And when the ev'ning shadows fell,
Married by the village justice,
When softly rang the curfew bell,
Side by side they hastened westward.
Secret was their hasty marriage,
By a trusted village justice,
Loyal friend of Molly Barber.
In the month of June their wedding,
In the year of sev'nteen forty,
In the warm and joyous spring-time,
When the winter snows were over,
With the coming of the south-wind.
Big canoes were safely sailing
On the Mighty Central River,
For the ice had floated southward
And the fields were gay with flowers--
Green leaves growing in the forest;
Green the grass across the meadows;
Robin Red-breast gayly singing
"Welcome to the joyous spring-time."