Behind Those Stone Walls

'Twas in St Louis City where I first saw the light, brought up by honest parents in the pathway of right. I was left on orphan at the age of ten years, on mother's grave I've shed many tears. I'd scarcely reached manhood when I left my old home, with some other fellows to the west we did roam. Seeking employment though scarcely could find, we seemed so poor and the people unkind. Was in New York City where we first met our fate, we were arrested while roaming the streets. The charges were burglars, the theft it was small, but they said it would place us behind the stone walls. We were marched next morning to the courthouse for trial, my pal was downhearted, so I gave him a smile. We pleaded for mercy, but was shown none at all, they gave us twenty years behind the stone walls. We were handcuffed next morning and marched to the pen, we arrived there at midnight with a few other men. The doors were thrown open, we marched in the halls, and learned to be a convict behind the stone walls. While lying that night on a pallet of straw, I swore I would never again break the law. There's none but your mother to bear your downfall, when you are a convict behind the stone walls. Come all you young fellows and listen to me, when you loose life's pleasures, you've lost liberty. I've tasted life's pleasures, it's bitterer than gall, it'll lead to a cell behind the stone walls.