Foster Williams had a farm
At the mouth of Steven’s Run
2000 acres inherited
By his father’s only son
I heard that he was hiring
Room and board was paid
So I rode out the on the 2nd of May
I was a carpenter by trade
Thirteen years younger
Of his wife I’d heard tell
Katy was her name
In time I knew her well
There were the wealthy and powerful
But none as much as he
I saw a side of Foster Williams
That most people never see
A lot of nights he was gone
He never told Katy why
But the nights that he was there
Were the nights I heard her cry
I saw the blood on her clothes
And the bruises on her face
So many times I asked her why
She wouldn’t leave Foster’s place
Foster Williams came back one night
Drinking too heavy to stand
I stood at the corner of the house
With Katy’s pistol in my hand
He leaned against a fence post
And lit a cigarette
I moved a few steps closer
As close as I could get
I wasn’t even shaking
When I pulled that hammer back
Rose up and drew my aim
And I heard that thunder crack
He fell along the fence line
Bleeding heavy through his shirt
He slept the sleep of the dead
Laying in a bed of red dirt
If I’m sinning…….
Then God forgive my soul
I ran up behind the willows
And the midnight swallowed me whole