(rrowt THE " sPECTATOR.")
{Stanzas written in dejection near Paddington, in November, 1899, by 9 Guckney Volunteer; but see now Lord Roberts' despatch from Germiston, May 30th, 9.5 p.m.: ©The City Imperial Volunteers led on the other tank, and would not be denied.
With the big brass band a-bray and the shrill little fifes and the dru And bugles that blare through the muggy air, the 60th Middlesex comes 'The stroot: boys crowd on by the kerbstone, the servant girls run to the doors, And the men are smoking, and talking, and chafing at ease in the loosened fours 'The lights from the castees' barrows flare full on the passing ranks, And the costers stop bawling their greonstuff to hail their pals on the flanks Over the greasy macadam, through the Saturday night's full throne, On "gutter drill," down the Hartow Road, the Regiment swings along.
As far as the Harrow Road is from South Africa over the sea, The Regiment is—and we know it—from what the Regiment ought to be Exch man should be hard as nails, and as fresh and smart as a rose, Knowing his rifle from muzzle to butt-plate—to a hair how she jumps or throws Handy to move, and steady to stand, and quick and cool to rush, Rendy to march empty-bellied all day, and lie out all night in slush To dig latrines for the camp at the base, to fight at the front and fall, Or be chucked away, alone in the dark, by mistake, for nothing at all.
We're not quite all that just yet, but we'd have you understand n't all putting uniforms ing after a band There's a deal more solid stuff our ranks than you outsiders know We each know our places, and t'other men's faces, and what they are good for also; We can march and drill and handle our arms; and when the fun likes to begin, We shall turn out together and stand by each other for the bugle to blow Fall And though we'll be new to eunprigning—which is far from the same thin; When our turn comes to fend for ourselves in the open, we'll tackle the job with
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.