Transcribed from the sheet music at the Levy Collection:

DAN PEYTON'S RIDE
(Allen Norton Leete, 1889)

At the warning of danger, Peyton on his horse encounter'd the torrent, once a tiny rill,.
Through water and mire he tore along the street shouting, "Run for your lives to the hill.
Run for your lives. Make haste while you may. The torrents from the dam on us fall."
But they laughed him to scorn, or else thought him mad. Not a score gave heed to his call.

CHORUS:
The horse and his rider doing mercy's work, saving human lives if they died,
But the flood overtook and o'erwhelm'd them on the bridge. They perished like heroes side by side.

But his work was to save. He kept upon his way, undaunted and fearless, shouting with a will,
Through street after street, beseeching not to stay, but to run for their lives to the hill.
"Run for your lives. Make haste while you may. The torrents from the dam on us fall."
But they laughed him to scorn, or else thought him mad. Not a score gave heed to his call. CHO.

But the deluge swept down. A wall of water came, relentless murd'rous, bent to drown and kill;
And Peyton with venom hunting as for prey, it decreed he should never reach the hill.
"Run for your lives," he ceased not to shout, the deluge coming swift as a gale.
'Mid the mist and foam, his heart continued stout in the shadow of death in the vale. CHO.

Up a bank's slipp'ry sides his snorting steed essayed to obtain a foothold, but alas in vain.
The deluge o'ertook them. Side by side they laid, immortal heroes 'mid the slain.
"Run for your lives!" the echo rang as the dead swept by on the flood.
And the theme pierced aloft while the angels sang of salvation through anguish and blood. CHO.^^