To my friend John A. Haldeman
Composed expressly for and sung by Billy Emerson.
"I Took Her to the Ball" (1877)
Song [with Chorus and Dance]
by William Shakespeare Hays, 1837-1907

New York, NY: C. H. Ditson & Co., 843 Broadway, Plate No. 46128
[Source: 13570@LoC]

1.
One afternoon in summer,
I met her on Broadway,
We smiled upon each other,
And met again next day;
She told me that she loved me,
And said that I must call,
And on that very evening,
I took her to the ball.

CHORUS
Oh! she was fair and lovely,
The queen among them all.
She would not dance with none but me,
For I took her to the ball.

2.
Her cheeks were like two roses,
Her teeth were pearly white,
Her eyes were bright as diamonds,
And glistened in the night;
Her voice was like sweet music,
Oh! take her all in all,
She looked just like an angel,
I took her to the ball.

(CHORUS)

3.
And when we were returning,
I asked her on the way,
If she would like to marry,
If so, to name the day;
So we are to be married,
Quite early in the fall,
The way I came to get her,
I took her to the ball.

(CHORUS)