The Kindness of Strangers
Tragic Tale: The Kindness of Strangers
Lyrics
They found Mary Bellows cuffed to the bed
Discovery of Mary Bellows restrained to a bed
With a rag in her mouth and a bullet in her head
Mary Bellows found with a gag and gunshot wound
Oh poor Mary Bellows
Expression of sympathy for Mary Bellows
She'd grown up hungry, she'd grown up poor
Mary's difficult upbringing marked by hunger and poverty
She left her home in Arkansas
Mary's departure from her Arkansas home
Oh poor Mary Bellows
Reiteration of sympathy for Mary Bellows
She wanted to see the deep blue sea
Mary's desire to see the ocean
She traveled across Tennessee
Mary's journey through Tennessee
Oh poor Mary Bellows
Reiteration of sympathy for Mary Bellows
She met a man along the way
Mary encounters a man named Richard Slade
He introduced himself as Richard Slade
Introduction of Richard Slade
Oh poor Mary Bellows
Reiteration of sympathy for Mary Bellows
Poor Mary thought that she might die
Mary fears for her life upon seeing the ocean
When she saw the ocean for the first time
Mary's awe at the sight of the ocean
Oh poor Mary Bellows
Reiteration of sympathy for Mary Bellows
She checked into a cheap little place
Mary checks into a modest accommodation
Richard Slade carried in her old suitcase
Richard Slade brings Mary's suitcase
Oh poor Mary Bellows
Reiteration of sympathy for Mary Bellows
"I'm a good girl, sir", she said to him
Mary asserts her virtue to Slade
I couldn't possibly permit you in
Mary rejects Slade's advances
Oh poor Mary Bellows
Reiteration of sympathy for Mary Bellows
Slade tipped his hat and winked his eye
Slade's flirtatious gesture and departure
And turned away without goodbye
Slade leaves without saying goodbye
Oh poor Mary Bellows
Reiteration of sympathy for Mary Bellows
She sat on her bed and thought of home
Mary reminisces about her home
With the sea breeze whistling all alone
Mary hears the sea breeze in solitude
Oh poor Mary Bellows
Reiteration of sympathy for Mary Bellows
In hope and loneliness she crossed the floor
Mary, in hope and loneliness, opens her door
And undid the latch on her front door
Mary unlatches her front door
Oh poor Mary Bellows
Reiteration of sympathy for Mary Bellows
They found her the next day cuffed to the bed
Discovery of Mary Bellows restrained again
The rag in her mouth and a bullet in her head
Mary found with the same gag and gunshot wound
Oh poor Mary Bellows
Reiteration of sympathy for Mary Bellows
So mothers keep your girls at home
Advice to mothers to keep their daughters safe
Don't let them journey all alone
Warning against solitary journeys
Tell them this world is full of danger
Caution about the dangers of the world
And to shun the company of strangers
Advice to avoid the company of strangers
Oh poor Mary Bellows
Reiteration of sympathy for Mary Bellows
Oh poor Mary Bellows
Final expression of sympathy for Mary Bellows
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