IN THE DODGE CITY
YARDS
OF THE SANTA FE
STOOD A FREIGHT
MADE UP FOR THE EAST
AND THE ENGINEER
WITH HIS OIL AND WASTE
WAS GROOMIN'
THE GREAT IRON BEAST
WHILE TEN CARS BACK
IN THE MURKY DUST
A BOXCAR DOOR
SWUNG WIDE
AND A HOBO LIFTED
HIS PAL ABOARD
TO START
ON HIS LAST LONG RIDE
A LANTERN SWUNG
AND THE FREIGHT
PULLED OUT
THE ENGINE
IT GATHERED SPEED
THE ENGINEER
PULLED THE THROTTLE
WIDE
AND CLUCKED
TO HIS FIERY STEED
TEN CARS BACK
IN THE EMPTY BOX
THE HOBO ROLLED UPHILL
THE FLARE OF THE MATCH
SHOWED HIS PARTNER'S
FACE
STARK WHITE
AND DEATHLY STILL
AS THE TRAIN WHEELS
CLICKED ON
THE COUPLING JOINTS
A SONG FOR
THE RAMBLER'S EAR
THE HOBO TALKED TO
THE STILL WHITE FORM
HIS PAL
FOR MANY A YEAR
FOR A MIGHTY LONG TIME
WE'VE RAMBLED JACK
WITH THE LUCK OF MEN
THAT ROAM
WITH THE BACKDOOR
STEPS
FOR A DINING ROOM
AND A BOXCAR
FOR A HOME
WE DODGED THE BULLS
ON THE EASTERN ROUTE
AND THE COPS
ON THE CHESAPEAKE
WE TRAVELLED
THE LEADVILLE
NARROW GAUGE
IN THE DAYS
OF CRIPPLE CREEK
WE DRIFTED DOWN
THROUGH SUNNY CAL
ON THE RAILS
OF THE OLD "S" "P"
AND ALL YOU HAD
THROUGH GOOD AND BAD
A HALF ALWAYS
BELONGED TO ME
YOU MADE ME PROMISE
TO YOU JACK
IF I LIVED
AND YOU CASHED IN
TO TAKE YOU BACK
TO THE OLD CHURCH
YARD
AND BURY YOU THERE
WITH YOUR KIN
YOU SEEMED TO KNOW
I WOULD KEEP MY WORD
FOR YOU SAID THAT
I WAS RIGHT
WELL
I'M KEEPIN' MY PROMISE
TO YOU PAL
'CAUSE I'M TAKIN' YOU
HOME
TONIGHT
I HAVEN'T THE MONEY
TO SEND YOU THERE
SO I'M TAKIN' YOU BACK
ON THE FLY
IT'S THE DECENT WAY
FOR A 'BO TO GO
HOME TO THE BY AND BY
I KNEW THAT FEVER
HAD YOU JACK
BUT THAT DOCTOR
JUST WOULDN'T COME
HE WAS TOO BUSY
TREATIN'
THE WEALTHY FOLKS
TO DOCTOR
A WORN-OUT BUM
AS THE TRAIN
ROLLED OVER
ITS RIBBONS OF STEEL
STRAIGHT THROUGH
TO THE EAST IT SPED
THE ENGINEER
IN HIS HIGH CAB SEAT
KEPT HIS EYE ON
THE RAILS AHEAD
WHILE TEN CARS BACK
IN THE EMPTY BOX
THE LONELY HOBO SIGHED
FOR THE DAYS OF OLD
AND HIS PAL SO COLD
WAS TAKIN' HIS LAST
LONG RIDE