Rule Britannia.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1629, 21 December 1912, Page 14

Rule Britannia.

[fiy. E.'M.r,lor.''SEie : BoKisiiiioEi.3 ■ El

f ÜB.oun had not long risen upon j -.'an!'. East .Coast>■.lsewv■.Zealand j landscape,touching -with hia-j early rays the roois ; : bf v a'-little.j -V tiwiport town, aiid jn-r j habitants to the toils and, .ar! new day. • A young mun, with- axe on, •ehbui'tUjiv. took his upland way, -whistling; blithely, in the fresh morning.; air, ; and _ followed : at.heel by.a fine.collie, dog. Ilie; scene,* ; the • route by ' Which he travelled,. was' not without-; peculiar, interest. i.Cnpr, tain-.Cook's-hrst glance/of - joy had;rc6tedhere,• as hi£ white-winded .herald of liri-. tish'.'oivili&ation, had slowly, made its way over.-.the. .olertr. waters .of ; yonder bay; here;had- 'and- terrified jNa--| tivesi gathered in anxitfus.' consultation as,. ! the :.'pioneer. drew liign; upon., this chore had' taken; place the first desperate encounter between; tho-brown- race and -tho .white. v '" • No.r.frtter; representative ■of their-'Uiti-. mate union could have. been found than • the hero of our "present ..tale," -whoso reinsurance fblood .of both, as ovidenced :; by his tawny skin, brown .eyes, uluck ahid'.'dauhtleW bearing.;!!. A, produOt.. of peculiar : circumstances..was he, a son of the' nineteenth • century, .• and -of no other, possible .conditionrrft 'new oi a New Strong,. pareless,. Uealthy, happy,'- he -strode - along, ignorant pf destiny r .andicareless/oL.tho; past... Yet, there, is depth of thought to bo. detected in tnat <x>unwnance--sonie pathos, much capacity .7, intelligent,, student, of-. huiuanr ity w;ould'find ;much/to_interest him here; would* turn--again,;and speculato.as to ,the. "probable:..characteristics .of .a..youth; so, • specially - designed .]jy- Nature--as.-a .-.now:. type;-,in • her .ever-rvarying. -plan.,. UreeK, Roin.ani!, Hebrew. - Celt,. niay. pass before ;him-in-review; here is none of these, yet perchance something of or...what purpose :;may,.have .arisen-;this\bold com-. bination>of the-savage-and• the civilised,. or is^mighty:Accident : alone. responsible,, froni^accidental birth-to-accidental end?' Another-:-story seems - tc--speak-in= • -the mournful, depths of. those-.soft brown • 'eyesi- l ''in-' * the • • radiant;- -flashing - smile,- in the strong physique, in.the shy,.yet,confident bearing. : , ' ..... :.. Henare Kingi' mounted 1 , up- and- up- the .track,., now .. and aS^LII- - clanojhgA,seo / ward, • or..^hero/white Cii4s bounding tlie-opposite , side of .the wide sweeping ,-.bajC no Wv caught the 'gleam® ot. the .early.,sunlight; ..llich. the purple shadows, exquisite -the gleaming white-. nessVef ,the high" lights,, but the young man's gaze lingered rather on. fiw lar horizon-line; bevond; r : beyond thejsky . line Ah, wlwt r niay . lie beyond .that mysterious line. s -, One-side of.ihie uatur.e' reyels,in,myar tery."" Secluded, narrowed, confined. with* in of-.an solitary. islo,".imagin'a-' tion. '.peoples•, the; ..vast; Beyond, ; and super- v ■ stition*-lovpfl to dwell-on the possibilities of and - the Immense. lTie, •other;'side:of his nature represents grati-fied-adventure; knowledge of-the peopled regions of,, the . globe, jts thronging marls, its-'commerce* and its history. Can it ever - be»that'- for -s him those marts may. be open, that history laid, bare? . Oh, , for the •'white swings -of • Opportunity to waft him>outward,*evea r as Cook's .whitenings had borne the adventurer thither.Henare was bound .upon. no..adventure more romantic than to'earn his daily bread by.. necessary toil. •••: To fell. tho mighty"- giants* pf'. : the native forest, ;to. Cut;^ts';.huge v .'Umbs into manageabl-o , to : sledge tlio timber to' the'little, 'towiii by a'ihuddy "track, was his. present, task,„ and, soon he was engaged upon a promising, specimen,': the blows of his axe ringing.,.through .the, grove, while his dog jumped and barked, chasing,, tho fragrant . chips as'lbey'.flew' round. -.'-By-and-by ho slopped for a while ,to reat and snioko, bac even-as the niatch ..was struck' h© pauSsd, did let It fall unheeded to. the grouud as an unusual sound fell up<m liis-startled ear. It was a eweet-voice, singing in ithe morning i'air; "nndVtKe.. song was loud and clear, and drawing even nearer.' ? Henare obeyed an impulse, and sprang- behind a tree, peering from its Bhelteriin tho direction of the voice. Soonia girl appeared, slowlv climbing the ' mountain track,.'and',as sne climbert, she sang. .v.: She, too, was brown of tkin, dark of eye,: and strong'of limb;; she," too, bore tne impress of a mixed parentages she, too, had : the bold, fres Wiring of the Now Zealand-born, j A kerchief only confined her. da-rk?jiwCloffi!Cand she'cars ried a ;ji)ridle in her hand. _ A peculiar 1 . futturaj" expression of surprise foil from lenare;'as shc.-:cfttie';;itt. 'Janie out froni his hiding place. Ht-was Beclca —he knew Becka;

