Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-10-09
WALK, On YOU, WALK


To where the mines their treasure
hide
The road is long and many miles
The golden stores and town divide.
Along this road one summers day
There toiled tired man.
Begrimed with dust, the weary way
He cursed as only some folks can.
The stranger hailed passing team
That slowly dragged its load along
His hail reused up the teamster old
And checked mis- merry song.
"Say-y. stranger. Wall, whoa,
Kin | walk behind your load
A spell in this ere road?'
Wall, no, you can't walk but git
Up on this seat and ride. Git up here"
Nope, that ain't what | want
Fur it's in your dust that'like smudge
want to trudge.
For | desarve it,"
wall. pard | amt no hog. and |
don't own
This road. afore nor hind,
SO just git right in the dust an walk,
If that's the way you're 'clined!
Gee up-ger lang" the driver said.
'fhe creaking wagon moves again.
While close behind the stranger
trudged.
And clouds of dust rose up again.
The teamster heard the stranger talk
As il two trudged behind his van:
Yet. looking round. could spy
single, lonely man.
Yet heard the teamster words like
Come from the dust, as from a cloud.
For the weary traveller spoke his
mind
His thoughts he uttered out aloud.
And this the burden of his talk;
Walk, now, you --. walk!
Not the way you went to Denver!
Walk, d-n you, just walk
Went up to the mines that made your
stake,
Nun TO take yer back to ther state
Whar yer were born;
Whar in h-'s yer coin?
Wall walk. you -- -, walk,
Dust in yer eyes. dust in yer nose,
Dust down yer throat and thick on yer
clothes:
Can't hardly talk? know it. but
walk. d-n you, walk!
What did yer do with all yer tin?
Vas. blew every bit of II in!
Got drunk, got sober-got drunk
again.
Wall, walk, d-n you, just walk!
do?
why. when you were thar yer gold
Just flew.
iou thought it fine to keep openin
Now. then, walk. d-n you. walk.
stop to drink? What-water?
Why. thar water with you warn't any.
whar,
Twas wine, extra dry-oh. you flew
high
Now, then, walk. d--n you, walk!
"Cholles yer-this dust? Wall that
amt the wust;
are.
No pick. no shovel, no pan,
Wall yer healthy man,
SO walk. d-n you, just walk
The fools don't all go to Denver town.
Nor do they all from the mines come
down.
Most all of us have, in our day,
In some sort OF shape, some kind OF
way,
Painted the town with the old stun
Dipped in stocks or made some blum
Mixed wine. old and new,
Got caught in wedlock by a shrew,
Stayed out all night-tight-
Rolled home in the mornings light.
with crumpled tie and torn claw.
hammer.
N woke up next day with a katzen
iammer,
And walked-oh, d-n it, how we
walked,
No. don't try to yank every bun;
Don't Try 10 copper all the fun;
Don't think you know 1t all.
Don't think that real estate won't fall;
Don't try to blum on an ace;
Don't get stuck on pretty face;
Don't believe every jays smooth talk.
For II you do, you can bet you'll
Walk, d-n you, walk.
p. S.-This legend is based upon an
actual occurrence. The hero struck it
rich in Leadville in the fall Of 1880.
and descended on Denver in a cloud
OF glory" and freshly minted coin. He
advertised the great carbonate" to
the end of his string. A good.heartei
"breaky" helped him home as far as
Buena Vista. But on the crowded
wagon road between Buena Vista and
Leadville. the like of which Is seldom
seen anywhere. the title of the poem
was evolved. Other camps, from
Alaska to Mexico. have attempted to
purloin the legend. but as 1t originally
appeared in the News we can >vouch
for Leadville's claim.