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Cowboy Fireman (Trusty Lariat) (Harry A. McClintock) Through the high Sierra Mountains tune A Came an S P passenger train The hoboes tried to ride her But found 'twas all in vain The conductor he took the tickets tune A And he counted every soul; The engineer looked straight ahead And the fireman shoveled coal. Now, the fireman was a cowboy tune B But do not think that strange He could make more money shoveling coal Than riding on the range So though he was a fireman tune C And though he had to sweat He still remained a western guy And he kept his lariat The train was way behind time tune A When suddenly ahead A little child strolled on the track And filled them all with dread Her golden hair in ringlets tune B Was streamin' down her back. And she little knew of her danger grave As she strolled along the track "My gosh" the hog head shouted tune C As he slammed on all the brakes "I'll never stop this DP train I ain't got what it takes" "O Heaven help that wee tot!" tune A He cried in accents wild. "Can nothing stop this DP train And save the little child?" Up sprang that cowboy fireman tune B And a gallant lad was he "Now I will save that baby If I wreck the whole DP" He climbed upon the running board tune A With tears his eyes were wet And in his hand, our hero brave Bore his trusty lariat He dropped his loop around a pole tune B That stood beside the track And tied the other end of it Around the big smokestack He jerked the train right off the rails tune A And caused an awful wreck And our hero lay there in a ditch With the engine on his neck Oh we will all remember tune C That forty-fifth of May For there were many gallant hearts All filled with fear that day They buried that poor fireman tune B Where the prairie wind blows wild He killed two hundred passengers But, Thank God, He saved the child Recorded by Sam Hinton SOF