GodbringeththeraintotheBar,Thatourcattleincrease。”
  AndthePloughmansettledtheshareMoredeepinthesun-driedclod:
  “MogulMahratta,andMlechfromtheNorth,AndWhiteQueenovertheSeas——
  GodraiseththemupanddriveththemforthAsthedustoftheploughsharefliesinthebreeze;
  Butthewheatandthecattleareallmycare,AndtherestisthewillofGod。”
  THEUNDERTAKER’SHORSE
  “To-tschin-shuiscondemnedtodeath。
  HowcanhedrinkteawiththeExecutioner?”
  JapaneseProverb。
  Theeldestsonbestrideshim,Andtheprettydaughterrideshim,AndImeethimofto’morningsontheCourse;
  AndtherekindlesinmybosomAnemotionchillandgruesomeAsIcanterpasttheUndertaker’sHorse。
  Neithershieshenorisrestive,ButahideouslysuggestiveTrot,professionalandplacid,heaffects;
  Andthecadenceofhishoof-beatsTomymindthisgrimreproofbeats:——
  “Mendyourpace,myfriend,I’mcomingWho’sthenext?”
  Ah!stud-bredofill-omen,Ihavewatchedthestrongestgo——menOfpithandmightandmuscle——atyourheels,Downtheplantain-borderedhighway,Heavensenditne’erbemyway!
  Inalacqueredboxandjettyuponwheels。
  Answer,sombrebeastanddreary,WhereisBrown,theyoung,thecheery,Smith,theprideofallhisfriendsandhalftheForce?
  YouwereatthatlastdreaddakWemustcoveratawalk,Bringthembacktome,OUndertaker’sHorse!
  Withyourmaneunhoggedandflowing,Andyourcuriouswayofgoing,Andthatbusinesslikeblackcrimpingofyourtail,E’enwithBeautyonyourback,Sir,Pacingasalady’shack,Sir,WhatwonderwhenImeetyouIturnpale?
  Itmaybeyouwaityourtime,Beast,TillIwritemylastbadrhyme,Beast——
  Quitthesunlight,cuttherhyming,droptheglass——
  Followafterwiththeothers,WheresomeduskyheathensmothersUswithmarigoldsinlieuofEnglishgrass。
  Or,perchance,inyearstofollow,Ishallwatchyourplumpsideshollow,SeeCarnifexgonelamebecomeacorse——
  Seeoldageatlasto’erpoweryou,AndtheStationPackdevouryou,Ishallchucklethen,OUndertaker’sHorse!
  Buttoinsult,jibe,andquest,I’veStillthehideouslysuggestiveTrotthathammersouttheunrelentingtext,AndIhearithardbehindmeInwhatplacesoe’erIfindme:——
  “’SuretocatchyousoonerorlaterWho’sthenext?”
  THEFALLOFJOCKGILLESPIE
  Thisfellwhendinner-timewasdone——
  ’Twixtthefirstan’thesecondrub——
  ThatoormonJockcam’hameagainTohisroomsahisttheClub。
  An’synehelaughed,an’synehesang,An’synewethochthimfou,An’synehetrumpedhispartner’strick,An’garredhispartnerrue。
  Thenupandspakeaneldermon,ThatheldtheSpadeitsAce——
  Godsavethelad!Whencecomesthelicht“Thatwimplesonhisface?”
  An’Jockhesniggered,an’Jockhesmiled,An’owerthecard-brimwunk:——
  “I’ma’toofreshfra’thestirrup-peg,“MaybethatIamdrunk。”
  “There’swhuskybrewedinGalashils“An’LLLforbye;
  “Butneverliquorlitthelowe“Thatkeeksfra’ootyoureye。
  “There’sathirdo’haironyourdress-coatbreast,“Aboontheheartawee?”
  “Oh!thatisfra’thelang-hairedSkye“Thatslobbersowerme。”
  “Oh!lang-hairedSkyesarelovin’beasts,“An’terrierdogsarefair,“Butneveryetwasterrierborn,“Wi’ell-langgowdenhair!
  “There’sasmircho’poutheronyourbreast,“Belowtheleftlappel?”
  “Oh!thatisfra’myauldcigar,“Whenasthestump-endfell。”
  “MonJock,yesmoketheTrichicoarse,“Foryeareshorto’cash,“An’bestHavanasCouldnaleave“Saewhitean’pureanash。
  “Thisnichtyestoppedastorybraid,“An’stoppeditwi’acurse。
  “Lastnichtyetoldthattaleyoursel’——
  “An’cappeditwi’aworse!
