Drunkard's Son Lyrics

In an old dusty attic of a tenement house I happened to wander one day And there on the rafters neath shavings and chips a drunkard's poor little boy lay Oh why are you lying up here in the cold what makes you lie on this hard bed My father's a drunkard and he beat me today my darling old mother is dead I'm hiding from father and please sir don't tell he beat me cause I would not steal He said he would kill me the next I failed and I'm so afraid sir he will I'm leaving you here son I sadly replied but I will be back right away But when I returned to the attic I found that Jesus had been there that day The chips and the shavings were there as before and the little boy lie on his bed With tears on his cheeks and his hands at his side the poor little fellow was dead A picture of mother lay close to his heart a faint little note by his head As I opened the paper my eyes filled with tears vor these were the words that I read I'm hiding with Jesus across the divide with dear mother forever I'll dwell And thank you dear mister for your kindness to me and now it's alright if you tell