Poor ellen smith how she was found
Shot through the breast(normally heart!) lying cold on the ground
Her clothers were all scattered and thrown on the ground
And blood marks the spot where poor ellen was found

They picked up their rifles and hunted him down
They found him aloafing hobo down town
They picked up her body and carried it away
And now she is sleeping in some lonesome old grave

I got a letter yesterday, I read it today
The flowers on ellen's grave have all faded away
Some day I'll go home and say when I go
On poor ellen's grave pretty flowers I'll sow

He's been in this prison for twenty long years
Each night he sees ellen through his bitter tears
The warden just told him that soon he'll be free
To go to her grave near that old willow tree

His days in this prison are ending at last
He'll never be free from his sins of the past.
Poor ellen smith how she was found
Shot through the heart lying cold on the ground