well she met him as she promised
up at Adam's this spring
expecting some money
or some other fine thing

no money, no money
to flatter the case
"We'll have to get married
so there'll be no disgrace."

"So jump you up Omie
and away we will ride
to yonder fair country
where the cool waters glide."

she jumped up behind him
and away they did ride
to yonder fair country
where the deep waters glide

"Now jump you down Omie
and i'll tell you my mind
my mind is to drown you
and to leave you behind."

she begged and she pleaded
"Oh, don't take my life
and i'll never be your wife."

there she kicked and he cuffed her
to the worst understand
and he threw her in deep water 
that flows through the land

they found her poor body
the following day
the preacher and the reverend
Lord, they all begun to pray

and up spoke her mother
with a voice so a-sting
"Nobody but John Lewis
could've done such a thing."

they traced him up the waters
to Dutch Charlie's Bend
where they found him in jail
for killin' a man

"Go hang him, go hang him."
was that mother's command
"And throw him in deep waters
that flows through the land."