CHARLEY OF MALVERN HILL
71
"But he—could you have seen him then,
As, with his blue eyes full of fire,
He poured forth tears and pleadings, half
Of shame and half of ire!
As, with his blue eyes full of fire,
He poured forth tears and pleadings, half
Of shame and half of ire!
"'Oh! do not bid me go!' he cried
'I love yon flag as well as you!
I did not join your ranks to run
When there is work to do!
'I love yon flag as well as you!
I did not join your ranks to run
When there is work to do!
"'I did not come to beat my drum
Only upon some gala day.'
The colonel shook his head, but said,
'Well, Charley, you may stay.'
Only upon some gala day.'
The colonel shook his head, but said,
'Well, Charley, you may stay.'
"Ah! then his tears were quickly dried,
A few glad words he strove to say;
But there was little time to talk,
And hardly time to pray.
A few glad words he strove to say;
But there was little time to talk,
And hardly time to pray.
"For bitter, bitter was the strife
That raged that day on Malvern Hill;
Blue coats and gray in great heaps lay,
Ere that wild storm grew still.
That raged that day on Malvern Hill;
Blue coats and gray in great heaps lay,
Ere that wild storm grew still.
"At length we charged. My very heart
Sank down within me, cold and dumb,
When to the front, and far ahead,
Rushed Charley with his drum!
Sank down within me, cold and dumb,
When to the front, and far ahead,
Rushed Charley with his drum!
"Above the cannon's thundering boom,
The din and shriek of shot and shell,
We heard its clear peal rolling out
Right gallantly and well.
The din and shriek of shot and shell,
We heard its clear peal rolling out
Right gallantly and well.
"A moment's awful waiting! Then
There came a sullen, angry roar,—
There came a sullen, angry roar,—
