Dear old Joe he was one of the best
And everyone's pal without doubt
The sort of chap that would give you his boots
And swear he walked better without.
Why I've known him to give his last dollar away
To some other fellow in need,
And explain that he fasted from choice don't You know,
He was seedy and gone off his feed.
Hle told us they called him a waster at home,
We knew thal he'd both grit and pluck,
Yet somehow things never went rosy with him,
But we chaps put it down to Joe's luck.
A gentlemari's son we all knew him to be,
And the breed in him showed plain enough,
But he never let on to the boys who he was
And he chummed in with sundry and rough.
The life of a cowboy is not very soft,
But he stuck it quite well for all that,
And though he rode reckless and faster than most
Like a toff in the saddle he sat.
Jack and I were his pals right away from the first
And we showed him the ropes all we could,
Tho' mind you his pride would prevent us sometimes
From doin' so much as we would.
Hie told us the story Of how he left home,
How he'd got in the hands of a Jew,
And the guv'nor the name that he gave to his dad
Faced ruin to pay what was due.
How he bid his own people goodbye in remorse
And swore to repay all the debt.
But fortunes he found even out in the West
Were not quite so easy to get.
He liked nothing better a pipe, and a chat
Round the fire of a night just we three.
Then he'd talk of old England and how he'd return
With the money when wealthy was he.
One evening we sat in our usual way
When the mall brought a letter for joe,
A solicitor's name was embossed on the flap,
He showed it with face all aglow.
'Maybe it's the money boys coming at last,'
He said with a shake in his voice.
We gave him a thump on the back for good luck,
Just to show hirn how we should rejoice,
He opened the letter with quivering hands
His face turning white as he read
I'ts come boys,' he shouted,' I knew luck would change',
Then he gasped just fell back and was dead.
