Way out in Colorado a family bright and gay

voiceReel 301 Side #1 No. 10 Collected by Joe Moore For M.C. Parler Transcribed by Linda Humphrey Sung by Betty Davis Westfork, Ark. December 29, 1964 Little Marian Parker Way out in Colorado A family bright and gay Were planning on their Christmas Not very far away. They had a little daughter, A sweet and pretty child, And everyone who knew her Loved Marian Parker's smile. She went to school one morning, Not very far away, And no one dreamed of the danger That came to her that day. There was a murderous villain, His heart was made of stone, He took little Marian Parker Away from friends and home. The world in solemn lay sleeping Til they found her cold and dead, They caught the cowardly murderer, Young Hickman was his name.Little Marian Parker -continued They brought him back to judgement His final trial to stand. There is a great commandment Thou shall not kill And those who do not heed it, Their cup of sorrow fill. This song is meant as a warning To care and far and near, You cannot guard too closely The ones you love so dear. (Betty Davis heard this from her mother before she was school age, around 1919. It is based on a true story.)Funding for digitization provided by the Arkansas Humanities Council and the Happy Hollow Foundation