Historical Folk Lyrics
"The Wells And Fargo Line"

Come listen to my story, I'll not detain you long,
A-singing and a-humming this simple silly song.
'Tis of the old ex-convicts, the men who served their time
For robbing mountain stages on the Wells and Fargo line.

There was Major Thompson turned up the other day,
He said that he would hold them up or hell would be to pay,
For he could hold a rifle and draw a bead so fine
Upon those shotgun messengers of the Wells and Fargo line.

And there was Jimmy Miner who thought he was a thief
But he did surely prove himself to be a dirty sneak;
And now behind San Quentin's walls he's serving out his time
For giving tips to Old Jim Hughes on the Wells and Fargo line.

And there was still another who well did play his part,
He's known among the mountains as the highwayman,
Black Bart. He'd ride those mountain jerkies, to him it was but pleasure,
He'd ride the trail both night and day for the Wells and Fargo treasure.

And now my story's ended, I've not detained you long,
A-singing and a-humming this simple silly song.
And though the nights are long, boys, and weary grows the time,
But when we are out we'll ride again the Wells and Fargo line.