Oh, Mary was a maiden When the birds began to sing She was fairer than the blooming rose So early in the spring Her thoughts were gay and happy And the morning rare and fine For her lover was a river boy From the river in the pines
Now Charlie, got married To his Mary in the spring When the trees were budding early And the birds began to sing But early in the autumn When the fruit is in the wine I'll return to you, my darling And the river in the pines
It was early in the morning In Wisconsin's dreary clime When he rowed the lonely rapids For that last and fatal time They found his body lying On the rocky shore below Where the silent water ripples And the whispering cedars blow
Now every raft or lumber That's come down, the Chippeway There's a lonely grave that's visited by drivers on their way They plant the wild flowers on it In the morning fair and fine 'Tis the grave of two young lovers From the river in the pines