One day a mother   Come to a prison   To see an 'erring   But precious son   She told the warden   How much she loved him   It did not matter   What he had done      She did not bring to him   (Bring to him)   Parole or pardon   (Pardon free)   She brought no silver   (Brought no gold)   No pomp nor style   (Him to see)   It was a halo   (Halo bright)   Sent down from heaven   (Heaven's light)   The sweetest gift   (A mother's smile)      Her boy had wandered    Far from the far side   Though she had pleaded   With him each night   But not a word did    She ever utter   That told her heartaches   Her smile was bright      (Repeat Chorus)      She left a smile   You can remember   She's gone to heaven   From heartache's free   Them bars around you   Will never change her   He was her baby   An error will be      (Repeat Chorus)      It was a halo bright   Sent down from heaven's light   The sweetest gift   A mother's smile