Miscellany.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 426, 20 August 1880, Page 3

Miscellany.

REGRET. If I had known, 0 loyal heart, When hand to hand we said farewell, How for all time our paths would part, What shadow on our friendship fell, I should have clasped your hand so close In the warm pressure of my own ; That memory still would keep its clasp If I had known. If I had known, when far and wide We loitered through the summer land, What presence wandered by our side, And o'er you stretched its angel hand ; I should have huehed my careless speech, Tp listen, dear, to every tone That from your lips fell low and sweet, If I had known. If I had known when your kind eyes Met mine in parting, true and sad, Bye? gravely tender, gently wiso, And earnest rather more than glad ; How soon the lids would lie above, So cold and white as sculptured stone, . I ehould have treasured every glance If I had known. If I had known how, from the strife, Of fears, hopes, passions here below, Into a purer, higher life, That you were called, 0 friend, to go ; I would* have stayed my foolish tears, And hush'd each idle sigh and moan, To bid you a last, long God-speed, If I had known. If I had known to what strange place, What myatic, distant, silent shore, Yon calmly turned your steadfast face What time your footsteps left my door, I would have forged a golden link To bind the heart so constant grown, And keep it constant over thee, If I had known. If I had known that, until death Shall with his finger touch my brow, And still the quickening of the breath That stirs with lips full meaning now, So long my feet must tread the way Of our accustomed paths alone, I should have prized your presence more, If I had known. If I had known how soon for you Drew near the ending of the fight, And on your vision pure and true Eternal peace dawned into sight, I should have begged, as love's last gift, That you, before God'egreat white throne, Would pray for your poer friend on earth, If I had known. — Appletorfs Journal. __ - S