Orphant Child

Cat. #0588 (MFH #467) - As sung by Almeda Riddle, Heber Springs, Arkansas on October 23, 1965

VERSE 1
No home, no home, cried the orphent child
At th door of a princely hall
She shivering stood on th marble steps
An' leaned against the wall

VERSE 2
My Father alas, I never knew
He was lost on the ocean bright
My Mother sleeps in a new made grave
It's an orphant who begs tonight

VERSE 3
Give me a place out'a this cold wind
A place to lie down, she pled
A pallet in th corner would do for me
But please, a piece of bread

VERSE 4
But th rich man shook his haughty head
An' slammed the mansion door
His proud mouth curling with scorn as he said,
I've no room or bread for th poor

VERSE 5
Then I must freeze, n' she sank to th steps
Trying to cover her feet
With 'er ragged dress so tattered and torn
An' covered with snow an' with sleet

VERSE 6
Th rich man sat down at his table fine
Where he n' his family fed
The little girl wept in th snow on th steps
As she begged for piece of bread

VERSE 7
Th rich man lay down on a velvet couch
Dreamed about silver an' gold
The little girl slept in th snow on th steps
But mummer'd, I'm cold, so cold

VERSE 8
Th night rolled on an' th midnight chimes
Rang out her funeral knell
The earth was wrapped in a winding sheet
And th blinding snow still fell

VERSE 9
An' morning dawned th lettle girl
Lay dead at th rich mans door
Her soul had fled to realms above
For ther's room an' bread for th poor

VERSE 10
Th rich man still slept on th couch of down
But his soul to had fled
I don' know where such men go
I just know th rich man's dead

Variants