To Capt. C. H. Arthur, New Orleans, La.
"Write to Me Often" (1876)
Song and Chorus
by William Shakespeare Hays, 1837-1907

New York: J. L. Peters, 843 Broadway, Plate No. 9,465-3.
Source: 14738@LoC

1.
Write to me often,
I'm lonely and sad,
Your letters are welcome,
They make my heart glad,
I don't think of hardships wherever I roam,
They bring me good news from the loved ones at home.
Tears fill mine eyes when I'm reading each line,
Joy fills this wandering, sad heart of mine!
But when I have done,
'Tis a stranger to pain;
O, write to me often,
Write soon again!

CHORUS
"God bless the lov'd ones,"
I pray while I roam,
O how I wish I was with them at home,
The home of my childhood, that stands in hte lane;
Write to me often,
Write soon again.

2.
Write to me often,
Wherever I be.
Tell me of mother,
You know it was she
Who kiss'd me the last kiss, and asked me to wait,
Then kissed me again at the little brown gate;
Tell me of father, and dear little Nell,
If only to say that the lov'd ones are well,
Send kisses and blessings to me at Loraine;
O, write to me often,
Write soon again!

(CHORUS)

3.
Write to me often
across the blue foam,
Think that I wander
alone and from home;
The hopes of my heart are the letters past due,
And the joy that is mine is in writing to you.
I wait for the mails in their wandering flight,
And hope they will bring me a letter tonight,
To make my heart happy, and banish its pain;
O, write to me mother,
Write me again!

(CHORUS)