"Scratch day."—A day when lessons are hard or numerous.
"Gum game."—A joke.
"To fudge."—To copy.
BENNY HAVENS O.
[A number of cadets sitting or lounging about the room. One at table pouring out the drinks. As soon as he is done he takes up his own glass, and says to the others, "Come, fellows," and then all together standing:]
—Stand up in a row,
For sentimental drinking we're going for to go;
In the army there's sobriety, promotion's very slow,
So we'll cheer our hearts with choruses of Benny
Havens' O.
Of Benny Havens' O, of Benny Havens' O,
We'll cheer our hearts with choruses of Benny
Havens' O.
When you and I and Benny, and General Jackson too,
Are brought before the final Board our course of
life t' review,
May we never "fess" on any point, but then be told
to go
To join the army of the blest at Benny Havens' O.
At Benny Havens' O, at Benny Havens' O,
To join the army of the blest at Benny Havens' O.
To the ladies of the army let our bumpers ever flow,
Companions of our exile, our shield 'gainst every woe,
May they see their husbands generals with double pay
to show,
And indulge in reminiscences of Benny Havens' O.
Of Benny Havens O, of Benny Havens' O,
And indulge in reminiscences of Benny Havens' O.
'Tis said by commentators, in the land where we
must go
We follow the same handicraft we followed here
below;
If this be true philosophy (the sexton, he says no),
What days of dance and song we'll have at Benny
Havens' O.
At Benny Havens' O, at Benny Havens' O,
What days of dance and song we'll have at Benny
Havens' O!
To the ladies of the Empire State, whose hearts
and albums too
Bear sad remembrance of the wrongs we stripling
soldiers do,
We bid you all a kind farewell, the best recompense
we know—
Our loves and rhymings had their source at Benny
Havens' O.
At Benny Havens' O, at Benny Havens' O,
Our loves and rhymings had their source at Benny
Havens' O.