DOLLY'S DRUM

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 200, 24 August 1945, Page 3

DOLLY'S DRUM

By NGAIRE EAGLE (13)

"Rum-a-dum-dum goes my little tin drum." Dolly was so happy, for she had always wanted a drum of her own, hut she had never liked to ask for one for fear of being teased.

•'Fancy a girl wanting a drum," they would have said. And: "Why, that's a boy's toy!" But when the little boy next door told Dolly she could have his drum if she liked, Dolly was so delighted she didn't stop to think what people would say. Everv morning she was first up, and went out 'to the fields and marched up and down, banging on her drum. As there was no one to tease her, you can guess how happy she was. One fine morning when she reached the fields she had a tremendous shock, for stretching away as far as she could see were rows of tents. "Soldiers! she i exclaimed excitedly. v "Real soldiers. Goodness! I expect they will like to hear my little drum!" . Now, Sergeant.Sparks, who was having a nico cosy sleep, heard the drum and sat up with a start. . "Gracious! A drum!" he gasped, jumping out of bed like lightning. "The captain must be coming. Get up everybody!" While the soldiers were getting up. the captain heard the drum. "The major must be coming, he cried. Then the major heard it and jumped out of bed, thinking the colonel would appear any minute. In the meantime the colonel was dressing as quickly as he could, feeling sure that the general was on his way. ~ . , When everybody was lined up spick and span the colonel galloped up on his horse and shouted: "Present arms! The general is coming! " The soldiers stood stiffly at attention, the colonel looked expectant, and— m walked Dolly with her drum! . What an anti-climax! How indignant they all were, and then how they all laughed! But after that, when Dolly played her drum, no one took any notice, though sometimes the poor soldiers would sav they simply didn't get any =leep, with the camp bugler and the little drummer-girl making so much noise m the mornings.