Way out in Old Nevada, where the Clear Fork’s waters flow,
Where the cattle are “a-browzin’,” an’ the Spanish ponies grow;
Where the Northers “come a-whistlin’” from beyond the Neutral Strip;
And the prairie dogs are sneezin’, as if they had “The Grip”;
Where the cayotes come a-howlin’ ‘round the ranches after dark,
And the mocking-birds are singin’ to the lovely “medder lark”;
Where the antelope is grazin’ and the lonely plovers call—
It was there that I attended “The Cowboys’ Christmas Ball.”


The boys had left the ranches and come to town in piles;
The ladies—“kinder scatterin’”— had gathered in for miles.
The room was togged out gorgeous-with mistletoe and shawls,
And candles flickered frescoes, around the airy walls.
The “wimmin folks” looked lovely-the boys looked kinder treed,
Till their leader commenced yellin’: “Whoa! fellers, let’s stampede,”
And the music started sighin’, an’ awailin’ through the hall
As a kind of introduction to “The Cowboys’ Christmas Ball.”

The leader was a feller that came from Swenson’s ranch,
They called him “Windy Billy,” from “little Deadman’s Branch.”
His rig was “kinder keerless,” big spurs and high-heeled boots;
He had the reputation that comes when “fellers shoots.”
His voice was like a bugle upon the mountain’s height;
His feet were animated an’ a mighty, movin’ sight,
When he commenced to holler, “Neow, fellers stake your pen!
Lock horns ter all them heifers, an’ russle ‘em like men.
Saloot yer lovely critters; neow swing an’ let ‘em go,
Climb the grape vine ‘round ‘em—all hands do-ce-do!
You Mavericks, jine the round-up- Jest skip her waterfall,
Huh! hit wuz gettin’ happy, “The Cowboys’ Christmas Ball!”

Don’t tell me ‘bout cotillions, or germans. No sire ‘ee!
That whirl at Carson City just takes the cake with me.
I’m sick of lazy shufflin’s, of them I’ve had my fill,
Give me a frontier break-down, backed up by Windy Bill.
McAllister ain’t nowhar: when Windy leads the show,
I’ve seen ‘em both in harness, and so I sorter know—
Oh, Bill, I sha’n’t forget yer, and I’ll oftentimes recall,
That lively gaited sworray—“The Cowboys’ Christmas Ball.”