A crowd of young fellows one night at a ball Were telling of sweethearts they had All seemed jolly except one lad Who seemed downhearted and sad Come join us, Ned, his comrades then said Surely some girl has loved you Then raising his head, proudly he said I'm in love with two One has hair of silver-gray The other one is just like gold One is young and youthful, too The other one is aged and old But dearer than life are they both to me From neither would I part One is my mother, God bless her, I love her The other one is my sweetheart My sweetheart is a poor working girl Whom I'm determined to wed Father said no, 'twill never be so You must marry an heiress instead Mother was young, she knows how it is When father met her she was poor Ned, don't fret, she'll be your wife yet For he will consent, I am sure One has hair of silver-gray The other one is just like gold One is young and youthful, too The other one is aged and old But dearer than life are they both to me From neither would I part One is my mother, God bless her, I love her The other one is my sweetheart