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The Cat Came Back    (1893)

Dar was ole Mister Johnson, he had troubles ob his own
He had an ole yaller cat that couldn't leave its home
He tried eb'ry thing he knew to keep de cat away
Eben sent it to de preacher, an' he tole it for to stay

But de cat came back, couldn't stay no longer
⁠Yes de cat came back de very next day
De cat came back - thought she were a goner
⁠But de cat came back, for it wouldn't stay away

De cat did hab some company one night out in de yard
Some one frowed a boot-jack, an' dey frowed it mighty hard
Caught de cat behind de ear, she thought it rather slight
When along dar comes a brick-bat an' in knocked it out ob sight

Away across de ocean dey did send de cat at last
Vessel only out a day and making water fast
People all begin to pray, de boat begin to toss
When a nodder vessel came along and took de people off

But de cat came back, couldn't stay no longer
⁠Yes de cat came back de very next day
De cat came back - thought she were a goner
⁠But de cat came back, for it wouldn't stay away

On a telegraph wire sparrows sitting in a bunch
Cat a feeling hungry, thought she'd like 'em for a lunch
Climbing softly up de pole, an' when she reached de top
Put her foot upon de 'lectric wire, which tied her in a knot

But de cat came back, couldn't stay no longer
⁠Yes de cat came back de very next day
De cat came back - thought she were a goner
⁠But de cat came back, for it wouldn't stay away

One time did gib de cat away to man in a balloon
An' tole him for to gib it to de man in de moon
But de b'loon it busted, sho, an' eb'rybody sed
It wer seben miles away or more dey picked de man up dead

But de cat came back, couldn't stay no longer
⁠Yes de cat came back de very next day
De cat came back - thought she were a goner
⁠But de cat came back, for it wouldn't stay away

De cat was a possessor ob a fam'ly ob its own
Wid seben little kittens til dar comes a cyclone
Blowed de houses all apart an tossed de cat around
While de air was full ob kittens not a one was eber found

But de cat came back, couldn't stay no longer
⁠Yes de cat came back de very next day
De cat came back - thought she were a goner
⁠But de cat came back, for it wouldn't stay away

De cat it were a terror and dey say it wer be best
To gib it to a nigger who was going out West
De train going 'round de curve struck a broken rail
Not a blessed soul aboard de train wer left to tell de tale

But de cat came back, couldn't stay no longer
⁠Yes de cat came back de very next day
De cat came back - thought she were a goner
⁠But de cat came back, for it wouldn't stay away

A man down on de corner swore to kill de cat at sight
Loaded up a musket full ob nails and dynamite
Waited in de garden for de cat to come around
Half-a-dozen little pieces ob de man was all dey found

But de cat came back, couldn't stay no longer
⁠Yes de cat came back de very next day
De cat came back - thought she were a goner
⁠But de cat came back, for it wouldn't stay away

Little boy took de cat away, he got a dollar note
Took it down to de ribber in a little open boat
Tied a brick around its neck an' stone about a pound
Now dey're grappling in de ribber for a little boy that's drowned

But de cat came back, couldn't stay no longer
⁠Yes de cat came back de very next day
De cat came back - thought she were a goner
⁠But de cat came back, for it wouldn't stay away

While de cat lay a-sleeping an' a resting one day
'Round came an organ grinder an' he began to play
De cat look'd around awhile an' kinder raised her head
When he played Ta-rah-dah-boom-da-rah, an' de cat dropped dead

But its ghost came back to tell you about it
⁠Yes, its ghost came back, between you and I
Its ghost came back, may be you will doubt it
⁠But its ghost came back just to bid 'em all goodbye

Lyrics by Harry S. Miller.
Recorded by Charles Marsh; Fiddlin' John Carson; many others.

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