Classic Poem

1.

My tender parents brought me up, providing me full well,
And in the city of Lexington they put me in the mill;
And there I spied a fair young maid, and on her I cast my eye;
I asked her if she'd marry me and she believed a lie.

2.

We went into her sister's house about eight o'clock one night;
Not one time did the creature think at her I had a spite.
I asked her for to take a walk a little ways away,
That she and I might have a talk about our wedding day.

3.

We walked along, we talked along, to a lonely desert place,
I drew a stick from off the fence and struck her in the face;
Down on her bended knee she fell and loud for mercy cried,
" For Heaven's sakes don't murder me, I'm not prepared to die. "

4.

But little did I pay to her, I only struck her more,
Until I saw that innocent blood which I could not restore;
I ran my hands through her cold black hair and I tried to cover my sins,
I drug her to the river's bank and there I plunged her in.

5.

As I returned back to my mill, I met my servant John,
He asked me why I looked so sad and yet so badly one.
I lit my candle and went to bed expecting to take a rest
It seemed as if the flames of hell were burning at my breast.

Young men and boys, take warning from this and unto your lover be true,
Don't never let the devil get the upper hand of you.