Collected & Transcribed
by Mary Celestia Parler
Reel 148
Item 5
The Feud between the Neils and the Greens
Now, folks, I'd like to tell you
Bout a trip through Arkansas;
Most of all 'bout Jimmy Neil,
Who one time broke the law.
Way back in the eighties
His granddad had a fight;
He had a fight with Houghton Green,
Who swore that he was right.
But Jim's dad pulled his pistol
With murder in his eye;
He shot him down, he stood around,
And he watched old Houghton die.
Then all the Greens came running,
And then they swore they'd kill;
All the Neils in Arkansas,
And they shorely killed them right.
This feud kep' up between them,
Till the boys and girls were grown;
They carried guns where'er they went;
Their father's love they shown.
But love will do some quare things;
Now, folks, you know it's true.
For Jimmy Neil fell one day
For Houghton's daughter Lou.
Way back in the mountains
He'd meet that gal each night;
But when her brothers found it out,
They said, "Here's where we fight."
But Jimmy's dad came runnin',
And he pulled out his gun;
He says, "Stand back, and let me git
That gal before she run,"
Now, folks, you've heard the story
That I always thought so sad;
And now I know someone will say
That Jimmy Neil was bad.
But Jimmy's out of jail now,
His hair is all turned grey;
For he's the one that told me tale
On that gloomy day,
On that slow train
Through Arkansas,
On the slow train
Through Arkansas.
The night was very cold
When the story it was told,
On that slow train
Through Arkansas.
But Jimmie pulled his pistol,
With a true and stiddy eye;
He stood right there, and he shot his dad,
Watched his old daddy die.