My tender parents brought me up, provided for me well
Was in the city of Lanson town they placed me in a mill
It was there I spied a pretty fair miss on whom I cast my eye
I asked her if she'd marry me and she believed a lie

Three weeks ago last Saturday night, of course it was the day
The devil put it in my mind to take her life away
I went into her sister's house at eight o'clock one night
But little did the critter think on her I had my spite

I asked her if she'd take a walk with me a little way
That she and I might have a talk about our wedding day
We walked along until we came to my little desert place
I grabbed a stick off of a fence and struck her in the face

I run my fingers through her coal-black hair to cover up my sins
I drug her to the riverside and there I plunged her in
I started back unto my mill, I met my servant, John
He asked me why I was so pale and it so very warm