To Miss Julia Vallentte, St. Louis, Mo.
"On the Banks of the Pearl" (21 Nov. 1870)
Song & Chorus.
Words by Alden Field.
Music by Joseph Philbrick Webster, 1819-1875.

1.
There's a home, love for me,
O'er the dark rolling sea,
In a bright and a beautiful clime;
Where the birds sweetest song,
Often warbled all night long,
May be heard in the clustering vine,
Where the whispering breeze,
Thro' the spice laden trees,
Softly echoes my soul's dearest dream;
Of the moments to come,
In my far southern home,
On the banks of the Pearl's silver stream.

CHORUS
On the banks (dear sunny banks) of the Pearl,
(Pearl's siver stream,)
Oh the dear sunny banks of the Pearl,
Oh the moments to come
In my southern home,
On the banks of the clear winding Pearl.

2.
Will you come, love, with me,
O'er the dark, stormy sea,
To that land of the flower and the vine
Where a fragrance most rare,
Fills the slumberous air
With aromas, so sweetly divine,
Where a spirit of love,
From the angels above,
Shall be wafted on wings of a dream
Where our hearts may repose
At the eve's dewy close
To the song of the Pearl's murm'ring stream.

(CHORUS)

3.
In that land we may meet,
In a sylvan retreat,
When but love fills the song freighted air;
We will build us a home,
Neath the blue bending dome,
Free from sorrow, from sighing and care.
Yes, we'll build us a home
Neath that blue, bending dome,
And we'll garland it over with flowers,
In a sweet orange grove,
Where our fancy may rove,
Free as birds in their green leafy bowers.

(CHORUS)