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University of Virginia Library

The Music of Stephen C. Foster .

Foster, Stephen Collins (1826-1864)

1.

VOLUME 1 1844–1855

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2.

VOLUME 2 1856–1869

The White House Chair

The Abolition Show

I SEE HER STILL IN MY DREAMS.

LINGER IN BLISSFUL REPOSE

WHERE HAS LULA GONE

MY LOVED ONE AND MY OWN

THOU ART THE QUEEN OF MY SONG.

POOR DROOPING MAIDEN.

UNDER THE WILLOW SHE'S SLEEPING.

THE GLENDY BURK

Jenny's Coming O'er the Green.

Beautiful Child of Song.

DOWN AMONG THE CANE-BRAKES.

VIRGINIA BELLE.

The Little Ballad Girl.

MINE IS THE MOURNING HEART.

DON'T BET YOUR MONEY ON DE SHANGHAI.

MOLLY DEAR GOOD NIGHT.

OUR WILLIE DEAR IS DYING.

“Lizzie Dies To-Night.”

OUR BRIGHT, BRIGHT SUMMER DAYS ARE GONE

I'LL BE A SOLDIER

“WHY HAVE MY LOVED ONES GONE?”

OH! TELL ME OF MY MOTHER.

FAREWELL MOTHER DEAR.

SWEET LITTLE MAID OF THE MOUNTAIN

FAREWELL SWEET MOTHER.

LITTLE BELLE BLAIR

“A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS!”

A THOUSAND MILES FROM HOME.

LITTLE JENNY DOW.

I WILL BE TRUE TO THEE.

The Merry, Merry Month of May.

A DREAM OF MY MOTHER AND MY HOME.

“THAT'S WHAT'S THE MATTER.”

BETTER TIMES ARE COMING.

SLUMBER MY DARLING.

MERRY LITTLE BIRDS ARE WE.

NO ONE TO LOVE.

NO HOME, NO HOME.

WAS MY BROTHER IN THE BATTLE?

I'LL BE HOME TO-MORROW.

HAPPY HOURS AT HOME

GENTLE LENA CLARE.

WE'VE A MILLION IN THE FIELD.

Beautiful Dreamer.

THE LOVE I BEAR TO THEE.

BURY ME IN THE MORNING, MOTHER.

LITTLE ELLA'S AN ANGEL!

“SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME UNTO ME.”

WILLIE'S GONE TO HEAVEN.

I'M NOTHING BUT A PLAIN OLD SOLDIER

I'D BE A FAIRY.

TEARS BRING THOUGHTS OF HEAVEN.

LEAVE ME WITH MY MOTHER.

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD.

SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND.

I WOULD A YOUTHFUL.

WE'LL ALL MEET OUR SAVIOUR.

FRIENDS OF THE POOR.

THE ANGELS ARE SINGING UNTO ME.

ON THE BANKS OF LIFE'S FAIR RIVER.

LENA OUR LOVED ONE IS GONE

TELL ME OF THE ANGELS, MOTHER.

WHILE WE WORK FOR THE LORD.

FOR A WHILE THE HEART GROWS WARM.

SITTING BY MY OWN CABIN DOOR

WHEN DEAR FRIENDS ARE GONE.

TELL ME LOVE OF THY EARLY DREAMS

The Voices That Are Gone

PRAISE THE LORD!

KISS ME DEAR MOTHER ERE I DIE.

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167

“A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS!”

BALLAD.

[_]

The following poem is scored for music in the source text.

I.

A penny for your thoughts!
For I know that you are dreaming;:
Love's little, wicked darts are sporting with your brain;
A penny for your thoughts!
Thro' those eyes your heart is gleaming,
Longing to welcome back the starry night again.
O'er the meadows, thro' the dew
You'll wander then with I know who,
Fair are her wavy locks as vapors on the hill;
A penny for your thoughts!
On thy lips a smile is beaming,
You'r sighing now for Jenny Dow, that lives beyond the mill.

II.

A penny for your thoughts!
Do you think that you will love her
When all those burning dreams have flitted from your heart?
A penny for your thoughts!
Will a halo beam above her,
When those delusive hopes and visions bright depart?
Will all blessings then as now,
Seem to linger round her brow,
Or will they vanish like the bubbles on the rill?
A penny for your thoughts!
For your heart's a cruel rover,
'Tis beating now for Jenny Dow, that lives beyond the mill.

III

A penny for your thoughts!
They are plain beyond concealing;
Who cannot read a sighing lover through and through?
A penny for your thoughts!
I have something worth revaling:
Fair maids though full of vows, are fickle and untrue;
Now throw those flattering hopes away,
Tomorrow's Jenny's wedding day—
One with a winning voice has gained her yielding will!
A penny for your thoughts!
On your mind a change is stealing,
What think you now of Jenny Dow, that lives beyond the mill?