THE PRICE OF FREEDOM



Air:"Annie Laurie"



The night is dark about me;

I hear the midnight bell;

Before another midnight

It will ring my funeral knell,

It will ring my funeral knell,

Oh! the hours are speeding by

When to buy the toiiers' freedom

I shall pay the price and die.



To-night my babes are crouching

By their weeping mother's side,

For this country's sake the father

Leaves his children and his bride.

Leaves his children and his bride.

When men for succor cry,

Then to buy the toilers' freedom

I shall pay the price and die.



Pent in a dismal dungeon,

Forbidden to be free,

A slave in chains and prison,

O, what were life to me?

0, what were life to me?

Speak out, my heart, reply,

That to buy the toilers' freedom

I will pay the price and die.



What greater love hath mortal

For one whom he holds dear,

Than for his sake to gladly

Meet death without a fear!

Meet death without a fear

Yes, such a love have I,

And to buy the toilers' freedom

I pay the price and die.

The night will soon be over;

For me 'twill be the last;

And the night of wrong, my country,

From thee shall soon have passed,

From thee shall soon have passed,

I see the star on high,

So to buy the toiler's freedom

I will pay the price and die.



Weep not above my ashes,

This is no hour for tears,

Let every man stand ready

When he the bugle hears,

When he the bugle hears,

Let every man reply:

We to buy the toiler's freedom

Will pay the price and die.



From American Labor Songs of the Nineteenth Century, Foner

Originally published in Labor Enquirer, December 17, 1887

Note: "At midnight preceding the Inorning of his execution

Albert R. Parsons' voice rang out clear and proud through

the corridors of the jail as he sang in distinct tones the

beautifui ballad, 'Annie Laurie.' " The following was

prompted by reading the above item in the daily papers.

Parsons, along with six others were hanged for

allegedly having written or said things that might have

incited a person or persons unknown to throw a bomb at

a rally for the Eight-Hour Day held at Chicago's Haymarket

Square in 1886. RG

@union @America @outlaw @execution

filename[ PRICEFRE

play.exe ANNLAURI

RG

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