THE SONG OF THE COAT

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 20, 29 January 1881, Page 196

THE SONG OF THE COAT

Weary, and napless, and worn, Musty, and rusty, and black, Crumpled, and rumpled, and torn, The coat to its owner went back. ' ' Not as his keeping I left " Guiltless of dust, and of dirt, "But of gloss, and. of beauty bereft." So sang the coat to the shirt. "And its 0 to be a Burnoose "Along with the barbarous Turk, "Where society lives on the loose "If this is Christian work." "For I was a sad misfit "To a valiant man of his inches, ' ' Oh ! only the wearer and It " Know how a loaned swallow-tail pinches ! "We went for to make our congee "In the Gubernatorial Halls, "But alack for the swell levee, "And alack for the borrowed smalls ! "And its 0 to be a Burnoose " Along with the barbarous Turk, "Where society lives on the loose " If this is Christian work ! " " I heard a lugubrious crack, "And I noticed the great folks stare, "Lo ! up-split the seams in my back, " And He made a very bad swear ! " And oh its a sell to be tight " When you want to be out on the spree. "Oh coats loaned by day or by night "Come now take a lesson from me. "And its O to be a Burnoose "Along with the barbarous Turk, "Where society lives on the loose "If this is Christian work ! "

— At the Governor s levee the blue uniforms of the local Volunteers looked very dingy beside the handsome scarlet one worn by iMr. Hopkins. Why. do our Volunteers not follow the example of the militia at home, >and adopt the scarlet uniform, which looks so much more soldier-like ?