"The Lone Grave" (1890)
Song and Chorus.
Words and Music by 
Paul Dresser [Dreiser], 1858-1906

NOTE:
"The Lone Grave" is situated on the Wester and Atlantic R. R., 
between Chatanooga, Tenn. and Atlanta, Ga.  A pale board 
marked the resting place of a Soldier. Name "anonymous."  None 
could tell whether he had been a Federal or Confederate. The 
section hands, when laying the tract discovered the Grave, 
modled it over beautifully and placed a head stone over it 
bearing the above inscription. The Traveler's attention is always 
called to this spot, and that Grave "always up." In order to give 
all an opportunity to see it. Let this be an Olive Branch to the 
North and South to be again a [winded?] people.-- Author.

[NOTE: spellings/words in the above are very lo-res and almost illegible
in the source; many "best guesses" were made]

New York: Willis Woodward & Co., 842 and 844 Broadway
[Source: 058/053@Levy]

1. A story I’m going to tell of a grave, 
In the South where a brave soldier fell; 
For his cause now he sleeps by the side of a track, 
What his colors, none able to tell; 
A plain simple board, rudely carved that was all, 
That was left to remind one of that sacred spot; 
The words as we traced them were simple enough, 
“A soldier sleeps here, Oh! forget-me-not;”

CHORUS 1
The lone grave is there by the side of the track, 
It contains a wanderer who never come back, 
And when he appears on the great Judgement Day, 
Our Father’ll not ask, “Was your suit blue or gray”!

2. There’s a mother that sits by a fireside tonight, 
She is thinking of days long gone by; 
And she pictures a loved one who went to the war, 
But returned not, she says, with a sigh, 
If the mother could know that her boy calmly sleeps 
Undisturbed by the march or the progress of time; 
What feelings would haunt her what thoughts would she have 
Sobs, tears and heartaches, what sadness sublime;”

CHORUS 2
The lone grave’s still there by the side of the track, 
It contains her boy who will never come back, 
And when he appears on the great Judgement Day, 
Our Father’ll not ask, “Was your suit blue or gray”!