Sweet Marie
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Sweet Marie |
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Sweet Marie was located on the northern
tip of Big Stone Lake, in the northeast corner of Section 16,
Becker
Township, Roberts County, South Dakota, according to a 1905 map
of Roberts County. It was not what would be
called a Town or "populated area." It was a beach,
picnic area, and the docking point of a boat called the Phoebe
Wilson.
Of this much I am reasonably certain. There may have been a
resort building also. The "rest of the story" is
contained in the following song written by Ms. Char Jarman
of Peever, South Dakota.
The Sinking of the Phoebe Wilson
(Sing to the tune of "Sink the Bismarck")
The year is in the twenties and things
are goin' wrong.
Our men are spending far too much
Time away from home.
There drinkin' and agamblin' and makin' mighty free
With all the girls aboard a boat that's docked at Sweet Marie.
Now Sweet Marie was once a place we sat
upon the sand.
We'd take the kids and babies and
even the preacher man.
We'd picnic and we'd frolic and swim in Big Stone Lake
And then we'd lie upon the beach gettin' as much sun as we could
take.
(chorus)
We gotta find that little boat that's makin' such a fuss
We gotta sink the Phoebe 'cause the wives depend on us
We sneaked aboard at daybreak when no one is around
We'll find the plugs and open them and let the boat go down
****
We gathered very quietly before the
break of day
We parked the Model T behind a stack of prarie hay
We sneaked on down in single file until we reached the pier
And then we hid behind some trees until the coast was clear.
Oh then we ran like prarie hens 'cross
sands so smooth and bare
We climbed aboard and hurried down the tiny cabin stair.
On hands and knees with latern lit we finally found the plugs
We pulled and pulled until the lake came in with mighty glugs.
(chorus)
And when we reached the hilltop we
turned and looked around
to see the sun just comin' up and the Phoebe goin' down
We never told a single soul of what we did that day
The day the Phoebe Wilson sank to the bottom of the bay.
©Char Jarman
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Last updated 2/21/03