The Lakes Of Pontchartrain-Andy M. Stewart

Being on one bright March morning I bid New Orleans adieu And I took the road to Jackson Town My fortune to renew I cursed all foreign money no credit could I gain Which filled my heart with longing for The lakes of Ponchartrain I stepped on board of a railroad car Beneath the morning sun And I rode the rods till evening And laid me down again No friend to me, all strangers Till a dark girl towards me came And I fell in love with a Creole girl By the lakes of Ponchartrain I said, "My pretty Creole girl My money here's no good If it weren't for the alligators I'd sleep out in the wood" "You're welcome here, kind stranger Our house is very plain But we never turned a stranger out On the banks of Pontchartrain" She took me to her mammy's house And treated me right well The hair upon her shoulders in long dark ringlets fell To try to paint her beauty I'm sure would be in vain So handsome was my Creole girl By the lakes of Pontchartrain I asked her if she'd marry me Oh no, that could never be For she had got a lover and he was far at sea And she vowed that she would wait for him And true she would remain So constant was my Creole girl By the lakes of Pontchartrain So fare-thee-well, my bonnie young girl I never will see you more But I'll ne'er forget your kindness In the cottage by the shore And at each social gathering A flowing glass I'll drink And I'll drink a health to my Creole girl By the lakes of Pontchartrain