The Code of the Salt Grass Trail by Russell Cushman

1)A young cowboy roamed one night,
Sick from cigars an’ hot beer.
On his knees, in the moonlight,
Far enough where no one could hear.
His face in a misty creek, where
Three ghost riders made his arrest.
“Our name’s August T. Marks, an’ Nahtchez,
an’ Stephen Austin, the Father of Texas; So draw near!”

They gathered ‘round him, posse like,
As he trembled in disbelief.
“Mister, what ya’ want with me?” he cried,
The old cowman looked to the Chief.
“For a thousand-thousand moons,” he sighed,
“we had harmony with the Earth,”
Then Austin pointed at him and said;
“We come to judge what YOU’RE worth.”

Chorus: “We made a code, what we thought best
An oath that could not fail.
To love and preserve the West,
Right here on this Salt Grass Trail.”
“Always respect the womenfolk,”
“And your word you always keep,”
“And NEVER call a cowboy ‘mister’,”
“And never forget us three.”
Never forget us three…

2)The greenhorn, on his knees,
Was shamed to the very core,
“Stand up Texan!” They cried at once,
“We’ve got to tell you more!”
August T. whipped up his rope,
Their victim cringed from a pang.
“This wanna-be cowboy shore gripes me,
But he’s not even fit to hang!”

“What’s that shiny can you tossed?
An’ this sticker-wire ever’ which-way?
You people got no reverence,
For what God has made to stay.”
“Concrete roads an’ poles an’ lines,
Laced with reckless signs of trash,
Now you lay here, cryin’ in your beer,
Let’s make some greenhorn hash!”

Chorus: “We have a code, made for the best,
An oath that could not fail.
To love and preserve the West,
Right here on this Salt Grass Trail.”
“Never make a mess of the land,”
“Never fell a handsome tree,”
“Always feed a hungry man,”
“And never forget us three.”
Never forget us three…

3)By now the trailrider was gettin’ brave,
“Ya’ll can’t blame me for ever’ fence!
See ya’ll in court, If you ask me,
Ya’ll need anger manage ment.”
Chief Nahtchez raised his tomahawk,
An’ lightning licked from his eyes,
A noose whipped round the idiot’s neck,
As all four began to rise.

“Wait, wait,” drug store cowboy begged,
“What do I have to do?”
August T. raised his hand,
“First, quit actin’ the fool!”
“I’m August Texas Marks, I blazed this trail,
An’ Chief Nahtchez before me,”
“And I used it many times” said Father Texas,
“On my way down to the sea.”

Chorus: “We made this code, for the best,
An oath that could not fail.
To love and preserve the West,
Here on this Salt Grass Trail.”
“Share your camp with strangers,”
“No excuse for bein’ mean,”
“Care for your neighbor’s strays,”
“And never forget us three.”
Never forget us three…

4)Finally, as the sun woke up,
Numb-nut began to see,
He’d better start to talk their talk, or
He’d be hangin’ from a tree.
“I’m mighty honored to meet you boys…
Though I’m feelin’ kind of frail,
I’ll try an’ member you, and the
code of “assault grass trail!”

“Then pick up that beer can!”
Said Old Man Marks,“an’
Start lookin’ around!”
“We gave our lives,” preached Austin,
“You stand on hallowed ground.”
They explained as they began to fade,
“You’re not here for some cosmic test,
It’s up to your generation to Preserve the West!”

Chorus: “There is a sacred code, made by our best,
An oath that could not fail.
To love and preserve the West,
Right here on the Salt Grass Trail.”
“Never make a mess of the land,”
“Never fell a handsome tree,”
“Always feed a hungry man,”
“And never forget us three.”

5)“The code of the ol’ cow country,
An oath that cannot fail.
Never forget who went before,
Who rode the Salt Grass Trail!”

The Code of the Salt Grass Trail….
The Code of the Salt Grass Trail…
Never forget who went before,
and who rode the Salt Grass Trail!”

“Never make a mess of the land,”
“Never fell a handsome tree,”
“Always feed a hungry man,”
“And never forget us three…”