Work-a-day Warriors/Marcelle
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MARCELLE
"In your last book, 'Ballads of Battle,' I looked in vain for some tribute to Marcelle, and for the picture which you made of her sitting by the open window."—Letter to the Author from Soldier-Comrade.
Marcelle, who served the café noir,
The vintage white and red,
With lightsome step, with laughing eye,
With proudly poised head!
The vintage white and red,
With lightsome step, with laughing eye,
With proudly poised head!
Vin blanc, vin rouge; of red, of white,
What need was there to speak?
For they were out-vied by the red
And lily of thy cheek!
What need was there to speak?
For they were out-vied by the red
And lily of thy cheek!
Trench-worn and stained we sat around
And quaffed vin ordinaire,
And were rejuvenate, as if
Hebé the cup did bear!
And quaffed vin ordinaire,
And were rejuvenate, as if
Hebé the cup did bear!
For us the ever-generous door,
The ever-gracious smile,
The attentive ear, the ready tear,
The glance devoid of guile.
The ever-gracious smile,
The attentive ear, the ready tear,
The glance devoid of guile.
But not for us that pensive gaze,
The sudden mist of tears,
The broken sigh that spoke a tale
Of lovers' hopes and fears!
The sudden mist of tears,
The broken sigh that spoke a tale
Of lovers' hopes and fears!
Marcelle! when peace shall dawn at last
Upon this night of pain,
May thy bold chasseur, all unscathed,
Come back to thee again!
Upon this night of pain,
May thy bold chasseur, all unscathed,
Come back to thee again!
Bon soir! Marcelle!
Thy Scottish soldiers wish thee well!
Thy Scottish soldiers wish thee well!
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AT THE WINDOW