THE ETRUSCAN LAMP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2815, 26 February 1908, Page 70

THE ETRUSCAN LAMP.

By Roslyn, Auckland. Strange that my sentient hand should hold Thia little larrup of antique mould, For centuries have rolled away Since it -was patterned in the clay. With many a sparkling, ..kindred glance, A lover moulded it, perchance, That, filled with oil, its tiny spark Might cheer his 1 lady in the- dark; Of fervid dreams perchance the fruit, He fashioned out .this- snapely foot, And: on the toe for amulet His signet ring with kisses set. O little lamp! if speech were 'thine, To-day would house thee in a shrine; The palmer world with smiles and tears Would seek thee -for thy tale of .years; How, fair as heaven, or black as hell, Race after race- from empire fell: Until the palmer world would cry: " And how didst thou stern Fate defy, Insensate, hand-made, freakish toy, What magic art didst thou employ That from the maelstrom of the Fast, Like Schiller's goblet, thou art cast? While centuries of perfect flowers, And centuries of dancing hours, With treasure past the finite mind, Are aM as wingbeats on the wind. Art thou che work of demi-god Thai once the slopes of Ida. trod, Yet burned for some Etruscan maid Beneath the oleander's •hade, And with a more than mortal skill „ Compelled dead matter to- his will, So working that his craft should be Still conqueror of each century?" The palmer world wouftrfi.il to giin The answer that would soothe its. pain. 0 little lamp, a riddle thou At Sphinx with wide, unruffled brow, Bare trophy from the classic lands, Tiimmed and letrimmed by hnndred hands! One day in «port «. laughing boy, His sensuous mother's pride, and joy, With cruel, pointed instrument Had* in this tiny sole «r dent ; Bnl, duly mended, lo> once more Its little- light shone as of yore, When all (he fireflies lit the grove For nightingales that eong of love. A world has lived, a- world has died Since Jo the coppersmith they hied; Mountains have risen, islands fled, And river b left their ancient bed. Man like a god walks on the sea, And *11 but death before him, ffise ; But, then, the sweet years slipped awajr In wine «ad roses by the bay, And dole*, dolce was the strain O'er myrtle mountain, viney plain. • The hill of Venus, wreathed In flowers For loves' that kept no count of hours, Till Fate trinaformed like creek of doom Bach bower and hovel &>_ »• tomb — For peatrtess beauty, burning gave; For maaic, jiillnee* of the grave ; The viol, and the harp- were • gone, TTnmariecf Bum ilepi alone, While centuries transformed the earth, And all was changed save dsath end birth jj Till late thy resurrection nme, Survivor of decay and toe: They cry in vain, "New lamps for old I" Unmatched, tho' Afric gave her gold.

The German army of 1908 will compris* 501,990 soldiers, 85,166 non-commissioned officers, and 25,465 officers.