 | The poetical works of Samuel Woodworth |  |
15
WILLIAM'S PROMOTION.
The drum had ceased, the bugle slept,
The sentry marched with footsteps wary,
When ditch and picket William leapt,
Eager to see his wedded Mary.
But ah! his colonel, just before,
On her defenceless state presuming,
Had entered Mary's cottage door,
The husband's voice and dress assuming.
Soft and sly, Mary fled; William's eye soothed her dread.
“Ills infernal seize the colonel!”
Cried he, unwary.
But Mary suggested, that he be arrested,
And as a deserter to camp returned;
And William, who with resentment burn'd,
Commends the thought, and soon is brought
A brisk sergeant's guard; the colonel pleads hard,
But his disguise deceives all eyes;
He swears and cries, while none replies;
Safely guarded, not retarded,
William sees him borne from Mary;
Faithful Mary, beautiful Mary,
Dear little, sweet little, constant Mary.
The sentry marched with footsteps wary,
When ditch and picket William leapt,
Eager to see his wedded Mary.
But ah! his colonel, just before,
On her defenceless state presuming,
Had entered Mary's cottage door,
The husband's voice and dress assuming.
Soft and sly, Mary fled; William's eye soothed her dread.
“Ills infernal seize the colonel!”
Cried he, unwary.
But Mary suggested, that he be arrested,
And as a deserter to camp returned;
And William, who with resentment burn'd,
Commends the thought, and soon is brought
A brisk sergeant's guard; the colonel pleads hard,
But his disguise deceives all eyes;
He swears and cries, while none replies;
Safely guarded, not retarded,
William sees him borne from Mary;
16
Dear little, sweet little, constant Mary.
The morning came, the reveille beat,
The troops paraded bright and airy,
And there, in regimentals neat,
William had brought his lovely Mary.
The colonel, now restored to rank,
Around on milk-white charger prances,
Until his eye, upon the flank,
Is caught by blushing Mary's glances.
Soon he asks, who was mad, to enlist such a lad;
William ready, answered steady,
Bright, brisk, and airy:
“The youth I recruited, I hope you are suited,
For though he is young, and tender, and light,
He took a deserter, sir, last night;
Though dark and damp, some way from camp
The villian was caught, and hither brought,
In deep disguise.” The colonel's eyes
Betray surprise—at length he cries,
“Be it noted—you 're promoted
Ensign—ever guard your Mary;
Faithful Mary, beautiful Mary,
Dear little, sweet little, constant Mary.”
The troops paraded bright and airy,
And there, in regimentals neat,
William had brought his lovely Mary.
The colonel, now restored to rank,
Around on milk-white charger prances,
Until his eye, upon the flank,
Is caught by blushing Mary's glances.
Soon he asks, who was mad, to enlist such a lad;
William ready, answered steady,
Bright, brisk, and airy:
“The youth I recruited, I hope you are suited,
For though he is young, and tender, and light,
He took a deserter, sir, last night;
Though dark and damp, some way from camp
The villian was caught, and hither brought,
In deep disguise.” The colonel's eyes
Betray surprise—at length he cries,
“Be it noted—you 're promoted
Ensign—ever guard your Mary;
Faithful Mary, beautiful Mary,
Dear little, sweet little, constant Mary.”
| The poetical works of Samuel Woodworth | |