Читать книгу Writ in Barracks - Wallace Edgar - Страница 9

A spell I 'ad to wait

Outside the barrick gate,

For Ginger James was passin' out as I was passin' in;

'E was only a recruit,

But I give 'im the salute,

For I'll never git another chance of givin' it agin!

'E'd little brains, I'll swear,

Beneath 'is ginger 'air,

'Is personal attractions, well, they wasn't very large;

'E was fust in ev'ry mill,

An' a foul-mouthed brute, but still

We'll forgive 'im all 'is drawbacks – 'e 'as taken 'is discharge.

'E once got fourteen days,

For drunken, idle ways,

An' the Colonel said the nasty things that colonels sometimes say;

'E called him to 'is face

The regiment's disgrace —

But the Colonel took 'is 'at off when 'e passed 'im by to-day.

For days 'e used to dwell

Inside a guard-room cell,

Where they put the darbies on 'im for a 'owlin' savage brute;

But as by the guard 'e went

They gave 'im the present,

The little bugler sounded off the 'General Salute.'

The band turned out to play

Poor Ginger James away;

'Is Captain an' 'is Company came down to see 'im off;

An' thirteen file an' rank,

With three rounds each of blank;