Well, they gave him his orders at Monroe, Virginia said, "Steve you're way behind time. This is not Thirty-Eight; this is old Ninety-Seven, so put her into Spencer on time." Then he turned and said to his black, greasy fireman "Shovel on a little more coal and when we cross that White Oak Mountain, watch old Ninety-Seven roll" And then the telegram came from Washington station and this is how it read: "Oh that brave engineer that ran old Ninety-Seven is lying in old Danville dead" 'Cause he was going down the grade makin' ninety miles an hour when the whistle broke into a scream He was found in the wreck, with his hand on the throttle, scalded to d**h by the steam Now all you ladies you better take warnin' from this time on and learn Never speak harsh words to a true lovin' husband he may leave you and never return 'board 'board Yodel-ay-hee hee hee hee hee hee