Utah Carol

And now my friends you've asked me what makes me sad and still And why my brow is darkened like the clouds upon the hill Run in your ponies closer and I'll tell to you my tale Of Utah Carol, my partner, and his last ride on the trail We rode the range together and rode it side by side I loved him like a brother, and I wept when Utah died We were rounding up one morning when work was almost done When on his side the cattle started on a frightened run Underneath the saddle that the boss's daughter rode Utah that very morning had placed a bright red robe So, the saddle might ride easy for Lenore, his little friend And it was this red blanket that brought him to his end The blanket was now dragging behind her on the ground The frightened cattle saw it and charged it with a bound Lenore then saw her danger and turned her pony's face And leaning in the saddle tied the blanket to its place But in leaning lost her balance, fell in front of that wild tide "Lay still, Lenore, I'm coming," were the words that Utah cried His faithful pony saw her and reached her with a bound I thought he'd been successful, and raised her from the ground But the weight upon the saddle had not been felt before His back cinch snapped like thunder and he fell by Lenore Picking up the blanket, he swung it over his head And started 'cross the prairie, "Lay still, Lenore," he said When he got the stampede turned and saved Lenore his friend Then turned to face the cattle and meet his fatal end His six-gun flashed like lightning, the report rang loud and clear As the cattle rushed and killed him, he dropped the leading steer On his funeral morning, I heard the preacher say "I hope we'll all meet Utah at the roundup far away" Then they wrapped him in a blanket that saved his little friend And it was this red blanket that brought him to his end