Well they gave him his orders at Monroe, Virginia,
Said：'Steve, you're way behind time,
'This is not 38, this is Ol' 97,
'Put her into Spencer on time.'
Then he turned around and said to his black, greasy fireman,
'Shovel on a little more coal.
'And when we cross that White Oak mountain,
'Watch Ol' '97 roll.'
And then a telegram come from Washington station,
This is how it read:
'Oh that brave engineer that run ol 97,
'Is lyin in old Danville dead.'
'Cos he was going down a grade making 90 miles an hour,
The whistle broke into a scream.
He was found in the wreck with his hand on the throttle,
Scalded to death by the steam.
One more time!
Oh, now all you ladies you'd better take a warning,
From this time on and learn.
Never speak hard words to your true-lovin' husband.
He may leave you and never return.
Poor Boy.