ghley
contingent returned to the Surrey barracks, arriving about 10 o'clock at
night. We found a grand banquet awaiting us, and this, I need scarcely
say, was very welcome after a truly hard day's work. The repast was
succeeded by an entertainment, at which there were vocal and instrumental
music, and readings and recitations, by several of the Keighley
representatives and the Surrey officers. Captain Irving gave readings in
the Cockney dialect, which immensely amused the Yorkshiremen. The Haworth
Drill-sergeant recited "Cockhill Moor Snake," and Bill o' th' Hoylus End
gave "Jack o' th' Syke Hill" and "Come, nivver dee i' thi shell, owd
lad,"--the latter of which our townsman, Squire Leach, publicly recited
on his marriage day, and a few verses of which I am tempted to introduce
here:--

"Come, nivver dee i' thi shell, owd lad,"
Are words but rudely said,
Tho' they may cheer some stricken heart,
Or raise some wretched head;
For they are words ah love,
They're music to mi ear;
They muster up fresh energy
To chase each doubt an' fear.

Nivver dee i' thi shell, owd lad,
Tho' some may laugh an' scorn;
Ther' wor nivver a neet afore ta neet
But what ther come a morn.
An' if blind fortune's used thee bad,
Sho's happen noan so meean;
To morn'll come, an' then for some
T' sun'll shine ageean.

Nivver dee i' thi shell, owd lad,
But let thi motto be--
"Onward!" an' "Excelsior!"
An' try for t' top o' t' tree;
An' if thy enemies still pursue
(Which ten ta one they will),
Show 'em, owd lad, thou'rt doing weel,
An' climbin' up the hill.

Very pleasant hours were those spent with the Surrey Volunteers that
night in spite of our tired and wearied condition. Next day we returned
to Keighley, only to find that after our week's absence the town had not
altered very much!

A VOLUNTEER DRAMATIC SOCIETY

We had found the Surrey Volunteers possessed a very good dramatic class
and a pretty little theatre in the barracks. This led to the formation of
a similar organisation at Keighley, and among the members of the society
were Sergeant Atty, Private Thomas Ackroyd, Corporal Colley, Sergeant
William Brown, Private John Walton, Sergeant Roddy, and Corporal Wright
(_alias_ Bill o' th' Hoylus End). We got a stage erected in the Drill
Hall, and purchased a drop-scene (in the centre of which was worked in
silk a representation of the