A burlesque ballad from 1909.
words by Edgar Smith
music by A. Baldwin Sloane
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- A village maid was leaving home
With tears her eyes was wet
Her mother dear was standing near the spot
She says to her: “Neuralgia dear
I hope you won’t forget
That I’m the only mother you have got
The city is a wicked place as anyone can see
And cruel dangers ‘round your path may hurl
So every week you’d better
Send your wages back to me
For Heaven will protect a working girl
Chorus
“You are going far away
But remember what I say
When you are in the city’s giddy whirl
From temptations, crimes and follies
Villains, taxicabs and trolleys
Oh, heaven will protect a working girl”
- Her dear old mother’s words proved true
For soon the poor girl met
A man who on her ruin was intent
He treated her respectful as those villains always do
And she supposed he was a perfect gent
But she found diff’rent when one night
She went with him to dine
Into a table d’hôte so blithe and gay
And he says to her, “After this we’ll have a demitasse”
Then, to him these brave words the girl did say
Chorus
“Stand back, villain! Go your way!
Here I will no longer stay
Although you were a marquis or an earl
You may tempt the upper classes
With your villainous demitasses
But Heaven will protect a working girl”
Sung here by Fred Feild: