Cat. #0067 (MFH #312) - As sung by Mrs. Gladys Everly, Springfield, Missouri on April 20, 1958
VERSE 1
Just at th din of the battles o'er
Just at the close of day
Wounded and bleeding upon th field
Two dying soldiers lay
One holds a ringlet of thin gray hair
One old a lock of brown
Bidding farewell to th stars an' stripes
Just as th sun went down
CHORUS:
One thought of Mother at home alone
Feeble and old and gray
The other, his sweetheart he left in town
Happy and young and gay
One kissed a ringlet of thin gray hair
The other a lock of brown
Bidding each other a last farewell
Just as th sun went down
VERSE 2
One knew th joys of a Mothers love
One of a sweethearts fair
Thinking of home they lay side by side
Breathing a well known prayer
One for his Mother, so old and gray
One for his love in town
They closed their eyes, to the earth and skies
Just as th sun went down
According to Mrs. Everly, this song dates back to the Civil War. Looking thru her Mother's ballad book, we found this song just as her Mother had written it.