I'll tell you all a story about little Omie Wise
How she was deluded by John Lewis's lies
He promised to marry her at Adams's springs
Said he'd bring her some jewels and many other fine things

So Omie she met him down at Adams's springs
And get up behind me Omie, to Squires we'll go
She's got up behind him, so carefree we'll go
They rode till they come where the river did flow

“John Lewis, John Lewis, come tell me your mind
Now do you mean to marry me or leave me behind?”
“Little Omie, poor Omie, I'll tell you my mind
I minded here to drown you and leave you behind”

He stabbed her till heart, her heart's blood did flow
Down into the river her body he threw
Two little boys were fishing just at the break of dawn
They spied poor little Omie come a-floating along

They arrested John Lewis, they arrested him today
They buried little Omie down in the cold clay
“My name it is John Lewis, my name I'll never deny
I murdered little Omie, I'll never reach the sky”

“Go hang me, go kill me, for I am that man
I drownded my true love down by the old mill dam”
John Lewis was took a prisoner some six months or more
And then he broke jail into the army he did go