He Never Came Back

(album: The Carter Family Volume 2 - 1935-1941 - 2003)

An old Jane about 49 came in to view the town
She registered up at Smith's Hotel as Miss Ada Brown
She said she was just 25 and that she was in love
With a young lad about 16, she called him her turtledove

The wedding day at last arrived, the birds did merrily sing
He touched her up for a hundred to go out and buy the ring

He never came back, no, he never came back
He's been gone for a year or more
That sassy young thing better have that ring
When we meet on that beautiful shore

I went down to a restaurant as hungry as a bear
And a raving thief I did, I grabbed the bill of fare
The waiter said, now what for you, a piece of steak, I said
He taken my order and bowed his head and slowly walked away