PAT AT GLENCOE.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 16, 2 July 1920, Page 1

PAT AT GLENCOE.

(20th October, 1899). Seven rampageous hours, and still They clung like bees to the blacken'd •hilL Singing and stinging the bullets came, And mist was torn by spirits of flame. We watch'd them scuttle and duck and dive As we utter'd our maxims here and there ; But back they would swarm to the hive, alive, And their sulky guns would croak and afire. Citizens ?; — Oh, we may argue about it; Soldiers? — We go where we're order'd to go ; Yes, and, if anyone ventures to doubt it, Troth, he may take the next at Glencoe. At last our cannon below the town Had argued Paul's old ranters down, Our hearts kick'd out and our tongues were dumb; W e knew our taste of the luck had come. rKing's Own Rifles and Fusiliers, You will advance and storm the hillj" 'Twas the fiddles of Heav'n to our thirsty ears, And we roar'd our answer, 'Taith, we will!" Citizens? — UU, we may argue about it; Soldiers? — • We go where we're order'd to go; Yes, and, if anyone ventures to doubt it, Troth, he may take the next turn at Glencoe. 'Twas hail on the dropping forest then, But the hail was death, and the leaves were men. A jerk of the arms and a face turn'd white, And the boy at your side was out of sight. 'Twas climbing the devil's naked stairs, Twas drinking hell from a loving cup ! Then all in a moment 'twas bounds and hares — — The Boers were down and the Jack was up. Citizens? — Oh, we may argue about it; Soldiers? — We go where we're order'd to go; Yes, and, if anyone ventures to donbt it, Troth, he may take the next turn at Glencoe. Frederick Langbridge, "Ballads and Legends.