Songs of the Cowboys Author:N. Howard (Jack) Thorp Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: A COW-CAMP ON THE RANGE Authorship credited to Tom Mew, Oklahoma. First heard it sung by Walker Hyde, Three Rivers, New Mexico. Oh, the prairie dogs are ba... more »rking, And the birds are on the wing, See the heel fly chase the heifers, boys! — 'T is a first-class sign of spring. The elm wood is budding, The earth is turning green; See the pretty things of nature, That make life a pleasant dream! I'm just living through the winter To enjoy the coming change, For there is no place so homelike As a cow-camp on the range. The boss is smiling sum'tious, Radiant as the setting sun; But we know he ain't contented, For he ain't a-cussin' none. The cook is at the chuck-box Whistling "Heifers in the Green," Making baking-powder biscuits, boys,' While the pot is biling beans. The boys untie their bedding And unroll it on the run, For they are in a monstrous hurry, For the supper's almost done. "Chuck is ready — come en get it!" Cried the cook's familiar voice THE COWBOY AT CHURCH 31 As he climbed the wagon wheel To watch the cowboys all rejoice. Then all thoughts were turned with reverence To a plate of beef and beans, As we grazed on beef and biscuits Like yeaiiings on the range. To the hot place with your city, Where they herd like frightened rats On a range so badly crowded There ain't room to cuss a cat. This life is not so sum'tious, I 'm not longing for a change, But there is no place so homelike As a cow-camp on the range. THE COWBOY AT CHURCH Author unknown to me, but my hat off to him, whoever he may be. Heard it recited by a young high-school girl at Montrose, Colorado. Some time ago — two weeks or more If I remember well — I found myself in town, and thought I'd knock around a spell; When all at once I h...« less