John Lewis said, "People, I'll tell you no lie,
Of the way I murdered Little Omie Wise."
He told her to meet him at Adams' Spring
And he would bring her some money and other fine things.
Foolishly she met him at Adams' Spring,
And he brought her no money and other fine things.
I'll tell you some history; I think it's not too late,
Little Omie was murdered the year of 1808.
"John Lewis, John Lewis, I'm afraid of your way;
Your mind is to ramble and lead me astray."
"Little Omie, Little Omie, I'll tell you my mind,
My mind is to drown you and leave you behind."
"Hop up behind me and away we will go,
Down to the river where the deep water flows."
She hopped up behind him and away they did go,
Down to the river where the deep water flows.
He beat her and he banged her until she hardly could speak,
And threw her in the river where the water's 20 ft deep.
Little Omie was missing and the people did not know,
And they gathered to gather and hunting, they did go.
They rambled and rambled the whole world around
And poor Little Omie has never yet been found;
But two little boys a-fishing on one Wednesday morn,
They seen Little Omie's body come down in a storm.
They threw their net around her,
Pulled her to the bank;
Her clothes was wet and muddy
And they layed her on a plank.
They sent for John Lewis to come and see the sight;
He had murdered his own true love and he did not deny it.
They handcuffed John Lewis and taken him off to jail,
Surrounded Little Omie's body and taken her to her grave.
My name is John Lewis,
A name I'll never deny;
I murdered my own true lover
And now I'm ready to die.
