Two Convicts Were Seated

DESCRIPTION: "Two convicts were seated in a lonely prison cell" telling their life stories. One was married, with a baby daughter. His wife left him. He turned to drinking and robbery. He breaks into a house, hears a voice, shoots. He has killed his daughter
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1926 (Journal of American Folklore)
KEYWORDS: marriage wife abandonment robbery homicide baby prison
FOUND IN: Britain(England(Lond)) US(So)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Howson-SongsSunginSuffolk, #38, "The Convict's Song" (1 text)
Roud #4475
NOTES [64 words]: This song seems to be very well known -- numerous people on Mudcat, e.g., recalled versions typically learned from family members. Given its nature and the similarity of the versions, I think it highly likely that there was a relatively recent source (no earlier than the early nineteenth century, and more likely late in that century). But no one seems to have located this source. - RBW
Last updated in version 7.0
File: Hows038

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