The following was written by Del Jones' grandfather, Charles F. Thomas, Jr., who owned a coal mine in Colorado and supervised tunnel work on the Aqueduct And Hoover and Coulee dams.
Here's a tale for the sons of old Erin,
Who have made the world brighter by far,
With the bits of their wit an' their darin'
Than it could be from moonlight an' star.
'Twas a brave broth o' man with the riggin'
Of a lineman with irons an' straps,
By a bit of a hole he was diggin'
With a groundman's mucksticks an' his traps.
With a quirk of a smile said old “Top Deck,”
As he turned with a query to Jack,
“I'll wager two bucks from my paycheck
I've a nut here that you cannot crack! “
“You've traveled the world! Learned the lineman's game!
And you've clambered up many a pole;
But here is the bet! That you cannot name
The easy foot to dig of a hole! “
Just a split second Jack scratched at his pate,
Then he grinned with an Irishman's might.
“Be Jabers! I'm thinkin' ye're badly bate!
If ye've dug holes ye'll .know I'm dead right! “
“The top six inches av a hole is play
An' I stop when the diggin' gets tough;
Look down at the last six inches an' say
'Hell! Let 'er go! She's down dape enough!' “
