“I came to the front with my pals here, the boys, and the brave old tars, I’ve fought for my Queen and my country, and rode with the Tenth Hussars; I’m proud, of the fine old regiment!”――then the Colonel shook his hand―― “So I’ll ask one single favour from my Queen and my native land! “If ever a man bore up, sir, as a soldier should with pluck, And fought with a savage sorrow the demon of cursed ill-luck―― That man he sits before you! Give us back, with his wounds and scars, The man who has sorely suffered, and is loved by the Tenth Hussars!” Then a cheer went up from his comrades, and echoed across the sand, And was borne on the wings of mercy to the heart of his native land, Where the Queen on her throne will hear it, and the Colonel Prince will praise The words of a simple soldier just uttered by Trooper Hayes! Let the moralist stoop to mercy, that balm of all souls that live; For better than all forgetting is the wonderful word “Forgive!” _Punch._ March 15, 1884. ―――― A TALE OF THE TENTH HUSSARS. (Not to-day, Baker.) When the train, on its lonely journey, was near to the scene of strife Where the woman fought for her honour――far dearer to her than life; When the crash of the opening doorway left her standing outside the cars, It gave to our island a story of one of the Tenth Hussars. He was “charged” in the good old fashion, as one of the criminal troop, With a “Follow me sharp!” from the “Bobby,” which made him tremble and droop; And his staff, as the “Peeler” shewed it in glory of pride and pluck, Was seen as he went to prison, but nobody cried “Good luck!” Wounded and hurt she sat there, in silence of pride and pain, Her womanhood all insulted, her honour left under a stain. Think of her secret anguish! think of her dull remorse! When she got away from the fellow, who now rides an old white horse. An alien, not a stranger, but yet ’twould be stranger still, Tho’ he’s borne his rightful sentence, to hail him with right good will; For when Teb’s battle was over, and thousands there were slayed, He reached his port in safety, with few on the grand parade; But the Tenth had another hero, quite right for the General’s praise, A thick and thin thoro’ Briton, his name was Trooper Blaze; He had never insulted a woman, and scattered unhorsed, alone, He had saved the life of a pal of his, and managed to save his own.