It was in the town of Oxford I used to run and dweel,

voiceCollected by Parler Mrs. Donna Everett Huntsville, Ark. August 11, 1958 Reel 307, Item 5 The Oxford Girl It was in the town of Oxford I used to run and dweel, And in this town of Oxford I ran a flour mill. I fell in love with an Oxford girl With a dark and roving eye; I asked her if she'd marry me, Or if she'd he my bride. I asked her to take a walk with me Throught he meadows soft and gay, That we might have some pleasant talk And name our wedding day. We walked along and talked along, Till we came to a level ground, And there I picked up a dreadful stick And knocked this fair maid down. In falling on her bending knees, 0 Lord have mercy, she cried, Oh Willie dear, don't murder me here, For I'm not prepared to die. I heeded not a word she said, I beat her more and more, I beat her till the ground all around Was bloodied in a flow. I picked her up by her yellow locks, I hurled her round and round, I dragged her to the water's edge And threw her in to drown. In calling home at twelve that night, My mother was dreadful with fear, Oh Willie dear, what have you done To bloody your hands and clothes? The only answer that I gave Was bleeding at the nose. -more-The Oxford Girl Reel 307 Item 5 Continued In about three weeks just after this This Oxford girl was found, A-floating down by the river That runs through Oxford tom. They took me on suspicion, They locked me up in jail, There was no one to entertain me, Or go on my bail. Her sister swore my life away, She swore without a doubt, That I must be the single man That laid her sister out. 0 Lord, they're going to hang me, What a dreadful death to die, Up in the air so high Between the earth and the sky.Funding for digitization provided by the Arkansas Humanities Council and the Happy Hollow Foundation