Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/254

 242 Journal of American Folk-Lore.

still others composed on American soil. With a few exceptions where the subject was historical, these more modern ballads have remained uncollected ; perhaps such neglect involves no great liter- ary loss, but as illustrating popular taste and folk-life the ballads have their curiosity. In this article will be brought together a few of these contributed from various sources ; very likely the publica- tion will bring to light a whole crop, for the number of such songs current in the early part of the century must have been considerable. At the present day, similar ballads are sung chiefly in isolated moun- tain districts, in North Carolina or East Tennessee ; but these sur- vivals correspond to like histories formerly well known in the New England and Middle States.

With regard to local ballads Dr. W. M. Beauchamp writes as fol- lows : —

" The colonists of New England were fond of long and doleful ditties on local themes ; and part of one of these has haunted my mind for years, perhaps because of a mock discussion on its true reading. It commenced, —

On Springfield mountains there did dwell A comely youth, known full well, Leftenant Curtis' only son, A comely youth just twenty-one.

One day this lovely youth did go Down in the meadows for to mow; He had not mowed half round the field 'Fore a pizen sarpint bite his heeld.

"When in Springfield lately, I sought for information on the old song, but found only one young man who knew about it. It was his father's favorite, but as the son was sung to sleep by it of course he did not know the whole. So I am ignorant on which of the Spring- field mountains the lovely youth dwelt, or in which of the meadows he went for to mow.

" On my return home a friend had rescued another ballad for me, written on time-discolored paper, with an antique British water- mark, being evidently the ballad in the handwriting of its author. It is entitled, —

A Short acount of the awfull & Surprising Deth of the Child of daniel & Sarah Beckwith, who departed this life june ye 20TH day,

AD, 1773.

1. my frends allow my febel toungue, if I may speak my mind, this plainly shoes to old and young the frailty of mankind

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