mode III, plagal. Tonal Center: f. Structure: abac (2,2,2,2) = aa^
(4,4)-
B(I)
'Down in the Willow Garden.' Sung by Miss Edith Walker. From the previous
recording of Dr. W. A. Abrams, Boone, August 8, 1940. This is closely related
to 'Old Rosin the Beau' and to 67A and 67B. For the variations see note on
67A.
Scale: Mode III, plagal. Tonal Center: e-flat. Structure: abac (2,2,2,2) =
aai (4,4).