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THE RETURN OF THE GUARDS

Wrath glided o'er the Hall of Heroes,
Anguish, and shame and scorn,

As clouds that drift, breathe darkness swift
O'er seas of shining corn.

Wrath glided o'er the Hall of Heroes,
And veil'd it like a pall,

Whilst all felt fear, lest they should hear
The Lion-banner fall.

And if unstained that ancient banner
Kept yet its place of pride,

Let none forget how vast the debt
We owe to those who died.

Let none forget THE OTHERS, marching
With steps we feel no more,

Whose bodies sleep, by that grim deep

Which shakes the Euxine shore.

Sir Francis H. Doyle.

THE PRIVATE OF THE BUFFS

1859 A.D.

Last night, among his fellow roughs,
He jested, quaffed, and swore ;
A drunken private of the Buffs,
Who never looked before.

To-day beneath the foeman's frown,
He stands in Elgin's place,
Ambassador from Britain's crown,
And type of all her race.

Poor, reckless, rude, low-born, untaught, Bewildered, and alone,

A heart, with English instinct fraught, He yet can call his own.

Ay, tear his body limb from limb,

Bring cord, or axe, or flame;

He only knows, that not through him
Shall England come to shame.

THE PRIVATE OF THE BUFFS

Far Kentish hop-fields round him seem'd,
Like dreams, to come and go;

Bright leagues of cherry-blossom gleam'd,
One sheet of living snow;

The smoke, above his father's door,
In gray soft eddyings hung;
Must he then watch it rise no more,
Doom'd by himself, so young?

Yes, honour calls!-with strength like steel
He put the vision by.

Let dusky Indians whine and kneel;
An English lad must die.

And thus, with eyes that would not shrink,
With knee to man unbent,
Unfaltering on its dreadful brink,
To his red grave he went.

Vain, mightiest fleets, of iron framed;
Vain, those all-shattering guns;
Unless proud England keep, untamed,
The strong heart of her sons.
So, let his name through Europe ring-
A man of mean estate,

Who died, as firm as Sparta's king,

Because his soul was great.

Sir Francis H. Doyle.

RIFLEMEN FORM!

1859 A.D.

There is a sound of thunder afar,
Storm in the south that darkens the day,
Storm of battle and thunder of war,
Well, if it do not roll our way.
Storm! storm! Riflemen form!
Ready, be ready to meet the storm!
Riflemen, riflemen, riflemen form!

Be not deaf to the sound that warns !
Be not gull'd by a despot's plea!
Are figs of thistles, or grapes of thorns?
How should a despot set men free?
Form! form! Riflemen form!

Ready, be ready to meet the storm!
Riflemen, riflemen, riflemen form!

Let your Reforms for a moment go, Look to your butts, and take good aims. Better a rotten borough or so,

Than a rotten fleet or a city in flames!
Form! form! Riflemen form!

Ready, be ready to meet the storm!
Riflemen, riflemen, riflemen form!

RIFLEMEN FORM!

Form, be ready to do or die!

Form in Freedom's name, and the Queen's! True that we have a faithful ally,

But only the devil knows what he means.
Form! form! Riflemen form!

Ready, be ready to meet the storm!
Riflemen, riflemen, riflemen form!

Lord Tennyson.

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