| I was sittin in The Thirsty Devil, one sheet hung to the wind,
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| when the bat wings doors creaked open, and a stranger sauntered in
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| he moved his head from side to side and glared with a sunken eye,
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| I heard the spin of a rusty spur as he shook off the dreary night
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| he lowered his hat, checked his gun and headed toward the bar,
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| walked on up beside me, I knew he’d traveled far,
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| in a voice as thick as mud he looked to the 'keep and said,
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| «One shot of whiskey for myself, and one for my new friend!»
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| The patrons whispered hushed and low, they seemed to be afraid,
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| as if a ghost had stood right up, and walked out of its grave.
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| His face was shallow and dirty, his skin like leather hide.
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| Sure he spoke like any man, but something wasn’t right
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| So I twisted on my stool, turned to him and said:
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| «Thank you sir, but just the same, I’m chasin' worms instead.»
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| he growled and shoved the drink my way, his eyes cold as death
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| «I pick the drinks, you knock 'em back! |
| Else draw against my hand!»
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| when it’s six to midnight and the boney hand of death is nigh
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| you better drink your drink and shut your mouth!
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| if you draw against his hand, you can never win,
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| go ahead, drink with the living dead!
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| 'Who the hell do you think you are?' |
| my patience growin thin.
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| But swallow hard, I had to do, when the story he began.
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| His lips curled back and words came forth starting up the tale
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| and every face inside that bar turned a shade of pale.
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| «My name is Stanton Cree! |
| And I died 3 years before!
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| I shot a man to steal his drink, at least that’s what they hung me for.
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| Now I’m cursed to walk the earth and challenge every night.
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| A man to match me drink for drink, or by the bullet die!»
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| When it’s six to midnight, and the boney hand of death is nigh,
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| you better drink your drink, and shut your mouth!
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| if you draw against his hand, you can never win,
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| go ahead, drink with the living dead!
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| «Now wait a minute, mister, no one makes me a fool!»
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| I pushed the shot of whiskey back on over towards the ghoul.
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| «I love a drink like any man but that’s a losing game
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| to drink or draw against the dead would only be insane.»
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| Stanton Cree tipped his hat and laughed a wicked laugh!
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| «You see, the Lord cursed my soul for killing that poor man!
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| There ain’t no choice so you must try to match me shot for shot!
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| If you win, then you’ll go free, and I can finally rot!»
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| When it’s six to midnight, and the boney hand of death is nigh,
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| you better drink your drink, and shut your mouth!
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| If you draw against his hand, you can never win,
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| go ahead, drink with the living dead!
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| The barhop nodded slowly and I knew that I was screwed.
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| If I chose to duel the dead then I would surely lose,
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| so I took the glass and threw the shot into my throat.
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| I would match him drink for drink, no matter if I choked.
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| Whiskey! |
| Tequila! |
| Vodka, rum and gin!
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| Ain’t no man that I can’t beat, be him live or dead!
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| So into the morning, I matched him ounce for ounce!
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| Til Stanton Cree fell over, and a winner was announced!
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| When it’s six to midnight, and the boney hand of death is nigh,
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| you better drink your drink, and shut your mouth!
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| If you draw against his hand, you can never win,
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| go ahead, drink with the living dead!
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| Now he rests in his pine box, and I still walk the streets.
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| But I don’t forget the night when death had chosen me.
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| There ain’t no fancy moral to go with this I fear,
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| Unless you aim to kill a man and drink down his last beer!
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| When it’s six to midnight, and the boney hand of death is nigh,
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| you better drink your drink, and shut your mouth!
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| If you draw against his hand, you can never win,
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| go ahead, drink with the living dead! |