Cowboy Songs Part 42

"Yes, and I don't care a copper colored d.a.m.n."

The dealers stopped their dealing and the players held their breath; For words like those to Hankey were a sudden flirt with death.

"Listen, gentle stranger, I'll read my pedigree: I'm known on handling tenderfeet and worser men than thee; The lions on the mountains, I've drove them to their lairs; The wild-cats are my playmates, and I've wrestled grizzly bears;

"Why, the centipedes can't mar my tough old hide, And rattle snakes have bit me and crawled off and died.

I'm as wild as the horse that roams the range; The moss grows on my teeth and wild blood flows through my veins.

"I'm wild and woolly and full of fleas And never curried below the knees.

Now, little stranger, if you'll give me your address,-- How would you like to go, by fast mail or express?"

The little stranger who was leaning on the door Picked up a hand of playing cards that were scattered on the floor.

Picking out the five of spades, he pinned it to the door And then stepped back some twenty paces or more.

He pulled out his life-preserver, and with a "one, two, three, four,"

Blotted out a spot with every shot; For he had traveled with a circus and was a fancy pistol shot.

"I have one more left, kind sir, if you wish to call the play."

Then Hanke stepped up to the stranger and made a neat apology, "Why, the lions in the mountains,--that was nothing but a joke.

Never mind about the extra, you are a bad shooting man, And I'm a meek little child and as harmless as a lamb."

ROUNDED UP IN GLORY

I have been thinking to-day, As my thoughts began to stray, Of your memory to me worth more than gold.

As you ride across the plain, 'Mid the suns.h.i.+ne and the rain,-- You will be rounded up in glory bye and bye.

Chorus: You will be rounded up in glory bye and bye, You will be rounded up in glory bye and bye, When the milling time is o'er And you will stampede no more, When he rounds you up within the Master's fold.

As you ride across the plain With the cowboys that have fame, And the storms and the lightning flash by.

We shall meet to part no more Upon the golden sh.o.r.e When he rounds us up in glory bye and bye.

May we lift our voices high To that sweet bye and bye, And be known by the brand of the Lord; For his property we are, And he will know us from afar When he rounds us up in glory bye and bye.

THE DRUNKARD'S h.e.l.l

It was on a cold and stormy night I saw and heard an awful sight; The lightning flashed and thunder rolled Around my poor benighted soul.

I thought I heard a mournful sound Among the groans still lower down, That awful sight no tongue can tell Is this,--the place called Drunkard's h.e.l.l.

I thought I saw the gulf below Where all the dying drunkards go.

I raised my hand and sad to tell It was the place called Drunkard's h.e.l.l.

I traveled on and got there at last And started to take a social gla.s.s; But every time I started,--well, I thought about the Drunkard's h.e.l.l.

I dashed it down to leave that place And started to seek redeeming grace.

I felt like Paul, at once I'd pray Till all my sins were washed away.

I then went home to change my life And see my long neglected wife.

I found her weeping o'er the bed Because her infant babe was dead.

I told her not to mourn and weep Because her babe had gone to sleep; Its happy soul had fled away To dwell with Christ till endless day.

I taken her by her pale white hand, She was so weak she could not stand; I laid her down and breathed a prayer That G.o.d might bless and save her there.

I then went to the Temperance hall And taken a pledge among them all.

They taken me in with a willing hand And taken me in as a temperance man.

So seven long years have pa.s.sed away Since first I bowed my knees to pray; So now I live a sober life With a happy home and a loving wife.

RAMBLING BOY

I am a wild and roving lad, A wild and rambling lad I'll be; For I do love a little girl And she does love me.

"O Willie, O Willie, I love you so, I love you more than I do know; And if my tongue could tell you so I'd give the world to let you know."

When Julia's old father came this to know,-- That Julia and Willie were loving so,-- He ripped and swore among them all, And swore he'd use a cannon ball.

She wrote Willie a letter with her right hand And sent it to him in the western land.

"Oh, read these lines, sweet William dear.

For this is the last of me you will hear."

He read those lines while he wept and cried, "Ten thousand times I wish I had died", He read those lines while he wept and said, "Ten thousand times I wish I were dead."

When her old father came home that night He called for Julia, his heart's delight, He ran up stairs and her door he broke And found her hanging by her own bed rope.

And with his knife he cut her down, And in her bosom this note he found Saying, "Dig my grave both deep and wide And bury sweet Willie by my side."

They dug her grave both deep and wide And buried sweet Willie by her side; And on her grave set a turtle dove To show the world they died for love.

BRIGHAM YOUNG. I.

I'll sing you a song that has often been sung About an old Mormon they called Brigham Young.

Of wives he had many who were strong in the lungs, Which Brigham found out by the length of their tongues.

Ri tu ral, lol, lu ral.