THE NOEL GIRL.

The song is said to refer to the murder of Lula Noel, whose body was found in the Cowskin River near Lanagan, MO, Dec. 10, 1892. William Simmons, Joplin, MO, was convicted of the murder and sentenced to the penitentiary. See Sturgis, "History of McDonald County, Missouri," 1897, pp. 106-111.

Here is a case of a local murder that mimicked the one in "The Wexford Girl" and the "Cruel Miller," a song cluster already known in the area. This coincidence led to the song becoming widely known. Randolph has 12 versions in part or in all in his "Ozark Folksongs."

Here are two versions; I believe that (2) is the best; in that one, the miller IS the guilty party.

Lyr. Add: THE NOEL GIRL (1)

My father bound me a printer's boy
'Bout eighteen years of age,
He bound me to a miller
That I might learn some trade.

And there I fell in love with an orphan girl
With dark and spearkling eyes,
I thought that I would marry her
If she did not deny.

I went into this lady's house
About eight o'clock at night,
But little did the lady know
I owed her in despite.

I asked her to take a walk with me
To some far distant place,
Where we might have some private talk
And name the wedding date.

She agreed to take a walk with me
To some far distant place,
Where we might have some private talk
And name the wedding date.

I took her by the lily-white hand
And led her to the place,
And from the fence I drew a stake
And smoothed her down the face.

She fell upon her bended knees,
Oh Lord, have mercy on me, she cried,
Oh John, my dear, don't murder me here
For I'm not prepared to die.

The second time I drew my stake
Just as I did before,
And out of her nose and eyes and mouth
The gushing blood did flow.

I took her by the lily-white hand
And swung her round and round,
And drug her down to the river's side
And plunged her in to drown.

I went into the miller's house
About twelve o'clock at night,
But little did the miller know
As he gazed upon my sight.

Oh Johnny dear, how came that blood
Upon your hands, likewise your clothes?
The only reply I gave the miller
Was bleeding at the nose.

I snatched the candle out of his hand
And to my bed I ran,
And there I lie a-trembling
For the murder I had done.

And there I lie a-trembling,
Nopeace, no comfort, no rest,
I felt the guilty pains of hell
A-rushing through my breast.

They took me up to *Washington,
And there my life to try,
And by my own confession
I was condemmed to die.

*Washington, MO. Mr. J. Will Short, Galena, MO, 1941- learned from his mother about 1890. Vance Randolph, one of 12 versions, vol. 2, pp. 98-99, with music, Ozark Folksongs.

Lyr. Add: THE NOEL GIRL (2)

'Twas in the city of Pineville,
I owned a floury mill,
'Twas in the city of Pineville,
I used to live an' dwell

One day I saw a pretty fair maid,
On her I cast an eye,
I told her I would marry her
An' she believed a lie.

I went unto her sister's house
At eight o'clock at night,
I ask her if she'd walk with me
A little ways away.

So arm in arm we walked along
Till we come to a lonely place,
Then I took a rail from off the fence
An' struck her in the face.

She fell down on her bended knees,
An' loud for mercy cried,
For heaven's sake don't murder me
For I'm not prepared to die.

I paid no attention to what she said,
But kept on strikin' her more,
Until I saw the innocent looks
That I never could restore.

I run my fingers through her coal black hair,
To cover upp my sin,
I drug her to the river side
And there I plunged her in.

When I returned unto my mill
I met my servant John,
He asked me why I looked so pale
An' yet so very warm.

An' what occasion so much blood
Upon my hands and clothes?
The sad an' only answer was
A bleedin' from the nose.

I lit my candle and went to bed
Expectin' to get some rest,
But it seemed to me the fires of hell
Was a-burnin' in my breast.

Come all young men an' warnin' take,
That to your lovers prove true,
An' never let the devil get
The upper hand of you.

Mrs Lee Stephens, White Rock, MO, 1927. From Vance Randolph, "Ozark Folksongs," vol. 2, pp. 92-94, with music.