Jim Blake's Message

Jim Blake your wife is dying
Went over the wires tonight
The message was brought to the depot
By a lad all trembling with fright

He entered the office crying
His face was terribly white
Send this message to dad and his engine
Mother is dying tonight

In something less than an hour
Jim's message back to me flew
Tell wife I'll be there at midnight
I'm praying for her too

I left my son in the office
Took the message to Jim's wife
There I found the dying woman
Was scarce of breath and life

O'er hill and dale and valley
Thunders the heavy train
His engine is sobbing and throbbing
And under a terrible strain

But Jim hangs onto his throttle
Guiding her crazy flight
And his voice cries out in the darkness
God speed the express tonight

I telephoned the doctor
How is Jim's wife I asked
About the hour of midnight
Is long as she can last

In something less than an hour
The train will be along
But here I have a message
Oh god there is something wrong

The message reads disaster
The train is in the ditch
The engineer is dying
Derailed by an open switch

And there is another message
To Jim's wife it is addressed
I'll meet you at midnight in heaven
Wait for the fast express