Cat. #0174 (MFH #467) - As sung by Ethel Hunter, Springfield, Missouri on June 29, 1958
VERSE 1
No home, no home, pled a little girl
At th door of a princely hall
As she trembling stood on th marble step
An' leaned on th polished wall
VERSE 2
I must freeze, she cried, as she sank on th step
And strove to cover her feet
With her tattered dress all covered with snow
All covered with snow and sleet
VERSE 3
My Father, alas, I never knew
Tears dimmed her eyes so bright
My Mother sleeps in 'er newly made grave
T'is an orphan that begs tonight
VERSE 4
Her dress was thin and her feet were bare
And th snow had covered her head
O, give me a home, she feebly cried
A home and a bite of bread
VERSE 5
O, the night was dark and th snow fell fast
As the rich man closed his door
And his proud lips curled with scorn as he said,
No bread, no room for the poor
VERSE 6
Th rich man lay on his velvet couch
And dreamed of his silver an' gold
While the orphan girl lay on a bed of snow
And mummered, so cold, so cold
VERSE 7
O, th night wore on and th midnight came
And th drifting snow still fell
The earth seemed wrapped in a winding sheet
That came like a funeral knell
VERSE 8
O, th night wore on and th morning came
And she lay at th rich mans door
But her soul had fled to th realms above
Where there's room an' there's bread for th poor
Sang by my Mother.