McAfee's Confession

1.Draw nigh, young men, and learn from me
My sad and mournful history,
And may you ne'er forgetful be
Of what this day I tell to thee.

2.Before I reached my fifth year,
My father and my mother dear
Were both laid in their silent grave
By Him who them their beings gave.

3.But Providence, the orphan's friend,
A relief did quickly send,
And snatched from want and penury
Poor little orphan McAfee.

4.Beneath my uncle's friendly roof,
From want and danger far aloof,
Nine years was I most tender reared,
And oft his kind advice I heard.

5.But I was thoughtless, young and gay,
And sometimes broke the Sabbath day,
In wickedness I took delight,
And ofttimes did what was not right.

6.And when my uncle would me chide,
I'd turn away dissatisfied,
And join again my wickedness,
And Satan serve with eagerness.

7.At last there came the fatal day,
When from my home I ran away,
And to my sorrow since in life,
I took unto myself a wife.

8.And she was kind and good to me
As any woman need to be,
And now alive would be no doubt,
Had I ne'er seen Miss Hettie Shout.

9. O, well I recollect the day
When Hettie stole my heart away;
'Twas love for her controlled my will,
And caused me my wife to kill.

10.'Twas on a pleasant summer night,
Wnen all was still, the stars shone bright,
My wife was lying on the bed,
When I approached and to her said:

11."Dear wife, here's medicine I brought,
Whicn for your sake this day I bougnt,
And I do hope it will cure you,
From tnose vile fits; pray, take it, do."

12.She gave to me a tender look
And in her mouth the poison took;
Then by her babe upon the bed
Down to her last long sleep she laid.

13.But, fearing that she was not dead,
My hand upon her tnroat I laid,
And there such deep impressions made,
Her soul soon from her body fled.

14.Then was my heart filled full of woe,
I cried, "O, whither shall I go?
Or how to quit this mournful place,
The world again how can I face? "

15.I'd freely give up all my store,
Had I ten thousand times much more,
If I could bring again to life
My dear, my darling murdered wife.

16.Her body lies beneath the sod,
Her soul I hope is with its God,
And soon into eternity,
My guilty soul will also be.

17.The moment now is drawing nigh
When from this world my soul must fly,
To meet Jehovah at the bar,
And there my final sentence hear.

18.Young men, pray take advice from me,
And shun all evil eompany;
Walk in the ways of righteousness,
And God yow soul will surely bless.

19.Kind friends, I bid you all adieu;
No more on earth shall I see you;
On heaven's bright and flowery plain
I hope we all shall meet again.

from Folk Songs of the South, Cox
DT #630
Laws F13
RG