They give him his orders
At Monroe Virginia
Sayin'"Steve you're way behind time
This is not Thirty-Eight
This is old Ninety-Seven
You must put her into Spencer on time"
He turned and said to
His black greasy fireman
"Shovel in a little more coal
And when we reach that white oak mountain
You can Watch old Ninety-Seven roll"
It's a mighty rough road
From Lynchburg to Danville
In a line on a three mile grade
It was on that grade that
He lost his airbrakes
You See what a jump he made
He was going down the grade
Makin' ninety miles an hour
His whistle broke into a scream
He was found in the wreck
With his hand on the throttle
A-scalded to death by the steam
So now all you ladies
You better take a-warnin'
From this time on and learn
Never speak harsh words
To your true lovin' husband
He may leave you and never return
