May I sleep in your barn tonight, mister?

Voice
Collected by Bill Reynolds Sung by For Mary C. Parler Mr. Gerald Harriman Transcribed by Bill Reynolds Fayetteville, Ark. January 11, 1960 Reel 335, Item 6 May I Sleep In Your Barn Tonight Mister Oh, one night it was dark and twas stormy When along came a tramp in the rain He was making his way to the station To catch a long distant train. May I sleep in your barn tonight Mister For its cold lying out on the ground And the cold North wind it is whistlin And I haven't anyplace to lie down. I have no matches nor tobacco I'm sure I will do you no harm I will tell you my story kind Mister For it runs through my heart like a storm. Just three years ago last summer Oh I never shall forget that sad day When a stranger came out from the city And he said that he wanted to stay. My wife said she'd like to be earning Some money to add to our home And the talk was finally settled. That the stranger might stay in our home. One evening as I came from my workshop I was whistlin and singing with joy Expecting a kind hearted welcome from my sweet loving wife and my boy. But what should I find but a letter That was placed in a room on the stand And the moment my eyes fell upon it I picked it right up in my hands. The note said my wife and the stranger Had left and had taken my son. I wonder if God up in heaven Only knows what the stranger has done.
Funding for digitization provided by the Arkansas Humanities Council and the Happy Hollow Foundation.