George Arrington: made for the star

George Arrington was Alabama born,

beginning his days in Greensboro

in eighteen-forty an' four.

He grew up hard, with no fear of work,

then off he went as duty called

ta' that bloody Civil War.

In Mosby's Raiders he wore the grey,

an' as a Johnny Reb

his skills continually grew.

So much so, in fact,

he chose ta' fight on

even after the war was thru.

With other greycoats

he headed south,

Mexico was still in a war.

But he signed on the side

of Emperor Maximillian,

with the outcome the same as before.

After two losses he gave it a rest,

though he soon learned

he missed the thrill of the chase.

He crossed the border ta' Texas

an' pinned on a star,

as a ranger he set a blistering pace.

He rose up thru the ranks

like a bat outta' hell,

as Captain he soon took the lead.

The entire Panhandle

was his to control,

with twenty men, guns, an' their steeds.

Whether injuns' on the warpath,

or outlaws on the run,

he'd saddle-up an' hunt them down.

An' he'd clamp on the irons,

an' bring 'um all back,

or leave them dead on the ground.

It could take a month,

perhaps even more,

ta' make a full curcuit round his domain.

Yet he an' his men

could easily track down

two score in that little time frame.

He racked up the numbers,

arrests an' convictions,

that set him apart from most all.

He took ta' the life,

an' earned the respect

from those on both sides of the law.

Even after promotions,

an' takin' the lead,

he'd never sit idle an' wait.

He'd go with his men,

or go it alone,

ta' take out the bandits before it's too late.

He did it fer' duty,

fer' honor an' pride,

dealin' justice was not just fer' show.

Even when tired

he never gave up,

he'd track them wherever they'd go.

One time a rich rustler

ran up ta' New England,

thinkin' the law would turn back.

But Arrington caught him,

an' even took care

ta' outwit the lawyer's attack.

After a decade

of huntin' down villains

he decided ta' ranger no more.

But he still wore a star

down in Wheeler County

protectin' the law as before.

This would last fer' eight years,

as he built up his spread,

then retired ta' the Rocking Chair Ranch.

But in just a few years

he was back with the law;

same star, same county, same branch.

They needed him once,

they needed him then,

but time eventually does change.

Soon came the day

the star went away,

an' he lived out his days on the range.