Jane Caroline Reed's book of Poems and Songs-Katie Lee and Willie Gray

 The next item in the book is a hand copied set of lyrics for Katie Lee and Willie Gray.  Jane says she copied it from Frank Summer in June of 1866.  A bit of research shows that it was originally written by J.H. Pixley.  I validated the transcription against the Historic Sheet Music Collection at Connecticut College.  You can actually download the sheet music from there.

Katie Lee and Willie Gray

Two brown heads with tossing curls,

Red lips shutting over pearls,

Bare feet white + wet with dew,

Two eyes black + two eyes blue;

Little boy + girl were they,

Katie Lee + Willie Gray.

They were standing where a brook,

Bending like a shepherd’s crook,

Flashing its silver + thick ranks

Of willow fringed its banks;-

Half in thought + half in play.

Katie Lee + Willie Gray.

They had cheeks like Cherries hot;

He was taller, most a head-

She, with arms like wreaths of snow,

Swung a basket to and fro

As they loitered, half in play,

Chatting to Willie Gray.

“Pretty Katie,” Willie said

And there came a dash of red

Through the brownness of his cheek;

“Boys are strong + girls are weak,”

And I’ll carry, so I will, 

Katie’s basket up the hill.”

Katie answered with a  laugh,

“You shall carry only half;”

Then said, tossing back her curls,

“Boys as weak as well as girls.”

Do you think that Katie guessed

Half the wisdom she expressed!

Men are only boys grown tall:

Hearts don’t change much, after all;

And when, long years from that day,

Katie Lee + Willie Gray.

Stood again beside the brook

Bending like a shepherd's crook

Is it strange that Willie said,

While again a dash of red

Crossed the brownness of his cheek

“I am strong and you are weak;

Life is but a slipper steep,

Hung with shadows cold + deep.

“Will you trust me Katie Lee?

Walk beside me without fear;

May I carry, if I will,

All your burdens up the nhill!”

And she answered, with a  laugh,

“No, but you may carry half.”

Close beside the little brook

Bending like a shepherd’s crook

Washing, with it silver hands.

Late + Early t the sand,

Stands a cottage where today

Katie lives with Willie Gray

In the porch she sits, and, lo!

Swings a basket to + fro.

Vastly different from the one

That she swung in year agone;

This is long, + deep, + wide!

And has rockers at the side

From Frank Summer

Northampton, June 1866