Butcher's Boy- anon (PA) 1928 Harrisburg Telegraph
[From a newspaper dated September 14, 1928 (Harrisburg Telegraph from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania). Their notes follow.
R. Matteson 2017]
The Butcher's Boy. Sir: In Wednesday night's Mail - bag this song was requested by Edna Haffly. Here it is:
"THE BUTCHER'S BOY" [from Mt. Holly Springs]
In London City where I did dwell
A butcher's boy I loved so well
He courted me my life away
And then with me would not stay.
There is a strange house in our town
Where he goes up and sits right down
He takes another girl on his knee
He tells her things he won't tell me.
I'll have to grieve, I'll tell you why
Because she has more gold than I,
Her gold will melt in silver fly
In time of need to be as poor as I.
I went up stairs to go to bed
And nothing to my mother said,
Oh mother she did seem to say
What is the matter my daughter dear.
Oh mother dear you need not know
What grief and sorrow pair doth flow
But give me a chair and sit me down
With pen and ink, to write words down.
Go dig my grave both wide and deep,
Place a marble stone at my head and feet.
Upon my breast a snow white dove
To show to the world I died for love.
And when her father first came home
Where is my daughter, Where's she gone
He went upstairs and the door he broke
He found her hanging to a rope.
He took his knife and cut her down
And on her bosom these words he found
What a silly girl I am you know
To take my life for the butcher's boy.
Must I go bound while he goes free
Must I love a boy that don't love me
Alas! alas! 'twill never cease
Till oranges grow on apple trees.