Oh, McCall, you look well; your clothes are neat and clean.

voiceCollected by Raymond W. Whittier For M.C. Parler Transcribed by Linda Humphrey Sung by: Irene Sargent West Fork, Ark. Dec. 9. 1960 Reel 303 Item 14 The Drunkard’s Dream Oh, McCall, you look well; your clothes are neat and clean. I never see you drunk about, prey tell me where you’ve been. Tour wife and family are all well; you once did treat them strange. Oh, you have kinder to them grown, how come this happy change? It was dream, a warning voice that heaven sent to me To snatch me from a drunkard's curse, grim want and misery. My money was all spent in drink, for what a wicked due, I almost broke my Mary's heart and starved my children too. What was my home, my wife to me; I heeded not her cries. Her patient smile would welcome me while tears bedewed her eyes. My children, they had often woke and father dear had said. Poor mother has been weeping so because we have no bread. My Mary's form did waste away; I saw her sunken eyes. My babe's own form in sickness lay, I heard their wailing cries. Yet I laughed and sang in drunkard's joy, while Mary’s tears did stream Then like a beast I fell asleep and had this warning dream. I dreamed once more I staggered home; there seemed a solemn gloom. I miss my wife, where can she be and strangers in the room. I heard them say, poor thing, she’s dead; she led a wretched life. wife. Grief and want have broke her heart who would be a drunkard's I saw my children gathered round; they scarcely drew their breath. Cling and kiss her lifeless form forever cold in death. Oh father dear come wake her up; the people say she's dead. Oh, make her see and smile again; we'll never cry for bread.The Drunkard's Dream continued She is not dead I faintly cried and rushed to where she lay And fondly kissed those once warm lips, now forever cold as clay. Oh, Mary speak once more to me; I'll never cause you pain, Nor break your loving heart or e're get drunk again. Oh, Mary speak, McCall cried; why, so I do, she said. I woke and there my Mary dear was kneeling by my bed. I pressed her to my throbbing heart for joyous tears did stream. And ever since I've heaven blest for sending me that dream.Funding for digitization provided by the Arkansas Humanities Council and the Happy Hollow Foundation