Bill Harman- Mitchell (WV) 1918 Cox D
[From Folk-Songs of the South- Cox, 1925; He also published 3 versions in 1939 designated A1 (see Scarborough G), B1, C1. Cox's notes follow.
R. Matteson 2015]
21. THE GYPSY LADDIE (Child, No. 200)
Four variants have been recovered in West Virginia. They resemble Child J. B differs from A and from Child J in that the lady repents and goes back home. Cf. note by Kittredge, Journal, xxx, 323. Of the English versions they are most like Child G. Cf. The American Star Songster, New York, 185 1, p. 54.
For a list of American texts and for references, English and American, see Journal, xxx, 323. Add Campbell and Sharp, No. 27 (Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia) ; Sharp, Folk-Songs of English Origin collected in the Appalachian Mountains, 2d Series, p. 6 (compounded of Campbell and Sharp, No. 27, A and C); Minish MS. (North Carolina); Bulletin, No. 8, p. 7; No. 9, p. 7; No. n, p. 8.
D. "Bill Harman." Contributed by Mr. A. C. Payne, Barclay, McDowell County, August, 1918. Mr. Payne said that this song was made by Henry Mitchell about Billy Harman, whose wife had gone off with Tim Wallace, Harman's brother-in-law. Wallace was immensely ugly and the wife very pretty. She never came back; he did. "War" and "Barranshee" are names of local streams in the southern part of West Virginia.
1 Bill Harman came home at night,
Inquiring for Melindy, O!
Mandy made him this reply:
"She's gone with a spurlock laddie, O! "
2 "Go saddle me up old Tice's gray,
Go saddle me up old Brownie, O!
I plowed all day and I'll ride all night,
Or overtake Melindy, O!"
3 He rode till he came to the north of War,
The water seemed deep and muddy,
He tucked up his bridle reins,
He forded it most steady, O !
4 He rode till he came to the mouth of Barranshee,
He stopped and studied, O!
He rode till he came to Bartley Rose's,
Inquiring for Melindy, O !
He here inquired if she had gone that road, but, receiving a negative reply, he returned home. The singer could not recall the last stanzas.