nd Fret Intro: ~ ~ ~ ~ Well, I'll tell you 'bout a gambler, folks, Jim Weaver was his name ~ And I don't know where he came from, but gambling was his trade Ride in here close beside me, I'll tell you about a game The damnedest game in all my years I ever did see played ~ Some said they'd seen him play before down on the Barbary Coast ~ He said that might be true enough, 'cause he'd gambled all around And he lost his stake to a jack high straight out at Sutter's Fort But he'd saved a little poke in case of a game within our town Chorus: ~ And a lady loves a gambler, running loose, running free ~ I felt a tremble deep inside when I turned around to see He was looking hard at me ~ Now the game was set in daddy's tent, an honest man, you know ~ And all the boys in town were set to take Jim Weaver's gold 'Cause digging gold is hard work and panning is too slow And I saw Jim Weaver smiling at some little private joke ~ Well, by midnight he had all the gold that the boys in town had saved ~ They never caught him cheating, though they watched him all the while And he never lost a single hand at any game he played He never lost a dollar, boys, and he never lost his smile Chorus: ~ And a lady loves a gambler, smiling free, smiling wide ~ I knew I wouldn't rest 'til I was smiling by his side Smiling as we'd ride ~ Soon all the boys were busted flat, but they wanted still to play ~ So they asked Jim Weaver what was left to gamble in the game He said he'd cut high cards one time and if he lost he'd pay But if he won they had to swear to give the town his name ~ And he told my daddy he would bet ten dollars on the side ~ And I could be my daddy's stake, if I would so agree And I rode out of Weaverville next morning as his bride And I left the town that bears the name of the gambling man and me Chorus: ~ And a lady loves a gambler if he cheats all the same ~ And no one saw me slip to him the ace that won the game And gave the town our name