"Down By the River Side I Stray" (1861)
Ballad
Written by George Pope Morris, 1802-1864
Sung by Mme. Anna Bishop
for whom the music was composed
by John Rogers Thomas, 1830-1896
Author of  TIS BUT A LITTLE FADED FLOWER, &C. &C.

New York: Firth, Pond & Co., 547 Broadway
Boston: Oliver Ditson
Cincinnati: C. Y. Fonda
Pittsburg: H. Kleber & Bro.
Plate No. 5132
Engraver: Clayton
[Source: @NYPL]

1. Down by the river side I stray
As twilight shadows close,
And the soft music of the spray
Lulls nature to repose:
Beside the stream a maiden dwells--
My star of eventide!
Pure as the water-lilly bells,
Pure as the water-lilly bells,
Pure as the water-lilly bells
Down by the river side.

2. Down by the river side I own
A treasure worth the sea,
In one, to all the world unknown,
Who's all the world to me.
Soon, in her early bloom and glow,
She is to be my bride,
Where the sweet water-lillies grow,
Where the sweet water-lillies grow,
Where the sweet water-lillies grow
Down by the river side.