Jerry Brotherton | + Follow Poet |
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Just the Way It Was

‘Twas way back in them days 
when the ranch owner’s ways
was just about the only law there was around

Rancher’s money was king
and gun violence reigned
till marshal Ben Miller made his way into town

Well that town was real rough
till Ben said ‘twas enough
that’s when he used his guns to bring law to the street

But there's always that one 
thinks he's fast with his gun
would soon find himself face down covered with a sheet 

For the next twenty years 
Ben had kept the streets clear
of any no-gooders that might drift into town

Then folks started to say 
Ben was showing some gray
maybe his old age had started to slow him down

The councilmen all met
said it is with regret
that we tell you it's time for you to settle down

They baked him a nice cake
a few speeches they'd make
and introduced him to the new marshal in town
 
Town folk gathered and cheered 
told him how twenty years
was a long time to stay on this side of the grave

Ben took a look around 
rode his horse outta town
with his new gold watch and the few dollars he'd saved

That is often the way 
a cowboy's life got played
long ago when the country was still just a pup

When a trusted hired hand 
gave his life for the brand
honest and loyal was the way he was raised up

If you think this is sad 
or Ben's life turned out bad
well then this might be a little good news for you

Was the very next week 
Men lay dead in the street
they had robbed the bank and stole the mayor's horse too

When they tried to get Ben 
to come marshal again
sure don't take no book smarts to know how he replied

Well, he asked widow Jones 
if she'd like to go along
and off to the wide open Montana they'd ride
 
Was a day in March when 
Jasmine married old Ben
Though they had only been courtin' about a year

Said they was gonna go 
where the tall grasses grow
gonna try their hand raisin a few cows and steers

Well they made it alright 
through frozen winter nights
mostly cause they hadn't built up much of a herd

When the next spring turned mild 
it brought both calves and child
after that first year their ranchin' blood had been stirred

It’s been thirty years since 
granpap left Defiance
now I stop alongside his grave near' every day

I watch over his spread 
more than five thousand head
as they grow fat right here on the Rockin’ Bar J

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