I THINK THE SONG IS SUPPOSED TO MAKE YOU WONDER SUBJECTIVELY HOW MARY DIED. FROM WHAT I GATHER, THE NARRATOR MIGHT'VE KILLED MARY ON ACCIDENT & REPRESSED IT FROM HIS MEMORY, HARBORING NEEGATIVE FEELINGS THAT BUILT UP FROM TOWN'S PREJUDICES, HE BECAME A TICKING BOMB. DESCRIBED BY: "I THINK OF HOW MY LIFE GONE BY... NO ESCAPE FOR ME THIS TIME. ALL OF MY RESCUES ARE GONE." IT SOUNDS LIKE HE WAS SULKING IN SELF-PITY AND LOST HOPE. THAT RESULTED IN HIS TEMPER GETTING OUT OF HAND KILLING THE ONE HE LOVES. AND IS IN DENIAL OF WHAT HE HAS DONE. THINKS "HIS LIFE HAS DONE HIM WRONG" THATS LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY. AND IF "SHE WENT WALKING ALONE...NEVER CAME HOME " THEN HOW DID HE LEAVE HER BY HE RIVER?? C'MON, WHY ELSE WOULD HE BE SO ANXIOUS TO "...MAKE IT BACK TO THE RIVER". THAT'S THE ONLY WAY HE CAN CONFIRM HIS OWN SUSPICIONS THAT HE DID KILL HER AND LEAVE THAT "...OLD NEBRASKA TOWN."
I THINK THE SONG IS SUPPOSED TO MAKE YOU WONDER SUBJECTIVELY HOW MARY DIED. FROM WHAT I GATHER, THE NARRATOR MIGHT'VE KILLED MARY ON ACCIDENT & REPRESSED IT FROM HIS MEMORY, HARBORING NEEGATIVE FEELINGS THAT BUILT UP FROM TOWN'S PREJUDICES, HE BECAME A TICKING BOMB. DESCRIBED BY: "I THINK OF HOW MY LIFE GONE BY... NO ESCAPE FOR ME THIS TIME. ALL OF MY RESCUES ARE GONE." IT SOUNDS LIKE HE WAS SULKING IN SELF-PITY AND LOST HOPE. THAT RESULTED IN HIS TEMPER GETTING OUT OF HAND KILLING THE ONE HE LOVES. AND IS IN DENIAL OF WHAT HE HAS DONE. THINKS "HIS LIFE HAS DONE HIM WRONG" THATS LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY. AND IF "SHE WENT WALKING ALONE...NEVER CAME HOME " THEN HOW DID HE LEAVE HER BY HE RIVER?? C'MON, WHY ELSE WOULD HE BE SO ANXIOUS TO "...MAKE IT BACK TO THE RIVER". THAT'S THE ONLY WAY HE CAN CONFIRM HIS OWN SUSPICIONS THAT HE DID KILL HER AND LEAVE THAT "...OLD NEBRASKA TOWN."