The Carter Family - Fate Of Dewey Lee lyrics

Twas on one Saturday evening About the hour of ten In a little mining town Where trouble did begin Everybody there were drinking There were whiskey everywhere Dewey Lee got to thinking He had no business there He was so tall and handsome His heart so true and brave Joe Jenkins pulled his pistol And sent him to his grave He took the life of Dewey When life had just began And Dewey went to Heaven While Joe went to the pen He took the life of Dewey Because he would not tell We know he murdered Dewey For Dewey's pistol fell His mother sits now weepin' She weeps and mourns all day She prays to meet her boy In a better world some day So hearken to my story And what I have to say Get right with your Maker We'll meet Him again some day The clerk said, "Stand up, boy And listen to your crime!" They sent him down to Richmond To serve out his time Young men all take warning For this you must outlive Don't take the life of anyone For life you cannot give You may possess great riches Put many beneath the sod But money won't hire a lawyer When you stand before your God