THE CHARGE OF THE "RAD." BRIGADE.
(After Mr. Tennyson's "Charge of the Light Brigade".)
By the League, by the League, by the League onward,
Into the Commons' House went the three hundred.
Forward the "Rad." Brigade! "Pass this Bill quick!" he said.
Into the Commons' House went the three hundred.
Forward the "Rad." Brigade! Who is a whit afraid?
What tho' the Tories say we have all blundered?
Theirs but to moan and cry—let Jemmy Lowther sigh, and ask Sir Stafford "Why?"
Into the Commons' House went the three hundred.
Leaguers to right of them, Whiggites to left of them,
Tories in front of them, shouted and thundered.
Stormed at with hoot and yell, while weak-kneed Lib'rals fell,
Into the lobby drear, into the House pell-mell, rushed the three hundred;
Flashed all their tongues quite bare, each one his speech to air,
Crushing the Leaguers there, dishing the Tories while Salisbury wondered.
Plunged in the hot debate, those who the rules had broke—
Parnell and Dillon—reeled from brave Gladstone's stroke shattered and sundered;
Then they went out, but not—not the three hundred.
Leaguers to right of them, Whigs on the left of them,
Tories behind them, stamped, roared, and thundered,
Stormed at with hoot and yell, while many a weak one fell,
They that had voted well came from the lobby back, back to the House pell-mell—
All that was left of the happy three hundred.
When will they e'er be paid? Oh, the grand vote they gave!
Salisbury wondered!
Honour the vote they gave! Long live the "Rad." Brigade!
Gladstone's three hundred.
25th June, 1882. J. ARTHUR ELLIOTT.