Prairie Flowers
No. 8.  "JOHN BROWN" [1857]
BALLAD
Words by Charles Mackay
Music by Joseph Philbrick Webster (1819-1875)

Chicago, IL: HIGGINS BROTHERS
Stacpole, Sc. [Lithographer]
Pearson, N.Y. [Engraver]
[Source: @Newberry Library, Chicago]

1. I’ve a guinea I can spend,
  I’ve a wife, and I’ve a friend,
And a troop of little childrten at my knee, John Brown;
  I’ve a cottage of my own
  With the ivy overgrown,
And a garden looking out upon the sea, John, Brown;
  I can sit at my door
  By my shady sycamore,
Large of heart, tho’ of very small estate, Johm Brown;
  So come and drain a glass
  In my arbor as you pass,
And I’ll tell you what I love and what I hate, John Brown.

2. I love the song of birds,
  And the children’s early words,
And a loving woman’s voice, low and sweet, John Brown;
  And I hate a false pretense,
  And the want of common sense,
And arrogance, and fawning, and deceit, John Brown;
  I love the meadow flowers,
  And the briar in the bowers,
And I love the open face, without guile, John Brown;
  And I hate a selfish knave,
  And a proud contented slave,
And a lout whi’d rather borrow than toil, John Brown.

3. I love a simple song
  One that wakes emotions strong,
And the word of hope that raised he who faints, John Brown;
  And I hate the constant whine
  Of the foolish who repine;
And turn their good to evil by complaints, John Brown;
  Bit ever when I hate,
  If I seek my garden gate,
And survey the workd above me, and around, John Brown;
  The hatred flies my mind,
  And I sigh for human kind,
And excuse the thoughts of those I cannot love, John Brown.

4. So, if you like my ways,
  And the comfort of my ways,
And I will tell you how I live unvexed, John Brown;
  I never scorn my health,
  Nor sell my soul for wealth,
Nor desstroy one day the pleasure of the next, John Brown;
  I’ve parted with my pride,
  And I take the sunny side,
For I’ve found it worse than folly to be sad, John Brown;
  I keep a conscience clear,
  I’ve a hundred pounds a year,
And I manage to exist and to be glad, John Brown.