Just the Way It Was

‘Twas way back in them days when the ranch owner’s ways was just about the only law there was around Rancher’s money was king and gun violence reigned till marshal Ben Miller made his way into town Well that town was real rough till Ben said ‘twas enough that’s when he used his guns to bring law to the street But there's always that one thinks he's fast with his gun would soon find himself face down covered with a sheet For the next twenty years Ben had kept the streets clear of any no-gooders that might drift into town Then folks started to say Ben was showing some gray maybe his old age had started to slow him down The councilmen all met said it is with regret that we tell you it's time for you to settle down They baked him a nice cake a few speeches they'd make and introduced him to the new marshal in town Town folk gathered and cheered told him how twenty years was a long time to stay on this side of the grave Ben took a look around rode his horse outta town with his new gold watch and the few dollars he'd saved That is often the way a cowboy's life got played long ago when the country was still just a pup When a trusted hired hand gave his life for the brand honest and loyal was the way he was raised up If you think this is sad or Ben's life turned out bad well then this might be a little good news for you Was the very next week Men lay dead in the street they had robbed the bank and stole the mayor's horse too When they tried to get Ben to come marshal again sure don't take no book smarts to know how he replied Well, he asked widow Jones if she'd like to go along and off to the wide open Montana they'd ride Was a day in March when Jasmine married old Ben Though they had only been courtin' about a year Said they was gonna go where the tall grasses grow gonna try their hand raisin a few cows and steers Well they made it alright through frozen winter nights mostly cause they hadn't built up much of a herd When the next spring turned mild it brought both calves and child after that first year their ranchin' blood had been stirred It’s been thirty years since granpap left Defiance now I stop alongside his grave near' every day I watch over his spread more than five thousand head as they grow fat right here on the Rockin’ Bar J