The Last Ride

In the Dodge City yards of the Sante 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 box-car 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 a pill The flare of the match showed his partners' face Stark white and deathly still; As the train wheels clicked on the couplin' joints A song for the ramblers' ears 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 back door steps for a dining room And the boxcar for a home; We dodged the bulls on the eastern route And the cops on the Chesapeake We traveled 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 of 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 churchyard And bury you there with your kin; You seemed to know I would keep my word For you said that I was wise Well, I'm keepin my promise to you, pal Cause I'm takin' you home tonight; I hadn'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 And 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 it's ribbon of steel Straight through to the east it sped The engineer in his high cab seat Keep his eyes 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 taking his last long ride.