They gave him his orders at Monroe Virginia Saying Steve you're way behind time This is not 38 this is old 97 You must put her into Spencer on time He turned around and said to his black greasy fireman "Shovel on a little more coal And when we cross that White Old Mountain Watch old 97 roll" And then a telegram came to Washington station This is how it read: It said, "That brave engineer that has run old 97 Is lying down in Danville, dead" He was going down the grade making 90 miles an hour His whistle broke into a scream He was found in the wreck with his hand on the throttle Scalded to d**h by the steam So now all you pretty ladies you better take a warning From this time on and learn Don't you speak hard words to your true lover husband He may leave you and never return