The Boston Burglar

I was born and reared in Boston

A place you all know well

Brought up by honest parents

The truth to you I'll tell

Brought up by honest parents

And reared most tenderly

Until I became a sporting lad

At the age of twenty-three

Well, my character was broken

And I was sent to jail

My friends and parents did their best

For to get me out on bail

But the jury they found me guilty

And the judge he wrote it down

For breaking of the Union Bank

You are sent to Charlestown

I can see me dear old father

Standing at the bar

And likewise my dear mother

Tearing out her hair

Tearing out her old gray locks

As the tears came tumbling down

My son, my son, what have you done

To be sent to Charlestown?

Well, I stepped aboard an east bound train

One cold December day

And at every station I passed by

You could hear the people say:

Ah! There goes the Boston burglar

In strong irons he is bound

For breaking of the Union Bank

He is sent to Charlestown

There's a girl in Boston city

A girl I know so well

And if I had my liberty

With her I mean to dwell

If I had my liberty

Rough company I would shun

And likewise walking late at night

And likewise drinking rum

Oh, you that have your liberty

Keep it if you can

And don't go midnight rambling

Or you'll break the laws of man

And if you do you're sure to rue

And you'll end up just like me

And sentenced down to twenty years

In the penitentiary