The Kindness of Strangers
They found Mary Bellows cuffed to the bedWith a rag in her mouth and a bullet in her headO, poor Mary Bellows
She'd grown up hungry, she'd grown up poor,She left her home in ArkansasO, poor Mary Bellows
She wanted to see the deep blue seaShe travelled across TennesseeO, poor Mary Bellows
She met a man along the wayHe introduced himself as Richard SladeO, poor Mary Bellows
Poor Mary thought that she might dieWhen she saw the ocean for the first timeO, poor Mary Bellows
She checked into a cheap little placeRichard Slade carried in her old suitcaseO, poor Mary Bellows
“I'm a good girl, sir,” she said to him“I couldn't possibly permit you in”O, poor Mary Bellows
Slade tipped his head and winked his eyeAnd turned away without goodbyeO, poor Mary Bellows
She sat on her bed and thought of homeWith the sea breeze whistling; all aloneO, poor Mary Bellows
In hope and loneliness she crossed the floorAnd undid the latch on her front doorO, poor Mary Bellows
They found her the next day cuffed to the bedA rag in her mouth, and a bullet in her headO, poor Mary Bellows
So, mothers, keep your girls at homeDon't let them go on a journey out aloneTell them this world is full of dangerAnd to shun the company of strangersO, poor Mary BellowsO, poor Mary Bellows