"How- you sing," he exclaimed tn a tone of genuine surprise. Then: ."Why are you;nere so early, Becka?" These'young people knew one another well. Belonging, tenths same class. and neighbourhood,' tliey* had'"attended ..the same public school, apd played, together, all their lives; yet Henare was/surprisedat the volume and quality,,.of . Becka's. Bong. '. '' ,l '' J She novr practised a little of the art of her mother race. . She"' instinctively tried to draw Borne portion ..of her loose; raiment - over the lower l part'of "her face; Whence'-.'comes this curious, ancient in-stinct—Egyptian;-Jewish; ■ Oriental,, or: Malay?..;.- ; j Thenivßecka -'remembered that • it was I only Ilenare before her, and she dropped her attempt at -veilingi' and oame forwpd yrith an,: exclamation of joy, exclaiming, "I am looking foT my horse.' "I'll '.help you," said Henare. Then-followed a prolonged chase in the woodland ways, ending :in the securing of the frisky bay;:;which Had- hitherto eluded .Becka's' efforts..' It is, to. be doubted which enjoyed the frolic the most— the dog,-the horse, the girl, or the. bo?.. Breathless with'.e'xertibn the young couple threw themselves down upon the green eward, itho horse being .'eccuroly -.fasfHH to a.stump near by. >> •••';» "Sing7*Becka," said ;the .boy, when, they bad recovered;;' "sing again, and' sing a 60.ng of-war." • For . war was.. in., the air, and . pppulai catches And patriotic .songs were .heard.-In every street and byway.. , .. ■ , . "And, 'if I sing' of war," said Beck a, "you will'want to go away across the sea and joif the great war." "And'-you, too, Becka, would wish to go across the sea," said Henare. "See how blue, how; bright; ■ how .far; yonder pathway- showslu6 .a shining track acr.o'ss the waters, and yon and I-might go—l-to fight for you, and you to sing before the I sing before the' King," said Becka, - "I will sing: "Rule, Britannia, Britannia Rules, tho ■ Wave,' for that is what they all sing now when, they speak ( of the King." ... .... "And 'it is a good song, said Henare., '1 could sing it myself." i "Oirtd on, then,"' said Becka, anil jumping- up she danced and leaped about upon the grassy Ward, assuming many an attitude of wild, untutored grace as she sane, her., voice, ringing .through the glade—''Rule, Britannia, Britannia Rules tho Wave." ■-.■■■ < • ■ ' It was too much for Henare, and he eprangOT), too,, and joined the.danco and song, and so did the'"dog.' ' Tho Ijoy and prl, closely followed by the animali-circled and pirouetted in and out and round about, performing a dance peculiar-to their mother's tribe, white their voices mingled in EnTopean song. It wa-s n complete abandonment, and as bv-nn'd-lw. with faces bright with fun and flee, they sank exhausted on the era's, Henare. cried:""And von and I, Bf"ka. rVou and T, truly we should dance n,ui erwt TOng." : ; And dog'-barked a gay, osssnt." i ffwdays later there was,a picturesque '•tin* in which one at least of those per"took a prominent part.. A trial « Ksin'ir wiacted of those conraderwl fit rro tn.'tho war as Colonial Roughriders. trial was held in a broad field on tho of the town. Golden sunshine • the scene, and cn.st into deeper !nt tha (ihad'OTTS of the poplars and rhiV'a fringed,.the field. All tho. •♦'■ fil- chivalry ''.of the country was ■ I'Wriil there, and a crowd of those in- ' <r|-;d. and of anxious friends and re- ■ '■•.— c Vyinlored the trial ground, which 1 , ppovi.Awt with . hurdles and: various to' try „■ ; .tho .skill fif f-hq ridora:arid:thoir':horsps: .. P-w-fca Rtood on tho outskirts of .the f.wv.'tl! hair covered with' a.light skwl. which oonoealed much of her faoe,

