KIPING IN THE CAMP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 58

KIPING IN THE CAMP.

C?hs straight tip's come from Kipling, and my word he tells it well, How the blokes that fight our battles dodge along : "While Yox-kie read the Witness, we gave carda and draughts a spell, And we drank it in like music, Rudyard's song. He layts it off particular and his hints are pretty; plain, You can see them sticking out a mile; He's dead nuts on poor Tommy, who is tussling for our gain (And he's likely yet to battle for a while). Tp.ll men — small men — Artillery, Foot, and Horse, All bia'.ids and denominations are striving neck and neck (Thei-o and oken we all agreed to help the good old Empire on : of course Each anted up a bob or two, we won't miss 'em from our cheque). Yes! we've had the tip from Kipling, and us blokes could do with more, Though we're not a sanguinary crowd aboub the camp There's little rough and tumble (we know the likely men to score) Unless we've struck it rich and are consequently damp, Then tongues and hands are busy — and the deadheads chucked outside Are liable at any moment to collapse! But we follow up with pleasure, satisfaction, zeal, and pride — All the 'fighting and the inarching of our chaps : Swaggermen — baggermen — lads that graft at the mill!

Early and late we're at it — be the weather 1 what it may (Let's try systematic giving from all hands — and give it with a will, A bob a week won't break us: we can spare that from our pay).

Last night at Elbow Room Estate the parson pitched right well, And the Patriotic Fund was put in gear ; He said a few bob from us blokes was worth a pound note from a swell: And more than mildly hinted calls throughout the year. He's not a bad sort — for a parson — they're rum jokers at the best, But he seems to be in earnest when he prays, He rubs shoulders too with all our crowd, and treats us like the rest — I don't remember half his sermon, but ha says : " Sawyers, lawyers, parsons, shearers, and grooms, Teachers, rabitters, rouseabouts — the ditcher daubed with clay — Ifusterers, miners, and foundrymen'and men. who work at their looms, Should scrape as much as times would run without delay."

So I send a small donation for the Patriotic Fuad, And my heart goes with it (wishing luck to " Bobs "), / And I hope he'll soon arrive and stash tho " Africander Bund " : He's the best man that we've got for i-isky jobs. , Though Africa's the fighting ground, we've got our share to do, Let us do it with a will and a swing: Tha bloomin' war has started, and we're bound to see it thro' — ' - May the dark cloud soon a silver lining bring! Small men — tall men — men of a medium size, All brands and denominations (what have Yoy got to say?). Backsliding and shuffling's a played-out game — so tell no half-truth lies, Just keep back a bob a week — can you spare that from your pay?

—LITTLE JIMMY. Elbow Room Estate, Speargrass Plat, Janiiary 13, 1900.