Mr. O'Malley states that this poem describing the death of Charlie Rutledge was sung by himself and his friends to the old tune "The Lakes of Pontchartrain". The verses, signed with the initials D. J. W., appeared in the Stock Growers' Journal on July 11, 1891.
Another good cowpuncher
Has gone to meet his fate;
We hope he'll find a resting place
Inside the golden gate.
A good man's place is vacant
At the ranch of the X I T,
And 'twill be hard to find one who
Was liked as well as he.
First Kid White of the Flying E,
Then Preller, young and brave,
Now Charlie Rutledge makes the third
That has been sent to his grave
By a cow-horse falling on him
Whilst running after stock
This Spring, while on the roundup,
Where death a man does mock.
How blithely he went forth that morn
On the circle through the hills,
Happy, gay and full of life
And free from earthly ills;
And when they came to clean the bunch,
To work it he was sent,
Not thinking that his time on earth
Was very nearly spent.
But one X I T would not go
And turned back in the herd,
So Charlie shoved him out again,
His cutting horse he spurred;
Another started to come back,
To head him off he tried,
The creature fell, the horse was thrown,
And 'neath him Charlie died.
'Twas a sad death for man to meet
Out on that lonely lea;
His relatives in Texas live,
No more his face they'll see;
But we hope the Father greets him
With a smile upon his face,
And seats him by his right hand
Near the shining throne of grace