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Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads

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TEXAS RANGERS (p. 044) Come, all you Texas rangers, wherever you may be, I'll tell you of some troubles that happened unto me. My name is nothing extra, so it I will not tell,— And here's to all you rangers, I am sure I wish you well. It was at the age of sixteen that I joined the jolly band, We marched from San Antonio down to the Rio Grande. Our captain he informed us, perhaps he thought it right, "Before we reach the station, boys, you'll surely have to fight." And when the bugle sounded our captain gave command, "To arms, to arms," he shouted, "and by your horses stand." I saw the smoke ascending, it seemed to reach the sky; The first thought that struck me, my time had come to die. I saw the Indians coming, I heard them give the yell; My feelings at that moment, no tongue can ever tell. I (p. 045) saw the glittering lances, their arrows round me flew, And all my strength it left me and all my courage too. We fought full nine hours before the strife was o'er, The like of dead and wounded I never saw before. And when the sun was rising and the Indians they had fled, We loaded up our rifles and counted up our dead. And all of us were wounded, our noble captain slain, And the sun was shining sadly across the bloody plain. Sixteen as brave rangers as ever roamed the West Were buried by their comrades with arrows in their breast. 'Twas then I thought of mother, who to me in tears did say, "To you they are all strangers, with me you had better stay." I thought that she was childish, the best she did not know; My mind was fixed on ranging and I was bound to go. Perhaps you have a mother, likewise a sister too, And maybe you have a sweetheart to weep and mourn for you; If (p. 046) that be your situation, although you'd like to roam, I'd advise you by experience, you had better stay at home. I have seen the fruits of rambling, I know its hardships well; I have crossed the Rocky Mountains, rode down the streets of hell; I have been in the great Southwest where the wild Apaches roam, And I tell you from experience you had better stay at home. And now my song is ended; I guess I have sung enough; The life of a ranger I am sure is very tough. And here's to all you ladies, I am sure I wish you well, I am bound to go a-ranging, so ladies, fare you well. <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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