Author Information
TELL ME, FATHER
A Southern soldier lay one day
in a dismal prison cell
and all around were yanks in blue
guarding him so well
He lay there on a musty cot
for his soul was flying home
and a tear trickled down his pallid cheek
for it was sad to die alone
And he lay there in his misery
with a rosery on his chest
and he prayed to God a silent prayer
that He would know he'd done hs best
An old priest stood there beside him
as his life slowly ebbed away
and he leaned sown so closely
to hear what the dying boy would say
The priest looked down on him with pity
at the boy not quite nineteen
at sad blue eyes veiled in his sorrow
remembering horror's he had seen
Oh Father he said, "My life is ending'
please wont you take me by my hand
and tell me when I'm soaring skyward
will I pass thrugh my homeland
Will I see the spires of Charleston
and pass through old Virginia grand
will I see the hills of Georgia
where I gave my heart and hand
Will I see the farms of Florida
and the fields of Alabam.
hay Father, will you tell me
will i pass through my homeland
Oh I'm dying for old Dixie
and I love her with all my heart
it was for this land of beauty
that I tried to do my heart
Please write my dear old Mother
tell her that I'll see her once again
oh Father won't you please pray
that my soul passes through the Southland
Then he sank back into the pillows
and the old priest ner replied
for God looked down upon His child with pity
for the soldier boy had died
And as his soul winged his way to heaven
his homeland he did see
and up there he will be honored
for he died to keep us free
And tho he lost the final battle
many blessings he had won
for he resides now up in glory
one of the Southlands honored sons
