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American Ballads and Folk Songs
"Oh, no, dear George! that will not do, I want to die with you." "Oh, no, no, dear Jackj that will not be, I'll die for you and me." So from the cab dear Jack did leap, oP New River was running high, And he kissed the hand of his darling George as No. 4 flew by.
So up the road she dashed j against the rock she crashed} The engine turning over and the coaches they came last j George Alley's head in the firebox lay, while the burning flames
rolled o'er: "I'm glad I was born an engineer, to die on the C & O. Road"
George Alley's mother came to him and in sorrow she did sigh, When she looked upon her darling boy and saw that he must die. "Too late, too late, dear mother! my doom is almost o'er, And I know that God will let me in when I reach that golden shore,"
The doctor said, "Dear George, O darling boy, keep still j Your life may yet be spared, if it be God's precious wilL" "Oh, no, dear Doc, that cannot be, I want to die so free, I want to die on the engine I love, 143."
The people came from miles around this engineer to see.
George Alley said, "God bless you, friends, I am sure you will find
me here." His face and head all covered with blood, his eyes you could not see, And as he died he cried aloud, "Oh, nearer, my God, to thee."
NACHUL-BORN EASMAN *
According to Henry Trevelyan, section gang foreman for the Wier Lumber Company of Wiergate, Texas, this is the original "Casey Jones," that he heard when he went to work on the Illinois Central line that runs through Canton, Mississippi*
* An "easman" is a "hustler," that is, a man who wanders from town to town living off women, often other men's wives.
"Name printed on de tail of his shirt, Nachul-born easman, don* have to work."
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