A spell I‘ ad to wait
Outside the barrick gate,
For Ginger James was passin’ out as I was passin’ in;
‘ E was only a recruit,
But I give‘ im the salute,
For I'll never git another chance of givin’ it agin!
‘ E'd little brains, I'll swear,
Beneath‘ is ginger‘ air,
‘ Is personal attractions, well, they was n't very large;
‘ E was fust in ev'ry mill,
An’ a foul-mouthed brute, but still
We'll forgive‘ im all‘ is drawbacks —‘ e‘ as taken‘ is discharge.
‘ E once got fourteen days,
For drunken, idle ways,
An’ the Colonel said the nasty things that colonels sometimes say;
‘ E called him to‘ is face
The regiment's disgrace —
But the Colonel took‘ is‘ at off when‘ e passed‘ im by to-day.
For days‘ e used to dwell
Inside a guard-room cell,
Where they put the darbies on‘ im for a‘ owlin’ savage brute;
But as by the guard‘ e went
They gave‘ im the present,
The little bugler sounded off the‘ General Salute.’
The band turned out to play
Poor Ginger James away;
‘ Is Captain an’‘ is Company came down to see‘ im off;
An’ thirteen file an’ rank,
With three rounds each of blank;
An’‘ e rode down on a carriage, like a bloomin’ city toff!
‘ E does n't want no pass,
‘ E's journeying first-class;
‘ Is trav'lling rug's a Union Jack, which is n't bad at all;
The tune the drummers play
It ai n't so very gay,
But a rather slow selection, from a piece that's known as
‘ Saul.’