The Poetical Works of Miss Susanna Blamire (1842) - Gredos ...

The Salamanca Corpus: The Poetical Works of Miss Susanna Blamire (1842)
MISCELLANEOUS SONGS.
THE SOLDIER’S RETURN.
AIR—Fy, gae rub her o’er wi’ strae.
THE wars for many a month were o’er 1
Ere I could reach my native shed,
My friends ne’er hoped to see me more,
But wept for me as for the dead.
As I drew near, the cottage blaz’d,
The evening fire was clear and bright;
And through the windows long I gaz’d,
And saw each friend with dear delight.
My father in his corner sat;
My mother drew her useful thread;
My brothers strove to make them chat;
My sisters bak’d the household bread:
And Jean oft whisper d to a friend,
Who still let fall a silent tear;
But soon my Jessy’s griefs shall end,
She little thinks her Henry’s near.
1 A real incident which took place in the Highlands.—Mrs Brown.
[221] .
My mother heard her catching sighs,
And hid her face behind her rock;
While tears swam round in all their eyes,
And not a single word they spoke.
What could I do ! If in I went,
Surprise might chill each tender heart;
Some story, then, I must invent,
And act the poor maim’d soldier’s part.
I drew a bandage o’er my face,
And crooked up a lying knee,
And soon I found in that blest place