Speak Kindly Of Tom - song lyrics 
American Old-time song lyrics from www.traditionalmusic.co.uk 
SPEAK KINDLY OF TOM. Written by John Farrell. 
In the old homestead to-night young hearts are beating With love and good friendship for all, And over the door the mistletoe is hanging, While the snow flakes outside gently fall. The hour it is midnight, and merry young voices Welcome the dawn of the year; But alone, by the fireside, two aged hearts are sad, And their eyes fill slowly with tears. The old couple rise, and the laughing throng For a moment are calm and still: Two voices plead gently, as the bells sweetly chime, To welcome the new year in: 
Chorus. Speak kindly of Tom, who died far away, fighting for country and queen; A comrade to save, he died like the brave, so please keep his memory green. 
The old couple returned to their place by the fireside, While the children sang merrily on. Their thoughts were in Egypt, by a lone soldier's grave, Where lay their wayward Tom. Handsome and reckless, always doing And daring, But noble and good withal Was the boy who fled in disgrace from his birthplace, To fight for his country and fall; A voice to-night is missed in the homestead, And a form that was once their pride; But kind words are spoken, as the bells sweetly chime, Of the soldier boy who died.-Chorus.