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Henry Lawson - Trooper Campbell
Work rating: Low

One day old Trooper Campbell 
 Rode out to Blackman`s Run, 
His cap-peak and his sabre 
 Were glancing in the sun. 
`Twas New Year`s Eve, and slowly 
 Across the ridges low 
The sad Old Year was drifting 
 To where the old years go. 
 
The trooper`s mind was reading 
 The love-page of his life — 
His love for Mary Wylie 
 Ere she was Blackman`s wife; 
He sorrowed for the sorrows 
 Of the heart a rival won, 
For he knew that there was trouble 
 Out there on Blackman`s Run. 
 
The sapling shades had lengthened, 
 The summer day was late, 
When Blackman met the trooper 
 Beyond the homestead gate. 
And if the hand of trouble 
 Can leave a lasting trace, 
The lines of care had come to stay 
 On poor old Blackman`s face. 
 
`Not good day, Trooper Campbell, 
 It`s a bad, bad day for me — 
You are of all the men on earth 
 The one I wished to see. 
The great black clouds of trouble 
 Above our homestead hang; 
That wild and reckless boy of mine 
 Has joined M`Durmer`s gang. 
 
`Oh! save him, save him, Campbell! 
 I beg in friendship`s name! 
For if they take and hang him, 
 The wife would die of shame. 
Could Mary or her sisters 
 Hold up their heads again, 
And face a woman`s malice 
 Or claim the love of men? 
 
`And if he does a murder 
 `Twere better we were dead. 
Don`t take him, Trooper Campbell, 
 If a price be on his head; 
But shoot him! shoot him, Campbell, 
 When you meet him face to face, 
And save him from the gallows, 
 And us from that disgrace.` 
 
`Now, Tom,` cried Trooper Campbell, 
 `You know your words are wild. 
Though he is wild and reckless, 
 Yet still he is your child; 
So bear up in your trouble, 
 And meet it like a man, 
And tell the wife and daughters 
 I`ll save him if I can.` 
 
The sad Australian sunset 
 Had faded from the west; 
But night brings darker shadows 
 To hearts that cannot rest; 
And Blackman`s wife sat rocking 
 And moaning in her chair. 
`I cannot bear disgrace,` she moaned; 
 `Disgrace I cannot bear. 
 
`In hardship and in trouble 
 I struggled year by year 
To make my children better 
 Than other children here. 
And if my son`s a felon 
 How can I show my face? 
I cannot bear disgrace; my God, 
 I cannot bear disgrace! 
 
`Ah, God in Heaven pardon! 
 I`m selfish in my woe — 
My boy is better-hearted 
 Than many that I know. 
And I will face the world`s disgrace, 
 And, till his mother`s dead, 
My foolish child shall find a place 
 To lay his outlawed head.` 
 

With a sad heart Trooper Campbell 
 Rode back from Blackman`s Run, 
Nor noticed aught about him 
 Till thirteen miles were done; 
When, close beside a cutting, 
 He heard the click of locks, 
And saw the rifle muzzles 
 Were on him from the rocks. 
 
But suddenly a youth rode out, 
 And, close by Campbell`s side: 
`Don`t fire! don`t fire, in heaven`s name! 
 It`s Campbell, boys!` he cried. 
Then one by one in silence 
 The levelled rifles fell, 
For who`d shoot Trooper Campbell 
 Of those who knew him well? 
 
Oh, bravely sat old Campbell, 
 No sign of fear showed he. 
He slowly drew his carbine; 
 It rested by his knee. 
The outlaws` guns were lifted, 
 But none the silence broke, 
Till steadfastly and firmly 
 Old Trooper Campbell spoke. 
 
`That boy that you would ruin 
 Goes home with me, my men; 
Or some of us shall never 
 Ride through the Gap again. 
You know old Trooper Campbell, 
 And have you ever heard 
That bluff or lead could turn him, 
 That e`er he broke his word? 
 
`That reckless lad is playing 
 A heartless villain`s part; 
He knows that he is breaking 
 His poor old mother`s heart. 
He`ll bring a curse upon himself; 
 But `tis not that alone, 
He`ll bring dishonour to a name 
 That I`D be proud to own. 
 
`I speak to you, M`Durmer, — 
 If your heart`s not hardened quite, 
And if you`d seen the trouble 
 At Blackman`s home this night, 
You`d help me now, M`Durmer — 
 I speak as man to man — 
I swore to save that foolish lad, 
 And I`ll save him if I can.` 
 
`Oh, take him!` said M`Durmer, 
 `He`s got a horse to ride.` 
The youngster thought a moment, 
 Then rode to Campbell`s side — 
`Good-bye!` the outlaws shouted, 
 As up the range they sped. 
`A Merry New Year, Campbell,` 
 Was all M`Durmer said. 
 
Then fast along the ridges 
 Two bushmen rode a race, 
And the moonlight lent a glory 
 To Trooper Campbell`s face. 
And ere the new year`s dawning 
 They reached the home at last; 
And this is but a story 
 Of trouble that is past!
Source
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