Poor Ellen Smith Lyrics - Singles - Cantrell Laura

Come all you people my story to hear 

What happened to me in June of last year 

Oh, its poor Ellen Smith, how was she found? 

Shot through the heart, lying dead on the ground 

Its true I'm in jail a prisoner now 

God is here with me and hears every vow 

So I do promise the truth to relate 

I'll tell you all that I know of Ellen's sad fate 

I saw her on Monday before that sad day 

Found her body lying and took it away 

That she had been murdered never entered my mind 

Till a bullet through the heart they happened to find 

Who is so cruel, so heartless, so base 

To murder my poor Ellen in such a lonesome place? 

I seen her laid out so still and so cold 

I heard the wild stories the witnesses told 

I choked back the tears as the people all said 

"It was you Peter Degraph, shot our Ellen Smith dead" 

Ellen lies sleeping with her hand on her breast 

The bloodhounds and the sheriff won't give me no rest 

They got their Winchesters and hunted me down 

I stole away to Mt. Airy town 

I laid off a year and I prayed the whole time 

The man could be found what committed the crime 

I prayed I'd come back and my character save 

But the flowers faded round poor Ellen's grave 

So I came back to Winston my trial to stand 

I'll live or I'll die as the law might command 

Ellen lies sleeping in that lonesome churchyard 

I stare through the bars, God knows it's hard 

I know they will hang me at least if they can 

But I swear to you, I'll die as an innocent man 

My soul will be free when I stand at the bar 

Where God tries his cross, then there like a star 

That shines in the night will my innocence shine 

And I'll make my appeal to the justice of time