PRISONER AT THE BAR I

The Judge was there, the Jury too
An' people from afar
A fair young lad of tender youth
Was prisoner at the bar
The great courtroom was crowded
With an eager an' anxious throng
An' many a heart was aching for
The boy accused of wrong

A maiden fair with golden hair
Swept swiftly thru the crowd
The people gazed in wonder
But spoke not one word aloud
Then turning to the Judges stand
One moment she did pause
An' smiling thru her tears, she said,
Judge, let me plead the cause

O, Judge, let your mind wonder back
To those long years gone by
An' see your sweetheart and yourself
Just like this lad and I
If you have children of your own
Have mercy I do pray
Remember Judge, you'll break my heart
If you send Jim away

Then turning to the jury box
She made her simple plea,
This prisoner here is innocent
I know you'll set him free
Remember you were once a boy
Just like this fair young lad
If you convict him of this charge
You'll drive him to the bad

Next Sunday is our wedding day
The dreams of wonderous life
When at the altar he will make
Me his dear loving wife
Unless you aim to blight our life
Don't say that we must part
An' don't forget your darling wife
Was once your dear sweetheart

The Judge rose softly from his seat
The court was still as death
The tears were streaming down his cheeks
He spoke in faltering breath,
I have a little girl at home
With just such baby eyes
An' she's got mercy scattered here
Will flourish in the skies

The jury did not leave the room
For they had quickly agreed
The foreman briefly signed the note
And gave the clerk to read
Not guilty were the only words
The maiden heard them say
Her lover clasped her in his arms
Love always finds its way

SOURCE:
As sung by Paralee Weddington, Busch, Arkansas on March 7,
1968, The Max Hunter Folksong Collection; http://www.smsu.edu/folksong/maxhunter/0627/