I was only eight years old; br And before I grew up and knew what it meant br I had no words for it, except br That I was frightened and told my Mother; br And that my Father got a pistol br And would have killed Charlie, who was a big boy, br Fifteen years old, except for his Mother. br Nevertheless the story clung to me. br But the man who married me, a widower of thirty-five, br Was a newcomer and never heard it br Till two years after we were married. br Then he considered himself cheated, br And the village agreed that I was not really a virgin. br Well, he deserted me, and I died br The following winter.