'leaving her brown observant eyos free, 'l'hey were eagerly watching Henaro. ilo, mounted.oh Becka's'frisky bay,' was caus'iuff the- animal to prance mid pirouette ■in tile field, beyond the crowd while awaiting His tiirn, Name after nomo was called, and at each call a youth well-mounted essayed the difficult passage, to reoeive the plaudits of the orowd or to ryliiv) disappointed- if any failure oocurred. . i.ach made tho trial ihroa times, and the judges took, note of the performance. . ■ Henaro's name was called, and he advanced." Becka trembled, and her eyes gleamed and sparkled in the shadow, the 'first trial wiis a brilliant success for both horse and rider. The crowd applauded. The second trial even excelled the first, and there was great applause. The third. Flushed with'triumph; beautiful in youth and victory, Henare .sat the bay steed, and, glancing round, his eyes met those of Becka, scintillating like diamonds in the shadow. "For the King and for Britannia,shouted ' ho, waving high his 'hunting crop, as he dashed to the last victorious, trip across the hurdled space, Over—oyer. Again, again, again. Up and over —up and over again. The bay bounded dear-of all obstacles. The enthusiasm .of the.crowd burst bounds in shouts and cheers, and amid the din a sweet voice '< rose- high in the air, soaring liko a lark above.the noise of earth, singing, "Rule, Britannia, Britannia Rules the Waves. The crowd caught iiu the measure, and joined in chorus loua, which went ringing to the sky, while Benare, with bared head,- sat ■ his - . prancing steed and sent •forth, his voice-in a harmony which nevertheless struck like a knell on the ears of Becka. Her voice died away, but not before she had attracted the notice of a stranger lingering. near. Ho was an Englishman in tourist dress,. and alter ■keenly regarding the brown girl .for a few .moments, he made his way towards.her. He was the manager, of an operatic com-i-pany visiting tho .tbwn. ;

A year had passed, and our scene is completely changed. Hera, is a hospital tent, a stretcher, and.a. sorely-wounded man. V white-capped nurse bends above him. Silence: reigns, but for the irrepressible groans of tne sufferers around. "Siflff," .said a voice, ."that we may forget our woes.", ... . , ' ''Sing," said the brown-skinned, wound'ed man, "and.let,me dreain of Beoka. " Soft and: low a sweet voico stole upon the earn of agony and painra voice clrar ns that .of an angel; but the sweet ,voioe sang no hoavonly fong, but. bore up tho refrain, "Rule, Britannia, Britannia rul«s the waves." No loud chorus, no triumphant tones,' replied nor joined the tong, but weak fingers beat a on blanket or. on canvas, and a pair of lirupid, dark brown, eyos overflowed with moisture _ asHonare,' looking upwards, saw bending above him the face of Beckn. Tho forest, the ganibolling steed, the verdant

field, the golden sunshine, the dissolving cruwd::-"Andyoti I, Bcofca, shall we sihg'?' :r ßule Britannia'; in. the presence of •the great King?" l ' ■ "■ ' • ' Again my 6cene is changed. There is nothing here to recall the past. It is the Palaoo, and a great reception is in progress, Women with jewelled coronets and clad in glowing silks and finest laces sw«cp,jonw^JTto' tj.fid,.before their: Sov-ereign;-and": to'be received-as hif: guests. There is'no suffering, no pain, no want I nor eare in all the world. It is a world ' oon; posed of fair women and brave men; of gold apd scarlet; of glitter of feast, and of song. Exquisite music steals. upon the .senses and : cojnmands silence—silence pregnant with emotion. It is the prelude ;to the; • Now ; Zealand singer's number ;■ strange/exquisite, melodious, rare, with ',a "fragrance all its own. She sweeps upon the stage; her dark, brown hair. wftly .frames a ;face with noble brow and soft, limpid, brown eyes, whose shadows seem to; tell that they have looked upon unutterable things. A sweet, full, rich voice steals ' upon the waiting'' silence. She sings a song of her own land, and in her own rich and /mellifluous.-tongue. How. strange, how sweat, how exquisitely sad. Another, and yet another. But the singer's gaze is transfixed, for another scene is before .her. vision. / Yonder dark-hued warrior in some strange uniform, who is regarding her from the outskirts of the gay .and curious crowd. Can it indeed be TFcnam? : And hare—in the presence of tho King: Her vision wavers; the forest, the gambolling steed, fields bathed in golden sunshine, the, deep shade, of willow and of pciplar, the prancing, steeds, the ringing cheers, a hospital tent, a sorely-wounded, man, a white-capped nurse, a weak, murmuring voice calling upon Becka: "Wo may meet yet in tho presence of the great King/' .

..She reels, she wavers; she recovers herself, and hesitates a second. Her voice rises, catches, gives a note; the miigioians realise her wish; she pours forth her voice in popular song, "Rule, Britannia, Britannia Rules the Waves." ' Up go the stirring notes, as thojigh to reach the starry sky beyond. ; ,But what is this P _ Can "this be. Other voioes have joined in, and all the magnificent assemblage, lost to conventionalism, carried away by a voice and led by a dark-hued queen of song, sway and swing, and with hand olasped in band and eyes bright with enthusiasm or dim with patriotic tears, send voices ringing to the vaulted roof in the strain of "Rule, Britannia, Britannia Rul«b the Waves." - But Becka, gliding from the stage, was lost amid tho throng, and a dark-hued warrior is moving to meet her. Hand clasped in hand, they stand together.,-in tho presence of tho great King. ; * •»• But the Queen of Song must ring affain. This time she pours forth no rong of her own land, but -sings from "Trovatoro".— Home to Our Mountains, let us. return, lovo. Homo to Out Mountains, let us return.