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284 Ballads and Songs of Michigan
»5 DAVID WARD
Sung in 1932 by Mr. Bert E. Eddy, Romeo; he had learned the song about 1887 fr°m M*- Sherm Eddy, who had worked in Ward's camp in Manistee, Michigan, and in other lumber camps.
1 Come all my good friends, I'll sing you a song; It's my own invention, and it won't take me long. What Fm going to tell you is what happened to me When I was a-lumbering up on the Manistee.
2 Twas on one bright morning I started away; I went to the woods there expecting to stay;
I was not alone, for I had a good pard,
And we were both lumbering for old David Ward.
3 Now I will tell you the style of our camp:
If we didn't nail down, we were set out to tramp; And many's the good man who has got his discharge. And they kept the small boys who were not very large.
4 Now the grub that we got there was not very nice; Twas mush and molasses, with codfish and rice, Pork and corn beef with a very coarse grain;
We were turned out long days in the snow and the rain.
5 Now there was the foreman, a very nice man; He was always at work contriving some plan.
Our pockets he'd pick, and our clothes he would sell, And get drunk on the money at the Greeland Hotel.
6 Now there was young Charlie, a very poor sort; He would go through the bush for to get a sly peek. If he saw a man straight just to rest his lame back, He would go to the office and give him the sack.
7 Now there was old David, along with the rest, Like an old settin' hen just got off from her nest; He'd cluck, and he'd sputter and look rather blue, And swear at us boys for soldiering, too* |
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