Drunkard's Son

In an old dusty attic of a tenement house

I happened to wander one day

And there on the rafters 'neath shavings and chips

A drunkard's poor little boy lay.

Oh, why are you lying up here in the cold

What makes you lie on this hard bed

My father's a drunkard and he beat me today

My darling old mother is dead.

I'm hiding from father and please sir don't tell

He beat me 'cause I would not steal

He said he would kill me the next I failed

And I'm so afraid sir, he will.

I'm leaving you here son, I sadly replied

But I will be back right away

But when I returned to the attic I found

That Jesus had been there that day.

The chips and the shavings were there as before

And the little boy lie on his bed

With tears on his cheeks and his hands at his side

The poor little fellow was dead.

A picture of mother lay close to his heart

A faint little note by his head

As I opened the paper my eyes filled with tears

For these were the words that I read.

I'm hiding with Jesus across the divide

With dear mother forever I'll dwell

And thank you dear mister for your kindness to me

And now it's alright if you tell...