DEPARTURE
(Eugene Field)

George Broderick - 1900



Well, Bill, shake hands and say goodbye
'Afore you go away
We hate to see you leave us
We'd much rather have you stay

Mother and me's gettin' old
We can't be with you long
She's been failing for some time now
And will never be as strong as she was
'Afore the ague laid her up so long in bed
And more than likely when you get back
You'll find your mother dead
Her cold lips were quivering

When you went to say goodbye
And tears splashed on her pillow
When she asked you to try
And be a good boy for her sake
Bill, when you get far away
We hate to see you leave us
We'd much rather have you stay

(Train whistle)

Well, Bill, your train's a-comin'
Here's some stuff the children sent
Driftwood more than likely
And me and mother went
And had our pictures took
So as to give you one
To remember us by in the years
When we'll be dead and gone

And here's a little Bible mother sent to give to you
We didn't have much money
But I reckon it will do as well
As if we weren't poor and had more change to spare
So take it, Bill, with mother's love
And try to keep it
Where it'll always be the handiest
When you get far away

We hate to see you go, Bill
We'd much rather have you stay

(Sounds of a train departing)

Good-bye, Bill!
God bless him!