  “Oh!we’renofou!Oh!we’renofou!
  “Butplainlywecanken“Ye’refallin’,fallin’fratheband“O’cantiesinglemen!”
  An’itfellwhensirris-shawsweresere,An’thenichtswerelangandmirk,Inbrawnewbreeks,wi’agowdenring,OrJockegaedtotheKirk!
  ARITHMETICONTHEFRONTIER
  AgreatandgloriousthingitisTolearn,forsevenyearsorso,TheLordknowswhatofthatandthis,Erereckonedfittofacethefoe——
  TheflyingbulletdownthePass,Thatwhistlesclear:“Allfleshisgrass。”
  ThreehundredpoundsperannumspentOnmakingbrainandbodymeeterForallthemurderousintentComprisedin“villanoussaltpetre!”
  Andafter——asktheYusufzaiesWhatcomesofallour’ologies。
  AscrimmageinaBorderStation——
  Acanterdownsomedarkdefile——
  TwothousandpoundsofeducationDropstoaten-rupeejezail——
  TheCrammer’sboast,theSquadron’spride,Shotlikearabbitinaride!
  NopropositionEuclidwrote,Noformulaethetext-booksknow,Willturnthebulletfromyourcoat,Orwardthetulwar’sdownwardblowStrikehardwhocares——shootstraightwhocan——
  Theoddsareonthecheaperman。
  Onesword-knotstolenfromthecampWillpayforalltheschoolexpensesOfanyKurrumValleyscampWhoknowsnowordofmoodsandtenses,But,beingblessedwithperfectsight,Picksoffourmessmatesleftandright。
  Withhome-bredhordesthehillsidesteem,Thetroop-shipsbringusonebyone,Atvastexpenseoftimeandsteam,ToslayAfridiswheretheyrun。
  The“captivesofourbowandspear“
  Arecheap——alas!aswearedear。
  THEBETROTHED
  “Youmustchoosebetweenmeandyourcigar。”——
  BREACHOFPROMISECASE,CIRCA1885。
  Opentheoldcigar-box,getmeaCubastout,Forthingsarerunningcrossways,andMaggieandIareout。
  WequarrelledaboutHavanas——wefoughto’eragoodcheroot,AndIknewsheisexacting,andshesaysIamabrute。
  Opentheoldcigar-box——letmeconsideraspace;
  InthesoftblueveilofthevapourmusingonMaggie’sface。
  Maggieisprettytolookat——Maggie’salovinglass,Buttheprettiestcheeksmustwrinkle,thetruestoflovesmustpass。
  There’speaceinaLarranaga,there’scalminaHenryClay;
  Butthebestcigarinanhourisfinishedandthrownaway——
  Thrownawayforanotherasperfectandripeandbrown——
  ButIcouldnotthrowawayMaggieforfearo’thetalko’thetown!
  Maggie,mywifeatfifty——greyanddourandold——
  WithneveranotherMaggietopurchaseforloveorgold!
  AndthelightofDaysthathaveBeenthedarkoftheDaysthatAre,AndLove’storchstinkingandstale,likethebuttofadeadcigar——
  Thebuttofadeadcigaryouareboundtokeepinyourpocket——
  Withneveranewonetolighttho’it’scharredandblacktothesocket!
  Opentheoldcigar-box——letmeconsiderawhile。
  HereisamildManila——thereisawifelysmile。
  Whichisthebetterportion——bondageboughtwitharing,Oraharemofduskybeauties,fiftytiedinastring?
  Counsellorscunningandsilent——comforterstrueandtried,Andneveraoneofthefiftytosneeratarivalbride?
