"Mother's Parting at the Gate" (1884)
Song and Chorus
by William Shakespeare Hays, 1837-1907

Cincinnati, OH: Geo. D. Newhall Co., 50 West 4th St.,
Plate No. 545-3.
[Source: 17025@LoC]

1.
The twilight shadows gather'd 'round my onw native home,
The bright stars saw their faces in the sea,
The ship stood out to anchor soon to cross the ocean's foam,
To bear me far from those so dear to me;
I bade my grey hair'd father for the last time, fond adieu!
I turn'd to go, and some one whisper'd "wait",
My heart was almost broken, and my eyes were weeping too,
When I kiss'd my dear old mother at the gate.

CHORUS
I am a lonely wanderer, upon life's stormy sea,
No matter where I am, I'll trust to fate;
And when I die, I hope I'll go where some one waits for me,
I'll kiss my dear old mother at the gate.

2.
I took one long and ling'ring look, a teardrop dimm'd my eye,
My poor young heart seem'd breaking with its pain,
I felt as if I could not bid my native home goodbye,
And never see the lov'd ones there again;
Once more I took a farewell look, and felt a long embrace,
The moon went down, for it was growing late,
It was the last time that I ever saw that a-ged face,
When I kiss'd my dear old mother at the gate.

(CHORUS)