Coming to Us Dead

One morning when the office had opened,
a man quite old in years
Stood by the Express Office, showin signs of grief and tears
And as the clerk approached him,
these tremblin words did say
I'm waiting for my Boy sir, He's comin home today

Well you have made a slight mistake,
but you must surely know
That this is a telegraph office sir, and not the town depot
And if your Boy's a-comin home, the clerk did smile and say
You'll find him with the passengers
at the Station just over the way

No you do not understand me sir, the old man shook his head
He's coming not as a passenger, but by express instead
He's a-coming home to Mother, the old man gently said
He's comin home in a casket sir, he's comin to us dead

And then a whistle pierced their ears,
express train someone cried
The old man rose in a breathless daze
and quickly rushed outside
And then a long white casket was lowered to the ground
And showin signs of grief and tears,
to them as gathered round

He said do not treat him roughly boys,
it contains our Darlin Jack
He went away as you boys are, this way he's comin back
He broke his dear old Mother's heart,
her sayins have all come true
She said its the way that he'd come home,
if he joined the Boys in Blue

DP
oct97