  I shall never see thee more, Minnie Lee, Minnie Lee with thy gold-brown hair, And thy violet eyes, so sweet and pure, And thy face so wondrous fair. I’ve loved thee long and well, Minnie Lee, But the dream was all, all in vain; And the busy years that drift slow away Have left but a ceaseless pain. Do you remember a time, Minnie Lee, When we wandered hand in hand By a silv’ry stream in the warm sunlight, That wound through a fair summerland? The world was all glad and bright, Minnie Lee, Mantled in wondrous bloom Of beautiful foliage and flowers, And laden with rich perfume. The emerald fields stretched far away In the mellow and rosy rays; And the crown of the distant hills was lost In a purple and golden haze. And the soft south wind toyed with your hair, And sighed among the flowers, And wandering o’er the billowy lea, Was lost in woodland bowers. Sweetly and gladly the sweet songbirds sang, Aye, thrillingly glad, and so free; And gazing enrapt on thee, well I knew That time was a heaven to me. O’er the face of the world so wide; And an iron hand prest cold on my heart, And banished me from thy side. I shall never see thee more, Minnie Lee, And I’m tired and sad to-day; I am longing for rest, but finding none, As the years drift slowly away. And I bow my head while the tears fall fast, And my soul is heavy with pain; I can only see the gathering gloom, My prayer was all, all in vain. |
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