Hi Nancy, still on the mend & doing fine, thanks for asking. hope all's well with you & yours. How much would prattle be worth in comparison to cattle to a cowboy on the range? Skip sings 8 verses of this. The CD is called 'Lonesome Prairie Love' out on Rounder. I've found Skip's research in cowboy songs to be pretty much right on & would tend to give him the benfit of the doubt, thought possiive, I also Jimmy wouldn't've minded it stands to reason in MHO that it works better than prattle & for sure much better tha paddle. Could it be tis song is headed for the traditional folk song file? It would be a 1st for Jimmy. Skip Gorman has it this way, maybe a mistype in Jimmy's book?

2nd verse

"I sprang from my saddle & walked up beside her

Said Where can we get some corn whiskey & cider

We walked down the sreet to a place called the Spider

Where she turned my heart into flame"


5th verse

"I gave her my gold, & I gave her my cattle

We both made a vow as we sat in my saddle

And I rode away the wild outlaw to battle

And left her in old Arkansas."


Barry