Weaverville (Jim Ringer/Mary McCaslin) I'll tell you 'bout a gambler, folks, Jim Weaver was his name I don't know where he came from; gambling was his trade Ride in here close beside me; I'll tell you 'bout a game Damndest game I ever did in all my years see played Some said they'd seen him play before, down on the Barbary Coast He said it might be true enough; he'd gambled all around Lost his stake to a Jack-high straight, down at Sutter's Post But he'd kept a little poke, in case of a game within our town And a lady loves a gambler, running loose, roaming free And I felt my heart beat faster when I turned around to see He was looking hard at me The game was held in Daddy's tent -- an honest man, you know And all the boys in town were set to take Jim Weaver's poke For digging gold is hard as Hell, and panning is too slow And I saw Jim Weaver smiling, small, at some little private joke By midnight he had all the gold the boys in town had saved And they never caught him cheating, though they watched him all the while And he never lost a single hand in any game he played And he never lost a dollar, and he never lost his smile And a lady loves a gambler, smiling free, smiling wide And I knew I'd never rest 'til I was smiling by his side Smiling as we ride When all the gold they'd got was gone, they wanted still to play So they asked Jim Weaver what was left to gamble in the game He said he'd cut high cards, one time, and if he lost, he'd pay But if he won, they had to swear to give the town his name And he told my Daddy he would bet ten dollars on the side And I could be my Daddy's stake, if I did so agree And I rode out of Weaverville next morning as his bride And left the town that bears the name of the gambling man -- and me For a lady loves a gambler; if he cheats it's just the same And no one saw me slip to him the ace that won the game And gave the town our name And gave the town our name copyright Jim Ringer, Mary McCaslin JN oct96
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!