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Oh don't you remember sweet Betsy from Pike, |
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Who crossed the wide prairie with her lover Ike, |
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With two yoke of oxen, a big yellow dog, |
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A tall Shangai rooster, and one spotted hog? |
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Singing dang fol dee dido, |
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Singing dang fol dee day. |
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One evening quite early they camped on the Platte. |
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'Twas near by the road on a green shady flat. |
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Where Betsy, sore-footed, lay down to repose -- |
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With wonder Ike gazed on that Pike County rose. |
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The Shanghai ran off, and their cattle all died; |
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That morning the last piece of bacon was fried; |
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Poor Ike was discouraged and Betsy got mad, |
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The dog drooped his tail and looked wondrously sad. |
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They stopped at Salt Lake to inquire of the way, |
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Where Brigham declared that sweet Betsy should stay; |
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But Betsy got frightened and ran like a deer |
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While Brigham stood pawing the ground like a steer. |
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They soon reached the desert where Betsy gave out, |
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And down in the sand she lay rolling about; |
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While Ike, half distracted, looked on with surprise, |
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Saying, "Betsy, get up, you'll get sand in your eyes." |
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Sweet Betsy got up in a great deal of pain, |
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Declared she'd go back to Pike County again; |
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But Ike gave a sigh and they fondly embraced, |
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And they traveled along with his arm round her waist. |
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The Injuns came down in a wild yelling horde, |
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And Betsy was scared they would scalp her adored; |
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Behind the front wagon wheel Betsy did crawl, |
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And there fought the Injuns with musket and ball. |
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They suddenly stopped on a very high hill, |
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With wonder looked down upon old Placerville; |
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Ike sighed when he said, and he cast his eyes down, |
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"Sweet Betsy, my darling, we've got to Hangtown." |
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Long Ike and Sweet Betsy attended a dance; |
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Ike wore a pair of his Pike County pants; |
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Sweet Betsy was dressed up in ribbons and rings; |
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Says Ike, "You're an angel, but where are your wings?" |
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'Twas out on the prairie one bright starry night, |
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They broke out the whiskey and Betsy got tight, |
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She sang and she howled and she danced o'er the plain, |
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And showed her bare legs to the whole wagon train. |
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The terrible desert was burning and bare, |
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And Isaac he shrank from the death lurkin' there, |
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"Dear old Pike County, I'll come back to you." |
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Says Betsy, "You'll go by yourself if you do." |
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They swam wild rivers and climbed the tall peaks, |
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And camped on the prairies for weeks upon weeks, |
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Starvation and cholera, hard work and slaughter, |
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They reached Californy, spite of hell and high water. |
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A miner said, "Betsy, will you dance with me?" |
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"I will, you old hoss, if you don't make too free. |
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But don't dance me hard, do you want to know why? |
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Doggone ye, I'm chock full of strong alkali." |
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Long Ike and Sweet Betsy got married, of course, |
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But Ike, getting jealous, obtained a divorce, |
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While Betsy, well satisfied, said with a shout, |
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"Goodbye, you big lummox, I'm glad you backed out!" |