Little Rosewood Casket

Cat. #0491 (MFH #356) - As sung by Mrs. Kenneth Wright and Lee Pompey, Springfield, Missouri on May 22, 1960

VERSE 1
In th little rosewood casket
That is resting by my stand
Is a package of old letters
Written by a cherished hand

VERSE 2
Will you go an' get them Sister
Will you read them o'er to me
For of't times I've tried to read tem
But for tears I could not see

VERSE 3
Read those precious lines, so slowly
Do not miss even one
For th cherished hand that wrote them
His last words for me is done

VERSE 4
You have got them now, dear Sister
Come, sit upon my bed
An' press gently to your bosom
My poor throbbing, aching head

VERSE 5
Tell him, that I never blamed him
Tho' to me he's proved untrue
Tell him, that I'll n'er forget him
Till this world, I bid adieu

VERSE 6
Tell him, that I never blamed him
Not an unkind word was spoke
Tell, O tell him, Sister, tell him
That my heart in coldness broke

VERSE 7
When I'm dead an' in my coffin
An' my shroud around me bound
An' my little bed is ready
In th cold and silent ground

VERSE 8
Place his letters an' his locket
All together o'er my heart
But th little ring he gave me
From my finger never part

VERSE 9
You have finished, now dear Sister
Will you read them o'er again
While I listen to you read them
I will lose all sense of pain

VERSE 10
While I listen to you read them
I will gently fall asleep
Fall asleep to wake in Jesus
O dear Sister, do not weep

Variants