SONG.
HOME they brought her husband—"tight,"
She nor moved, nor uttered cry,
But the Peeler, winking said,
"Won't he get it by-and-bye."
Then they placed him on the bed,
Called him "Jolly dog," "old boy!"
Placed the pillows 'neath his head—
Yet she showed nor grief, nor joy.
Stole her daughter from her seat
Up to where her father slept,
Pulled the boots from off his feet,
Yet she neither moved nor wept.
Then the "Bobby" took his purse,
Placed it empty on her knee,
Rose her voice as if to curse—
"Not one sixpence left for me!"
Vagrant Leaves, Part I, October, 1866. (A clever little illustrated magazine, of which only three numbers were issued; they are now exceedingly scarce).
Home the "worrier" comes! We read
All his words, nor uttered sigh;
But the Tories, sneering, said,
"He must talk or he would die."
Then we praised his speeches long,
Called them worthy to be heard—
Brilliant thoughts and language strong;
Still the Tories cried, "Absurd!"
Stole Lord Random from his place,
Lightly to the "worrier" stept;
Tried to fool him to his face—
Back into his hole he crept.
Came a host of stupid peers,
Swore the franchise should not be;
Like rolling thunder rose our cheers—
Grand Old Man, success to thee!
ALFRED C. BRANT.
The Weekly Dispatch, September 14, 1884.
(Parody Competition).
"The Charge of the Light Brigade" is still one of the most popular of Tennyson's poems, in spite of its many faults, and defective construction. Some of its lines are, indeed, ridiculous, whilst many are ungrammatical, but the metre is pleasing, and the words have the ring of the battle about them. Tennyson, however, can claim no credit for these merits, having boldly appropriated them from Michael Drayton's poem on the Battle of Agincourt, in which the following lines occur:—
"They now to fight are gone,
Armour on armour shone:
Drum now to drum did groan;
To hear was to wonder;
That with the cries they make,
The very earth did shake,
Trumpet to trumpet spake,
Thunder to thunder."
Several parodies of "The Charge of the Light Brigade" remain to be quoted, in addition to those already given; indeed, this poem appears to possess a peculiar attraction for imitators.
The following parody was written on the occasion of a lecture on "Light" having been given in Horncastle by the late Dr. H. G. Ward:—