A Letter From Home

(album: Sings The Ballads Of The True West - 1965)

A cowpoke rode in one hot dusty day to a store down in old San Antone
He stood at the window and I heard him say do I have a letter from home
The postmaster looked through the mail that had come
Then smilingly shook his grey head
The cowboke looked sadly a moment at him and these are the words that he said

No letter from home no letter from home there's never a letter from home
(No message from mother and none from the other) there's never a letter from home

That night he was shot on the wrong side of town no more of those plains will he roam
I reached for my Bible and gave it to him and said son here's your letter from home
If only I had just a little more time to read it the young cowpoke said
I can't take it with me and I must go on then he died with his letter unread

The letter from home the letter from home no time for the letter from home
(The cowboy laid dead with his letter unread) too late for the letter from home