INCLUSIVE EDITION, 1885-1918 513
THE 'EATHEN
'"THE 'eathen in 'is blindness bows down to wood an' stone;
'E don't obey no orders unless they is 'is own; 'E keeps 'is side-arms awful: 'e leaves 'em all about, An' then comes up the Regiment an' pokes the 'eathen out.
All along o' dirtiness, all along o' mess, All along o' doin things rather-more-or-less, All along of abby-nay, 1 kul* an' hazar-ho? Mind you keep your rifle an yourself jus' so !
The young recruit is 'aughty 'e draf's from Gawd knows
where;
They bid 'im show 'is stockin's an' lay 'is mattress square; 'E calls it bloomin' nonsense 'e doesn't know, no more An' then up comes 'is Company an kicks 'im round the floor!
The young recruit is 'ammered 'e takes it very hard; 'E 'angs 'is 'ead an' mutters 'e sulks about the yard; 'E talks o' "cruel tyrants" which 'e'll swing for by-an'-by, An' the others 'ears an' mocks 'im, an' the boy goes orf to cry.
The young recruit is silly 'e thinks o' suicide;
'E's lost 'is gutter-devil; 'e asn't got 'is pride;
But day by day they kicks 'im, which 'elps 'im on a bit,
Till 'e finds 'isself one mornin' with a full an' proper kit.
Gettin clear o' dirtiness, gettin' done with mess, Gettin' shut o' doin' things rather-more-or-less; Not so fond of abby-nay, kul, nor hazar-ho, Learns to keep 'is rifle an' 'isself jus' so !
1 Not now. J To-morrow. * Wait a bit.