Page:Departmental Ditties and Ballads and Barrack-Room Ballads, Kipling, 1899.djvu/19

 ARMY HEAD-QUARTERS

of the "Operatic Own,"

Was dowered with a tenor voice of super-Santley-tone.

His views on equitation were, perhaps, a trifle queer;

He had no seat worth mentioning, but oh! he had an ear.

He clubbed his wretched company a dozen times a day,

He used to leave his charger in a parabolic way,

His method of saluting was the joy of all beholders,

But Ahasuerus Jenkins had a head upon his shoulders.

He took two months at Simla when the year was at the spring.

And underneath the deodars eternally did sing. 5