Did you see him going?
It was early this morning.
He passed by these houses on
his way to the coal.
He was tall, he was slender,
and his dark eyes so tender.
His occupation was mining
West
Virginia his home.
It was just be fore 12 I
was feeding the children.
Ben
Moseley came running to
bring us the news.
Number 8 is all flooded and many
men are in danger.
And we don't know their number but
we fear they're all doomed.
So I picked up the baby and
I left all the others
To comfort each other
and pray for our own
There is
Timmy fourteen an d there's
John not
much younger
Their own time soon will be coming
to go down the black hole.
Oh, if I had the money to do more
than just feed them,
I'd give them good learning,
the best could be found.
So when they grow up,
they'd be checkers an d weighers
and not spend their time drilling
in the dark underground.
Now what can I say to his
poor little children?
Or what can I tell his
old mother at home?
Or what can I say to my heart
that's clear broken?
To my heart that's clear broken
if my darling is gone.
Say did you see him going so
early this morning?
He walked by your houses
on his way to the coal.
He was tall, he was slender,
and his dark eyes so tender.
His occupation was mine in
West
Virginia, his home.