Long Service.
When I found the plough go heavy1
I rested for a while,2
To give the horses breathing space,3
Just near the lover’s stile :4
And as I stood there thinking of5
My false and cruel Jane,6
I heard a weird sound creeping up7
The winding village lane.8
It was like a cage-bird mourning for the trees,9
It was like a distant sound of humming bees,10
Till it came a little nearer, and the hum11
Changed into the stirring strains of fife and drum !12
So I left the plough for master,13
I turned the horses home,14
And made my mind up instant-like15
A soldier I would roam ;16
And marching with the Royal Reds,17
I left the village lane,18
Without a thought of Farmer John,19
With scarce a thought of Jane.20
But I felt that she was standing by her gate,21
That her false blue eyes were telling me to wait ;22
But I never looked to see if she would care,23
For the music of the drum was in the air.24
And when my seven years were up25
A homesick lad I got ;26
I didn’t worship India, and27
I hated Aldershot ;28
So I wished the Chief “ Good morning,29
And scrambled in the train30
With a pocketful of silver31
And my heart full of Jane !32
It was twilight ; she was standing by the stile,33
And the sunbeams seemed to kind-of make her smile ;34
But I passed her, head in air and hollowed-back,35
Till—she raised her pretty head, and whispered, “ Jack ! ”36