The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1884-05-01
THE FIFER and DRUMMER OF
SClTUAIE.
A BALLAD.

A ALLAD
Founded on All incident of the War o. 1s12.l
Abby. Abby, they're a-comin,E'
%, the British! an there amt a soul to home
but me an. you:
Job's gone courtin', Noah's a-1shtn', all the
Peek; they're two great boatloads rowin' for
our hour-ships at the bar.
When they've took 'em, what's to hender? don't
you s'pose they'll come right down,
Pike an gun, an blood an murder here, a.
rob.an burn the town."
NO, I don't, not eff I'm spared-an don't you
have a chicken heart.
Le' me think, an then I'll tell We; then we
both must play our part.
Becky, all we've ever got ter mind is, just ter
do our best;
When that's done, we never need ter fear ter
leave ter God the rest.
Nobodyc can't die but once; an eff our own
turn comes to-day,
Though their swellin' hearts be mighty
though each comes like ten times ten
Say your prayers, an jest remember English
men amt naught but men.
I'll run round an lock the house Up; an you
scamper for your life
Up the garnet stairs, an fetch us, to the barn,
the drum an fife,
Make believe we're the milishy comm. Girls
For some things-foiks needn't tell me-jesi
Us goodter make a noise"
Becky scampers. Abby makes fast door and
window breathlessly,
In her hurry puts the kitten in her pocket
with the key,
Calls the dog, and drives the cow in from hel
grazing in the croft
To her stall, and, dragging Becky, scramblei
up into the loft,
Opens wide the great barn window, seizes or
her fathers drum,
Cries: You keep the fife, dear ~Becky-that's
right-sound like kingdom come!
Think vOn'va got the trllmn that Gideon blew
against the heather host,
When the Lords sword conquered INDIAN
an their princes heads were lost.
Won't the British lose their heads, too
Mebbe eff we keep our own"
While she chatters. she is drumming, till the
grumbling roof doth groan.
"Yankee Doodle" "Hail, Columbia pealet
with many a d~eafening bout;
Like q cherub'S On a tombstone, Becky
dimpled cheeks puhed out.
Abby's hazel eyes flashed lightning, as he
rapid sticks she piled.
Marching still, and counter-marching, to ant
fro, from side to side
Ger the soft gray hills and valleys of thu
clover-scented hay,
Sounding like an army coming up and dowI
from far away,
Now through rich brown shadows went they
lively, lovely Yankee girls
Now an elm let stealthy sunlight in on fail
and chestnut curls.
Filing, drumming, painting, stumbling, half ii
When they dared to reconnoftre, then the.
Il ~ saw the British run.
SNOW the .Rogue's March, little sister
louder, louderi let us play
One more pooty piece o. music, jest ter speed
Lx-- 'em on their way"
When the sunsets gold and amber, wrought
upon the cobwebbed gloom
OF the straw-hupg old barn-chamber, made il
seem a tapestried room,
And their townsmen came, each rafter o'el
each little merry head
Rang with peals of girliSh laughter as TIT
pair looked down and said:
brother, father, uncle, welcome; but a littl,
late you've comei
Now the four-ship would be taken but for us
an fife an drum"
Straight men knew the situation, ran tn,
rescued ships to see,
Thronged the barnyard then, and, shouting
gave the damsels 'three times three!'
Wild with mirth; and ever after, oft as gen
eral training-day
Called the gallant lads of Scituate from tn,
Scythe and forge away,
Meath the farmhouse sunset indows, fife
and drum were duly played
To those gallant maids of Scituate, in me
mortal Serenade.
IS. III. PdgTey, in Boston Transcript.