Two little children, a girl and a boy, Sat by the old church door,

voiceCollected by Merlin Mitchell Transcribed by Mary C. Parler Mrs. Robert A. Hill Golden City, Missouri July 20, 1950 Reel 64, Item 2 The Two little Orphans Two little children, a girl and a boy, Sat by the old church door, The little girl's feet were as brown as the curls, That fell on the dress that she wore. The little boy's coat was all tattered and torn, And tears shone in each little eye; Why don't you go home to your mother? I said, And this was the maiden's reply: Mother's in heaven, they took her away, And left Jim and me all alone, We came here to sleep at the close of the day, 'Cause we have no Mama or home. Father got lost on the sea long ago, We waited all night on the shore, For he was a lift-saving captain, you know, And never came back any more. Mother got sick, angels took her away, She went to that home fair and bright, They'll come for my darling, she told us, someday; And perhaps they'll call us tonight. We can't earn our bread, we're too little, she said, Jim's five, and I'm only seven; We can't earn our living since Papa is dead, And our darling mother's in heaven. The sexton came early to ring the church bell And found them beneath the snow white; The angels made room for two orphans to dwell In heaven with mother that night.Funding for digitization provided by the Arkansas Humanities Council and the Happy Hollow Foundation