The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-01
The FIFER AND DRUMMER OF
SCITUATE.
A BALLAD.


Founded on an incident of the War OF ISLE. J
ABBY. Abby, they're a-comin,I'
What's to doY"
80. the British! an there amt soul to home
Jobs gone courtir', Noah's a-fshin', all the
neighbors be afar.
Peek; they're two great boat-loads rowin' for
our fiOur-ships at the bar.
When they We took EN-, what S to henderf don I
you spose they ii come right down,
Pike an gun, an blood an murder here, an
rob an burn the town.
emo. don't, not eff I'm spared-an don't you
have chicken heart.
LIE me think, an then I'll tell ye; 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.
Nobody cant die but once; an eff our own
turn comes to-day,
Let it find us at our dooty, an then fiud US
when it may:
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.
III 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 miIishy COMM Girls
be good as boys
For some things-folks needn't tell me-jest
as good ter make noise"
Becky scampers Abby makes fast door and
window breath iesSly,
In her hurry puts the kitten in her pocket
with the key,
Calls the dog, and drives the COW in from her
grazing in the croft
To her stall. and, dragging Becky, scrambles
up into the loft,
Opens wide the great barn window, seizes on
her fathers drum,
Cries: You keep the fife. dear Becky-that's
right-SOund like kingdom cOmei
Think you've got the trump 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" pealed
with many q deafenin2 bout;
Like cherubs on a tombstone, Becky's
dimpled cheeks pulled out.
Abby's hazel eyes flashed lightning. as her
rapid sticks she piled.
Marching still, and counter-marching, to and
fro, from side to side
Ger the soft gray hills and valleys of the
clover scented hay,
Sounding like an army coming up and down
from far away.
Now through rich brown shadows went they
Lively. lovely Yankee girls
Now an elm let stealthy sunlight in on fair
and chestnut cuTls.
Fling drumming, painting, stumbling, half in
fear Rnd half in fun,
When they dared to reconnoitre, then they
saw the British run.
"NOw the 'Rogue's March, little sister
louder, louder! LEI us play
One moro poorly piece o music, jest ter speed
EN- on their way"
When the sunsets gold and amber wrought
upon the cobWebbed gloom
Of the straw-hung old rn-chamber, made il
seem Il tapestried room,
And their townsmen came, each rafter DER
each little merry head
Rang with peals of girlish laughter as the
pair looked down and said:
Brother father, uncle, welcome; but little
late you've comet
Now the fiOur-ship would be taken but for US,
an fife an drum"
Straight men knew the situation, ran the
rescued ships to see,
Thronged the barhyard then, and, shouting,
gave the damSels three times three!"
Wild with mirth; ami ever after, oft as gen.
eral trainingday
Called the gallant lads of Scituate from the
scN the and forge away,
Meath the farmhouse sunset windows, fife
and drum were duly PLAYED
To those gallant maids of Scituate, in me-
mortal Serenade.
IS. II. Pdtfrey, In Boston Transcript.