“Melancholy Accident, A -- The Death of M. Hodge”
Description
"Far distant friends will drop a tear When of this accident they hear." A group of girls visits Betsy Green's school. With bad weather coming, parents gather six girls -- but the horses fall on a slope; Mira is killed instantly; Eliza succumbs weeks later
Supplemental text
Melancholy Accident, A -- The Death of M. Hodge Partial text(s) *** A *** From Emelyn Elizabeth Gardner and Geraldine Jencks Chickering, Ballads and Songs of Southern Michigan, pp. 309-310. "From the Gernsey manuscript." Far distant friends will drop a tear When of this accident they hear. The mournful story will impart Affliction to the very heard. Remember, O this was the day, The twenty-second of July; I with ambitious girls sixteen Visited the school of Betsy Green. (6 additional stanzas)
Notes
This looks very historical, but it's not really specific enough (or clear enough; it's poor poetry) to allow much hope of dating it. - RBW
References
- Gardner/Chickering 126, "A Melancholy Accident -- The Death of M. Hodge" (1 text)
- ST GC126 (Partial)
- Roud #3701
- BI, GC126