"Give This to Mother" (1864)
Words by S. W. Harding
by Stephen Collins Foster, 1826-1864

                          ---======---
  Upon one of the Battle fields near Washington, a dying
patriotic drummer boy pulled off a locket from his neck;
saying to one of his comrades in his last expiring moments:
"Give this to Mother"
    The last words of this drummer boy, formed the subject
for this musical compostion of Stephen C. Foster, the
celebrated composer of a thousand popular American songs.
  Three days after, he handed us this _Sweet composition_,
for which he promised to write a biographical sketch of
the subject of this song, death summoned him to his last
account.
  We therefore where [sic] obliged to fill up this space,
with the present sad remarks.
                          ---======---

1.
Take I pray thee this small locket,
  Brother soldier ere I die;
Life is flick'ring in its socket,
  And my spirit soon will fly!
I am dying, comrade dying,
  Far from home and her I love;
Death with life is strongly viewing;
  And I soon will be above.

REFRAIN
Take this locket, soldier, brother,
Don't forget, give this to mother.

2.
Comrade hear those angels singing,
  See beyond the brilliant light;
Hear yon joy-bells sweetly ringing,
  Shade my vision from God's sight'
Death has come, my eyes grow dimmer,
  Let me comrade touch your hand,
Ere the stars of ev'ning glimmer,
  I will find a fairer land.

(REFRAIN)