Engine 143

Along came the FFV, the swiftest on the line Runnin' o'er the C&O road just twenty minutes behind Runnin' into Sou'ville headquarters on the line Receiving their strict orders from a station just behind Georgie's mother came to him with a bucket on her arm She said, "My darlin' son, be careful how you run There's many-a-man has lost his life in tryin' to make lost time But if you run your engine right, you'll get there just on time" Up the track she darted, into a rock she crushed Upside down the engine turned and Georgie's breast did smash His head lay against the firebox door, the flames were rollin' high I'm proud to be born for an engineer and C&O road to die The doctor said to Georgie, "My darlin' boy, be still Your life may yet be saved if it is God's blessed will "Oh no", cried George, "This will not do, I'd rather die so free I want to die for the engine I love, one hundred and forty-three" And the doctor said to Georgie, "Your life cannot be saved" Murdered upon a railway and laid in a lonesome grave His face was covered up with blood, his eyes, they could not see And the very last words poor Georgie cried were, "Nearer, my God to thee"