THE GARRISH RAILROAD

COME ALL YOU THAT FOLLOW LUMBERING, OH GOD IT'S ALL FOR GAIN
AND THINK OF YOUR DEAD COMRADE, WHO LIES SLEEPING IN HIS GRAVE.
FOR HE WAS THE NOBLEST YOUNG MAN, CUT DOWN IN ALL HIS BLOOM.
'TWAS ON THE GARRISH RAILROAD, HE MET HIS FATAL DOOM. MM MM
'TWAS ON ONE THURSDAY MORNING, THE FOURTEENTH DAY OF JUNE.
THIS YOUNG MAN WHO WAS WITH US, WAS AS FRESH AS A ROSE IN
BLOOM.
IT WAS HIS WILL TO MAKE THIS FATAL RIDE, IN ANSWER TO GOD'S
CALL.
'TWAS BETWEEN TWO LOADED CARS OF LOGS, HE MET WITH HIS
FATAL FALL. MM MM
THOSE WHO WERE COMING BEHIND HIM, THEY SAW HIS CRUSHING FATE.
THEY HURRIED TO ASSIST HIM, BUT ALAS', THEY WERE TOO LATE.
WHEN THEY SAW HIS MANGLED BODY, IT STRUCK THEIR HEARTS WITH
FEAR.
AND THE LAST WORDS THAT HE UTTERED WERE, "OH, MY MOTHER DEAR." MM MM
TWO DOCTORS CALLED, THEY CAME IN HASTE, BUT IT WAS TO NO AVAIL
FOR GOD'S CALL CAME, IT WAS FULFILLED, ALL EARTHLY POWERS
MUST FAIL.
THEY WATCHED HIS HEAVY BREATHING, WHILE THE TEARS STOOD IN HIS
EYES
FOR THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO, POOR FELLOW HE MUST DIE. MM MM
THE LUMBER WAGON WAS HIS HEARSE, THE LUMBERING SOUND HIS KNELL.
LIKE HE, HIMSELF, WHO QUICKLY SIGHED, IT FLOURISHED AND SOON
DIED.
THE LOFTY PINES HIS MOURNERS WERE, WHILE THROUGH THEM SUNSHINE
PEEP.
THEY TRAIL LONG WITH THEIR COMRADE, TO HIS EVERLASTING SLEEP. MM MM
NO MOTHER'S CRIES NOR SIGHS WERE HEARD, NO SISTER'S TEARS WERE
SHED,
NO FATHER THERE TO SAY, "ALAS, AND NOW MY SON IS DEAD,"
NO FLOWERS SCATTERED ON HIS GRAVE, NO FUNERAL SERMON PRAYED,
NO TOMBSTONE THERE TO MARK THE PLACE, WHERE THIS LUMBERING
BOY WAS LAID. MM MM
THIS YOUNG MAN'S MOTHER, SHE WILL WAIT, HER SON'S COMING TO
APPEAR,
BUT SHE WILL WATCH AND WAIT IN VAIN, FOR FOOTSTEPS SHE WILL
NOT HEAR
UNTIL SHE GETS TO THAT FAIR LAND, WHERE TRUTH AND PEACE SHE'LL
SEE
TO REST IN PEACE AND HAPPINESS, THROUGH OUT ETERNITY. MM MM
NELSON SMITH WAS THE YOUNG MAN'S NAME, FROM CANADA HE CAME O'ER
TO MEET WITH HIS UNTIMELY DEATH, ALAS LIKE MANY MORE.
WE HOPE HE IS IN PARADISE, WHERE CALM HIS REST WILL BE
TO REST WITH GOD IN HAPPINESS, THROUGH OUT ETERNITY. MM MM
THIS SONG, THE GARRISH RAILROAD, HAPPENED TO A CANADIAN
BOY, AND MY GRANDFATHER, FRANK DAVIS, WAS THERE AND SAW IT
HAPPEN WHEN THE BOY WAS CRUSHED BETWEEN TWO CARS OF LOGS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HOUGHTON LAKE

James Callow Keyword(s): FATALISM

Date learned: 00001930S

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