"The Tune the Old Cow Died On" (not dated)
A Pathetic Ballad
Words and Music by John Hill Hewitt, 1801-1890

[Source: manuscript photocopy from
John H. Hewitt papers #31 (OP3 8)
Special Collections,
The Robert W. Woodruff Library,
Emory University,
Atlanta, GA  30322-2870]

1. 
I am a poor old widower,
My name is Betsy Dow,
I once possess’d a fortinin,
And a fine old brindle cow.
I milk’d her ev’ry noon and night;
And sold my cheese and butter­­
But then, poor thing! she died on day,
May soon be dead and gone;

CHORUS [sung after each verse]
I’m singing now in doleful strain
The tune my cow died on.
[NOTE: manuscript refers to a Chorus
beginning "Oh, pity" but the words
are not included.]

2. 
On applesass and peanutsuts
I feed my poor old cow,
And ev’ry day I sang herer
The tune I’m singing now.
I gave her sassafrase and salt,
Mix’d with plantation bitters,
But, she got worse and worse each day
The vile, ungrateful critter!

3. 
She could not speak her feelingsings,
When this ’ere song I sing;
She knew that she was dyinging,
Lodown her head was hung.
The song it so affected her,
That she begun a sighing,
And then she look’d a look that said,
“Oh, stop­­ for I am dying!”

4. The fled her gentle spiritit,
She’s gone where good cows go;
And then on Abram’s bosomom
[NOTE: verse is incomplete in manuscript]