Oxford Girl- James Turner (AR) 1963 Parler I
[Ozark Folk Song Collection- online; Reel 423, Item 1. Collected by Mary Shand, transcribed by M. C. Parler.
Listen:
http://digitalcollections.uark.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/OzarkFolkSong/id/2243/rec/15
Title could be Export Girl.
R. Matteson 2106]
The Oxford Girl - James Turner of Elkins, Ark. on September 30, 1963.
Down in the town they call Oxford
I owned a flour mill,
I taken a liking to an Expert girl
With a dark and rolling eye.
I made my mind to marry this girl
If me she didn't deny.
I called at that girl's sister's house
At eight o'clock that night.
I thought we'd have a pleasant chat
And 'point the wedding day.
We walked along, we talked along,
Till me met the level ground.
A stick of wood was in my hand,
I knocked that fair girl down.
I knocked her to her bending knees,
O lord, Mercy, she cried,
O Jody dear, don't murder me here;
For I'm not prepared to die.
Still I did not say a word,
But still I beat her more,
Till blood was flowing around
And kivered with a gore.
I caught her by her golding locks
And I whirled her round and around,
I threw her in the water
That flowed through Oxford Town.
I came home about twelve o'clock,
My mother woke in a fright,
Saying, "Son, my Son, what have you done,
What have you done to bloody your hands and clothes?"
And the answer that it's I give her
Was bleeding at the nose.
I asked her for a candle
To light me off to bed;
Also it's for a napkin
To bind my aching head.
In my rook I rolled, I tossed,
No comfort could I find.
For flames of hell was around my bed,
And in my eyes did shine.
In about six weeks this
This fair girl was found,
Flowing down by her brother's door,
Way down in Oxford town.
They took me up on 'spicion,
They locked me up in jail,
No one to entertain me
No one to go my bail.
Her sister was the very one
That swore my life away.
There is no one no doubt,
She swore I was the very one
That called her sister out.