"Stagecoach" Mary Fields

Many a brave woman they say
in the old wild west
helped paved the way.
Mary Fields was among the best.

She was born a slave
down in Tennessee,
moved west with the wave
when she was set free.

Six feet tall and strong,
fast with a six gun
she moved the mail along
passing bandits on the run.

From the town of Cascade,
she drove the coach,
thunder the horses made
telling of Mary's approach.

When snow closed trails,
and skies got colder
Mary carried the mail
upon her wide shoulders.

She manned the reins
until she was 70,
no groaning of aches and pains,
just happy to be free.

Mary did others' laundry a lot
when it was time to retire.
She had a garden plot,
seeming never to tire.

She brought the home team flowers.
An avid Cascade baseball fan
she would watch for hours,
encouraging each and every man.

Stagecoach Mary died at 83
and was solemnly laid to rest
beside a trail in a valley lea,
having helped tame the wild west.

http://www.abacom.com/~jkrause/fields.html
http://www.cascademontana.com/mary.htm