One cold winter's night not a star was in sight   Then the North wind came howling down the line   With his sweetheart so dear stood a brave engineer   With his orders to pull old Number Nine.      She kissed him goodbye with a tear in her eye   And the joy in his heart he could not hide   For the whole world was bright as she told him that night   That tomorrow she'd be his blushing bride.      Oh the wheels hummed a song as the train rolled along   And the black smoke came pouring from the stack   And the headlight a-gleam seemed to brighten his dream   Of tomorrow when he'd be goin' back.      He sped 'round the hill and his brave heart stood still   A headlight was shining in his face   As he whispered a prayer as he threw on the air   For he knew this would be his final race.      In the wreck he was found lying there on the ground   And he asked them to raise his weary head   As his breath slowly went, this message he sent   To the maiden he knew he could not wed      "There's a little white home that I bought for our own   Where I dreamed we'd be happy, bye and bye   But I'll leave it to you for I know you'll be true   Til we meet at those Golden Gates, goodbye."