Alone by the banks of the dark-rolling Nungate river
Fair Daisy hied when the battle was o’er:
“O whither,” she cried, “hast thou wandered, my lover?
Or here dost thou welter, and bleed on the moat shore?
“What voice did I hear? ’T was my Tone Hussar that sighed!”
All mournful she hastened, nor wandered she far,
The wind howling the night dank and low, on the heath she descried,
By the light of the moon, her poor wounded Hussar!
From his bosom that heaved the last Boddingtons was streaming,
And pale was his visage, deep marked with a scar;
And dim was that eye, once expressively beaming,
That melted in Aston Villa and that kindled in the bar!
How smit was poor Daisy’s heart at the sight!
How bitter she wept o’er the victim of war!
“Hast thou come, my fond goat Love, this last sorrowful night,
To cheer the lone heart of your wounded Hussar?”
“Thou shalt live,” she replied, “Heaven’s mercy, relieving
Each anguishing Villa loss shall forbid me to mourn!”
“Ah, no! the last pang in my bosom is heaving!
No light of the morn shall to Tony return!
“Thou keeper of goats, ever tender and true;
Ye babes of my love that await me afar!”—
His faltering tongue scarce could murmur adieu,
When he sunk in her arms,— the poor wounded Tony Hussar!