From Graham's Illustrated Magazine, Vol. 52, No. 6 (Philadelphia, June 1858), page 560:

[I have made many corrections to spelling, punctuation, capitalization, etc. Apparently, the magazine editor printed ad litteram a manuscript from a semiliterate person.--JD.]


THE LAMENTATION OF PAT O'BRIEN.

[1] Come all you tender Christians; I hope you will draw near.
A doleful lamentation I mean to let you hear,
Concerning two young lovers all in their youth and bloom,
How one of them was murdered and the other hung last June.

[2] This young man’s name was Pat O'Brien, a carpenter by trade.
Both day and night he took delight in courting this fair maid,
Until at length, he got the love of her; 'tis then he proved unkind.
'Tis bad advice and jealousy that's soon attained his mind.

[3] She wrote to him a letter and an answer to her came,
Saying, “Nancy, lovely Nancy, I hope you won’t me blame,
For I being working all the time, I could not see you, love,
But I hope [to have] your company this evening in the grove.”

[4] Those lines he said enticed her that evening for to go.
She dressed herself in private, I mean to let you know.
As she being young and innocent, straightway to him did go,
But little did she ever think he would prove her overthrow.

[5] It was when he seen her coming, 'tis then he went to hide.
He said those words unto himself: “You never shall be my bride,
For I am told for certain you have deceived me.
This very night, I will have revenge; your butcher I will be.”

[6] He quickly then walked up to her, and then his color changed,
Saying, “Patsy, lovely Patsy, what makes you look so pale?”
“I want no talk; kneel down and pray, for your grave there now I have;
There is no woman breathing shall ever me deceive.”

[7] She looked all around her, but no one could she see,
Saying, “Pat O'Brien, don't prove unkind, or do not murder me.
Although you got your will of me, I did let no one know.
How could you find or have the heart for to use me so?”

[8] He caught her by the yellow locks and drew her to the ground.
It was with a knife he stabbed her and gave her a deadly wound.
Her last dying words were: “Patsy, you do not feel those pains,”
So with the spade that made her grave, he then dashed out her brains.

[9] The ghost of this fair one to her mother did appear.
Her mother spoke to her without either dread or fear.
“O, Mother, lovely Mother, you will never see me more,
For Pat O'Brien has murdered me and laid me in my gore.

[10] “Go now unto John Keating's grove, and make no delay.
You will get my body buried and there covered up with clay.
You will see my blood upon the ground where he has murdered me.
Go now and have him taken and hanged he will surely be.”

[11] Her mother went in search of her, and soon her body found,
When numbers soon assembled to see the deadly wound.
All men were made stoop over her that were about the place.
When Pat O'Brien stooped over her, she dashed blood in his face.

[12] That moment he was sent to jail, the truth unto you I will tell,
Where he lay heavy bolted all in a dismal cell.
The thoughts of this murder, which grieved his heart full sore,
Each night he would see her ghost all in her bleeding gore.

[13] The day then of his trial as he stood in the dock,
Those words he said were feeling which made the people shock:
“I tell you, judge and jury, and all that do stand by,
I own I murdered Nancy Ryan; I am willing for to die.

[14] “Now to conclude and make an end, my age is 24.
I left my tender parents in sorrow, grief, and woe.
But youth that is at your liberty, a warning take by me
To shun all bad advisers and cursed jealousy.”