He Is Coming to Us Dead

歌詞

One morning when the office had opened A man quite old in years Stood by the express office Showing signs of grief and fear When the clerk approached him His trembling voice did say I'm waiting for my boy, sir He's coming home to-day Well you have made a solemn mistake And you must surely know That this is the telegraph office, sir And not a town depot If your boy is coming home The clerk he did smile and did say You'll find him with the passengers At the station just over the way Take warning folks You do not understand me, sir The old man shook his head He's not a-coming as a passenger But by express instead Take warning good peoplw He's coming home to mother The old man gently said He's coming home in a casket, sir He's coming to us dead Then the whistle pierced the ears The express came in on time The old man rose in a breathless haste And quickly rushed outside Then a long white casket Was lowered to the ground Showing signs of grief and tears To those who gathered around Do not use him roughly, boys It contains our darling Jack He went away as you boys are This way he's coming back He broke his poor old mother's heart Her saying's all come true She said, this is the way that he'd come back When he joined the boys in blue