from "Songs of the Present Time:
Melodies of Beauty, Words of Sense, Ideas of Progress.",
First Series, [No. 2 of 10]
"Bessie Jayne" (25 Mar 1868)
Words by Luke Collin
Music by Joseph Philbrick Webster, 1819-1875

Chicago, IL: Root & Cady, 67 Washington St.
Plate No. 788 5
[Source: am1226@Mills]

1. 
Bessie Jayne, the days are fleeting, 
Precious moments gliding by; 
Let us settle that vexed question 
Pending long twixt you and I. 
Do not leave me thus in torture, 
Tell me not that love’s a myth; 
“Ev’ry lassie has her laddie;”— 
Bessie Jayne! be Bessie Smith.

CHORUS [sung after each verse]
[Overlapping voices]
[SA]
When the winter stars are shining, 
When I hear the summer rain, 
Sung and shadow, night and morning, 
Visions bring of Bessie Jayne. 
[TB]
When the winter, winter stars are shining, shining, 
When I hear the patt’ring summer rain, 
Sun and darkling shadow, night and sparkling morning, 
Visions ever bring of Bessie Jayne.

2. 
Bessie Jayne, I’m ever thinking 
What a jolly thing ’twould be, 
Just to have a little cottage 
Big enough for you and me; 
Some where on a woodland hillside, 
All with ivy overgrown, 
Where that Jones could never find us; 
Bessie Jayne! be all mine own.

3. 
Bessie Jayne, our youth is passing; 
I have loved you long and well; 
Patience may not last forever, 
Love might vanish, who can tell? 
Then have done with idle flirting, 
Bravely meet the aim of life, 
Send that Jones about his business;— 
Bessie Jayne! be Smithie’s wife.