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