USGENWEB NOTICE:  In keeping with our policy of providing free information
on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long
as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may
NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other
organizations.


        Requested Song

                Joe Bowers
My name is Joe Bowers.
   I've got a brother Ike,
I came from old Missouri,
   All the way from Pike.
I'll telly you why I left there,
   And why I came to roam,
And leave my poor old Mammy,
   So far away from home.

I used to court a gal thar,
   Her name was Sally Black,
I axed her if she'd marry me,
   She said it was a whack.
Says she to me, "Joe Bowers.


   Before we hitch for life,
You ought to get a little home,
   To keep your little wife."

Oh Sally dearest Sally.
   Oh Sally for your sake.
I'll go to California,
   And try to raise a stake.
Says she to me, "Joe Bowers,
   You are the man to win,
Here's a kiss to bind the bargain."
   And she have a dozen in.

When I got in that country.
   I hadn't "nary red."
I had such saddish feelings,
   I wished myself most dead.
But the thought of dear Sally,
   Soon made them feelings git,
And whispered that's to Bowers,
   I wish I had 'em yet.

At length I went to mining,
   Put in my biggest licks.
Went down upon the boulders,
   Just like a thousand bricks.
I worked both lats and carly,
   In rain, in sun, in snow.
I was working for my Sally,
   'Twas all the same to Joe.

At length I got a letter,
   From my dear brother Tke,
It came from old Missouri,
   All the way from Pike.
It brought me the darndest news,
   That ever, you did hear,
My heart is almost bustin', 
   So pray excuse the the tear.

It said that Sal was false to me.
   Her love for me had fled.
She'd got married to a butcher.
   The butcher's hair was red.
And more than that the letter said,
   It's enought to make me swear,
That Sally had a baby,
  The baby had red hair.

Now I've told you all,
   About this sad affair.
'Bout Sally marrying a butcher,
   That butcher with red hair.
But whether 't was a boy or gal child,
   The letter never said.
It only said the baby's hair
   Inclined to be red.
----