The Banks of the Gasperaux Come all ye jolly lumbermen who lumbered on Gaspereaux, And list to a true story, it's quickly you shall know. I own there was Ben Johnson; the main boss he was clear. We lumbered on the Gaspereaux for the best part of three years. There was a wealthy farmer and he had a daughter, too; I heard she was admired by one of our Yankee crew. She wore a purple dress, my boys, a red and purple, so They called her "Robin Redbreast" on the banks of the Gaspereux. As I walked out one morning I was tsken by surprisc; I saw this lovely creature come beaming in my eyes. I gently followed after her to see [where] she might go. She flew into my arms there on the banks of Gaspere@ux. Says I, "Now, my fair loved one, if you'll but agree with me, I'll show yoy a straight cut right across the counteree." Says she, "Go ask my father, and to the church we'll go. I'll be your life's companion on the banks of the Gaspereaux." "Oh no, oh, no," the young man said, "this place I cannot bear I'll take her to the State of Maine and we'll live happy there." "Oh, no, oh, no," the old man said, "it's from me she can't go Why can't you live contented here on the banks of the Gaspereaux?" Then the people they discouraged us, they made our hearts feel drear, They said we could not get our logs put through to town that year Then said the boss unto us, "Boys, we'll let those gallopers know!" In sixty days those Yankee braves they drove the Gaspereaux. "No," says the boss, when we get them there we'll raft them straight along We'll raft them down the stream, then we'll take them to Saint John. THen we'll drink a health to Redbreast, the Stars and Stripes also And we'll think upon the dear folks we left in Gaspereaux. And now this couple has parted, never to meet again One's on the banks of the Gaspereaux, the other's in the State of Maine And like two broken-hearted doves, they But he thinks upon the dear old folks he left in Gaspereaux. From Shantymen and Shanty Boys, Doerflinger DT #576 Laws C26 RG oct96
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!