Well it was good one time everything was mighty fine
The coal tipples roared day and night
But things they got slow for no reason that I know
And ill winds they hove into sight

The mines all closed down everybody laid around
There wasn’t very much that you could do
Except stand in that line to get your ration script on time
And woman I could see it killin’ you

Now the soft new snows of December
Lightly fall my cabin ’round
So that last train from Poor Valley
Takin’ brown haired Becky Richmond bound

It’s been a comin’ on I knew soon you would be gone
Leavin’ crossed your mind every day
Then you said to me things are bad at home you see
I guess I’d better be on my way

I should blame you now but I never could somehow
A miner’s wife you weren’t cut out to be
It wasn’t what you thought just some dreams Lord that you’d bought
When you left your home and ran away with me