Digital Tradition Mirror

Suncook Town Tragedy

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Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

Suncook Town Tragedy

Come all young people, now draw near;
Attend awhile and you shall hear,
How a young person of renown
Was murdered in fair Suncook Town.

It was in the morning very cool
When Josie started for her school,
And many the time that road she passed
But little thought she it would be her last.

It was at the foot of Pembrook Street
La Page lay ambushed with a stick;
Long time ago his plans were laid
To take the life of the fair maid.

The mother watched with eager air,
Hoping her daughter would appear,
But when the shades of night drew near
Her darling child did not appear.

The weeping father and the son
All thro' the woods their search begun,
And found at last to their surprise
The murdered child before their eyes.

Her head was from her body tore,
Her clothes were all a crimson gore,
And on her body marks did show
Some skillful hand had dealt the blow.

This monster now so deep in crime,
He thought the peoples' eyes to blind,
But found at last to his mistake,
They had him fast behind the grate.

It was at Concord he was tried.
Unto the last his crime denied,
But he was found to guilty be
And the judge said, "Death is your plea.

"And now, La Page, your work is done
And you like Eveuse must be hung,
For we must all examples make
Till crime shall cease in the Granite State."

DT #684
Laws F21
From Flanders and Brown, Vermont Folksongs and Ballads
  RECORDED BY MRS. ALICE M. BROWN, August 24, 1930, in Springfield,
Vermont, from the singing of Mrs. George Tatro. The song is a local
New Hampshire tragedy. Mrs. Tatro's relatives, knew the characters
of the song.
SOF
oct96

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