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My parents raised me tenderly, |
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They had no child but me. |
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My mind being placed on rambling, |
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With them I couldn't agree |
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Just to leave my aged parents |
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And them no more to see. |
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There was a wealthy gentleman |
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Who lived there very near by. |
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He had a beautiful daughter, |
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On her I cast an eye. |
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She was so tall and slender, |
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So pretty and so fair. |
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There never was a girl in this whole wide world |
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With her I could compare. |
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I asked her if it differed |
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If I crossed over the plain. |
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She said, "It makes no difference |
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If you never return again." |
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We too shook hands and parted, |
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And I left my girl behind. |
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I started out in this wide world |
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Strange faces for to see. |
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I met little Maggie Walker |
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And she fell in love with me. |
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Her pockets all lined with greenback |
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And her labor I'll grow old, |
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Now if you'll consent to marry me |
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I'll say I'll roam no more. |
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I traveled out one morning, |
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To the salt works I were bound. |
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And when I reached the salt works |
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I viewed the city all around. |
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Work and money were plentiful |
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And the girls all kind to me. |
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But the only object to my heart |
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Was a girl in Tennessee. |
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I traveled out one morning |
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Down on the market square. |
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The mail train being on arrival, |
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I met the carrier there. |
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He handed me a letter, |
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So's I could understand |
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That the girl I left in Tennessee |
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Had married another man. |
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I drove on down a little further |
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And found that it was true. |
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I turned my horse and buggy around |
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But I didn't know what to do. |
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I turned all around and about there -- |
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Bad company I'll resign; |
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I'll drive all about from town to town |
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For the girl I left behind. |