Loudon Wainwright Iii - Bill Mason's Bride lyrics

Half an hour till train time and sir And a fearful dark time, too Take a look at the switch lights, Tom Fetch in a stick when you're through On time? Well, yes, I guess so She left the last station all right Bet she'll come around the curve a-flyin' Bill Mason's on tonight You know Bill? He's an engineer Been on the road most of his life I'll never forget the mornin' He married himself a wife Bill hadn't been married an hour When up come a message from Kress Orderin' Bill to go down there And bring out the night express Maggie sat down by the window To wait for the night express And sir, if she hadn't 'a done so She'd 'a been a widow, I guess For it must 'a been about midnight When the mill hands left the Ridge Down came those drunken devils And tore off a rail from the bridge But Maggie heard them workin' And guessed there was somethin' wrong And in less than fifteen minutes Bill's train would be along She couldn't 'a come here to tell us A mile, it wouldn't 'a done So she just grabbed a lantern And made for the bridge on the run By God, Bill saw the signal And he stopped the night express And he found his Maggie cryin' On the track in her weddin' dress Cryin' and laughin' for joy, sir And holdin' on to the light Well, here's the train, goodbye sir Bill Mason's on time tonight