<p class="tit-song">SWEET BETSY FROM PIKE <span class="pagenum"><SPAN id="page258" name="page258"></SPAN>(p. 258)</span><br/>
<span class="add2em">"A California Immigrant Song of the Fifties"</span></p>
<p>Oh, don't you remember sweet Betsy from Pike<br/>
Who crossed the big mountains with her lover Ike,<br/>
And two yoke of cattle, a large yellow dog,<br/>
A tall, shanghai rooster, and one spotted hog?<br/>
<span class="add3em">Saying, good-bye, Pike County,</span><br/>
<span class="add3em">Farewell for a while;</span><br/>
<span class="add3em">We'll come back again</span><br/>
<span class="add3em">When we've panned out our pile.</span></p>
<p>One evening quite early they camped on the Platte,<br/>
'Twas near by the road on a green shady flat;<br/>
Where Betsy, quite tired, lay down to repose,<br/>
While with wonder Ike gazed on his Pike County rose.</p>
<p>They soon reached the desert, where Betsy gave out,<br/>
And down in the sand she lay rolling about;<br/>
While Ike in great terror looked on in surprise,<br/>
Saying "Betsy, get up, you'll get sand in your eyes."<br/>
<span class="add3em">Saying, good-bye, Pike County,</span><br/>
<span class="add3em">Farewell for a while;</span><br/>
<span class="add3em">I'd go back to-night</span><br/>
<span class="add3em">If it was but a mile.</span></p>
<p>Sweet <span class="pagenum"><SPAN id="page259" name="page259"></SPAN>(p. 259)</span> Betsy got up in a great deal of pain<br/>
And declared she'd go back to Pike County again;<br/>
Then Ike heaved a sigh and they fondly embraced,<br/>
And she traveled along with his arm around her waist.</p>
<p>The wagon tipped over with a terrible crash,<br/>
And out on the prairie rolled all sorts of trash;<br/>
A few little baby clothes done up with care<br/>
Looked rather suspicious,—though 'twas all on the square.</p>
<p>The shanghai ran off and the cattle all died,<br/>
The last piece of bacon that morning was fried;<br/>
Poor Ike got discouraged, and Betsy got mad,<br/>
The dog wagged his tail and looked wonderfully sad.</p>
<p>One morning they climbed up a very high hill,<br/>
And with wonder looked down into old Placerville;<br/>
Ike shouted and said, as he cast his eyes down,<br/>
"Sweet Betsy, my darling, we've got to Hangtown."</p>
<p>Long Ike and sweet Betsy attended a dance,<br/>
Where Ike wore a pair of his Pike County pants;<br/>
Sweet Betsy was covered with ribbons and rings.<br/>
Quoth Ike, "You're an angel, but where are your wings?"</p>
<p>A miner <span class="pagenum"><SPAN id="page260" name="page260"></SPAN>(p. 260)</span> said, "Betsy, will you dance with me?"<br/>
"I will that, old hoss, if you don't make too free;<br/>
But don't dance me hard. Do you want to know why?<br/>
Dog on ye, I'm chock full of strong alkali."</p>
<p>Long Ike and sweet Betsy got married of course,<br/>
But Ike getting jealous obtained a divorce;<br/>
And Betsy, well satisfied, said with a shout,<br/>
"Good-bye, you big lummax, I'm glad you backed out."<br/>
<span class="add3em">Saying, good-bye, dear Isaac,</span><br/>
<span class="add3em">Farewell for a while,</span><br/>
<span class="add3em">But come back in time</span><br/>
<span class="add3em">To replenish my pile.</span></p>
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