She went upstairs to make her bed
And not one word to her mother said
Her mother she went upstairs too
Says "Daughter, dear daughter, what troubles you?
"Oh Mother, oh Mother, I cannot tell
That railroad boy I love so well
He courted me my life away
And now at home he will not stay"
"There is a place in London town
Where that railroad boy goes and sits down
He takes that strange girl on his knee
And he tells to her what he won't tell me"
Her father he came in from work
And said, "Where's daughter? She seems so hurt"
He went upstairs to give her hope
But found her hanging on a rope
He took his knife and cut her down
And in her bosom these words he found:
"Go dig my grave both wide and deep
Place a marble slab at my head and feet"
And over my coffin place a snow-white dove
To warn this world that I died for love