  Thoughtintheearlymorning,solaceintimeofwoes,Peaceinthehushofthetwilight,balmeremyeyelidsclose,Thiswillthefiftygiveme,askingnoughtinreturn,WithonlyaSuttee’spassion——todotheirdutyandburn。
  ThiswillthefiftygivemeWhentheyarespentanddead,Fivetimesotherfiftiesshallbemyservantsinstead。
  Thefurrowsoffar-offJava,theislesoftheSpanishMain,Whentheyhearmyharemisemptywillsendmemybridesagain。
  Iwilltakenoheedtotheirraiment,norfoodfortheirmouthswithal,Solongasthegullsarenesting,solongastheshowersfall。
  Iwillscent’emwithbestvanilla,withteawillItempertheirhides,AndtheMoorandtheMormonshallenvywhoreadofthetaleofmybrides。
  ForMaggiehaswrittenalettertogivememychoicebetweenTheweelittlewhimperingLoveandthegreatgodNicko’Teen。
  AndIhavebeenservantofLoveforbarelyatwelvemonthclear,ButIhavebeenPriestofCabanasamatterofsevenyear;
  AndthegloomofmybachelordaysisfleckedwiththecheerylightOfstumsthatIburnedtoFriendshipandPleasureandWorkandFight。
  AndIturnmyeyestothefuturethatMaggieandImustprove,ButtheonlylightonthemarshesistheWill-o’-the-WispofLove。
  Willitseemesafethroughmyjourneyorleavemeboggedinthemire?
  Sinceapuffoftobaccocancloudit,shallIfollowthefitfulfire?
  Opentheoldcigar-box——letmeconsideranew——
  Oldfriends,andwhoisMaggiethatIshouldabandonyou?
  AmillionsurplusMaggiesarewillingtobeartheyoke;
  Andawomanisonlyawoman,butagoodCigarisaSmoke。
  LightmeanotherCuba——Iholdtomyfirst-swornvows。
  IfMaggiewillhavenorival,I’llhavenoMaggieforSpouse!
  ATALEOFTWOCITIES
  Wherethesober-coloredcultivatorsmilesOnhisbyles;
  Wherethecholera,thecyclone,andthecrowComeandgo;
  Wherethemerchantdealsinindigoandtea,Hidesandghi;
  WheretheBabudropsinflammatoryhintsInhisprints;
  StandsaCity——Charnockchoseit——packedawayNearaBay——
  BytheSewagerenderedfetid,bythesewerMadeimpure,BytheSunderbundsunwholesome,bytheswampMoistanddamp;
  AndtheCityandtheViceroy,aswesee,Don’tagree。
  Once,twohunderedyearsago,thetradercameMeekandtame。
  Wherehistimidfootfirsthalted,therehestayed,TillmeretradeGrewtoEmpire,andhesenthisarmiesforthSouthandNorthTillthecountryfromPeshawurtoCeylonWashisown。
  ThusthemiddayhaltofCharnock——more’sthepity!
  GrewaCity。
  Asthefungussproutschaoticfromitsbed,Soitspread——
  Chance-directed,chance-erected,laidandbuiltOnthesilt——
  Palace,byre,hovel——povertyandpride——
  Sidebyside;
  And,abovethepackedandpestilentialtown,Deathlookeddown。
  ButtheRulersinthatCitybytheSeaTurnedtoflee——
  Fled,witheachreturningspring-tidefromitsillsTotheHills。
  Fromtheclammyfogsofmorning,fromtheblazeOfolddays,Fromthesicknessofthenoontide,fromtheheat,Beatretreat;
  ForthecountryfromPeshawurtoCeylonWastheirown。
  ButtheMerchantriskedtheperilsofthePlainForhisgain。
  Nowtheresting-placeofCharnock,’neaththepalms,Asksanalms,Andtheburdenofitslamentationis,Briefly,this:
  “Becauseforcertainmonths,weboilandstew,Soshouldyou。
  CasttheViceroyandhisCouncil,toperspireInourfire!”
  Andforanswertotheargument,invainWeexplainThatanamateurSaintLawrencecannotfry:
  “Allmustfry!”
  ThattheMerchantriskstheperilsofthePlainForgain。
  NorcanRulersruleahousethatmengrowrichin,Fromitskitchen。
  LettheBabudropinflammatoryhintsInhisprints;
  Andmature——consistentsoul——hisplanforstealingToDarjeeling:
  LettheMerchantseek,whomakeshissilverpile,England’sisle;
  LettheCityCharnockpitchedon——evilday!
  GoHerway。
  ThoughtheargosiesofAsiaatHerdoorsHeaptheirstores,ThoughHerenterpriseandenergysecureIncomesure,Though“out-stationorderspunctuallyobeyed“
  SwellHertrade——
  Still,forrule,administration,andtherest,Simla’sbest。
  TheEndVOLUMEIIBALLADSANDBARRACK-ROOMBALLADS
  BALLADS