To Miss Laura Bell Wilson, "College Corner," Ohio.
"Kitty McKay" (1874)
Song & Chorus
Words and Music
by William Shakespeare Hays, 1837-1907

1.
There's a neat little cabin, all covered with bushes,
That stands by itself near the foot of the hill,
The yard in the front of it jewelled with roses,
Away to the right of its stands an old mill.
When the bright beamin' sun hides its face in the evening,
An' dirty black night takes the place of the day,
You will see a young girl drivin' cows from the meadow,
That sweet-natured darlin', is Kitty McKay.

CHORUS
I have heard of fair angels, an' read of your beauties
That captivate hearts on this side of the say;
But I niver saw one half so lovely an' pretty
As light-hearted, lovin', sweet Kitty McKay.

2.
I have sat by her side in the door of the cabin,
When no one could listen to all that was said,
An' I told her I loved her--her face thick with blushes,
Half covered with curls as they hung from her head.
Then she pushed them aside, an' her rosey lips trembled,
She puzzled me so that I'd nothing to say,
As she smiled and said, "If it's kisses you're wantin',
They're yours, help yourself," says sweet Kitty McKay.

(CHORUS)

3.
How often at night, as I'm roamin' the country,
My memory flies like a bird o'er the sea,
An' wonders if ever a some one is waitin',
Or sending a thought in the same way to me,
Ah! faith! I'll go back to that little old cabin,
It is lonesome to live by myself in this way,
For birds go in pairs, just as Heaven intended
That I should be livin' with Kitty McKay.

(CHORUS)