OFFERINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 87

OFFERINGS.

Bx John Christib. I

COMPDKSATICXSrS. In Bttmtered ways we walk the worlds Yet I glory in the passion and the pain, For thy soul to my soul H*s given oi the ' wine of tbe morning And refreshed my heart With glorious joy. Thou, too, shall rejoice in thy love, Wiucn even id tee darkest night Shall burn sweetly within thy breast iiifc© a, star in the folds of a fleecy cloud, And" shall mi&gho with thy dsre&ms> As moonlight nrnrgieß with waves of th« sea, Or tile breath of roses "With the summer air THE EVBKLA.STINO YEA. Where is she now— the fairest maid That walked the w*ya ol yore? Gone like a dewdrop of the gl&dfe, A bubble oi the shore? And of the beauty of her face, The brightness of bjer eye, "KThai lives tuas '.Uvrag men msiy trace^In earth, oar sea, or sky? And what of -him, to w&oan till tfeith ' Sh« wap the shining star, Tha.. led him from the ways of scaitfi Ti» where the glories «xc: To waom the music oi her mouth, v The magic in her eyes, W,«re sweet as summer in the south* Gr nigat in Paridiee^? ' Gone! Gone hia spirifs brm-ve onreafc. As though it 3j»<t not beea; Ana g6ne ius mann-od vn, its best— A shadow from a screen! So that in eadaess dust they lie — The lover and the maid; As even, ioj, saaiv thou and X At last, sweet love, be laid. Then let us love while yet tte day Is shining overhead; '. Kay, lov>e, till Jove's oejestial sway ! lteth ahow there are no dead: Pot 1ov« lit© tfeine and .-ove like mm* Is K*>t a thing of breath, B ™ like * d e at h-«£« star ahall skin* Throughout th® ncght of death. So ooma, O kwe! and dwell with n» Amongst t<he mighty hills, ~ wondrous tilings aiall comfort th«e And lull the care that loBa; And where, in pea^ too pure for pride, The hours ehaJJ come and go Aa hours were wont at Humaaortid* In Tempe long ago. PASSING CLOUDS. I **>** ha« ite times of wintry gloom i As well as sunxmer shining > • Bu *l X) «, «w»t be their h**rt of grao. Who, thewsiore, sit repining Ana bo, thougii c.ouds are iowering now. VV« must not be unchwrie, But think of brighter <tey 8 to come, -U3 dearie, lUJ aeane. A3 v^ ho^ *i 3^ lf «** sweetness fraught, Thy heart is filted with feeling; , Hw,t o«r the moon are eteaJiagThey dyricen, but tt^ey cannot qWck w& rather g:orifie6 ih *» «li Wrth most cel«6tial whiteness. ! m *' A ¥ f n * w « gaze ttey pass *wa» j With stars sarenely tender, : The gracious planet shines agam In unduninaahed eplendoux? ■ «fo r CALuKES. * !»«! : ! * Dd P°t»tces: * Hor« divine ffth. d °^ y ' "^ wh^i x Ih»t have cWK ♦!. V*** lo *** Plates I O oft^V^^he^^^^ " ,Oome-sl ayi and j^ ela£n ', — _ . c PASSIOK. ■* I- we mus t foj. ev<sr t « D^r£f^° asau i 6hall m «*. ! JJearest dear and sweetest sweet. * that meeting every pain t m ,t E «.f to be t When it mingles with the sen. ) ACCTJUSU ? Tho burning poison of * draught * _™a dark and deadly drugs distilled E ll^uT'r 01^ .^iu™ g heart 1 As thou W worked in mine. I q u«ft I wflT 81011 was filled t ££* tufl whilst thou with cruel art , fl -™* "«* thyeelf to phty a part, 3 And ruthlessly th*t p*rt wa*' played; a But surely thou shalt be rep»M. ', c I d«aned the* of the very v*n I f S??i Bh t* »: lte W *° wto with scora ° Tie almost f ayonr of thy j,^^ fc M*y L© become me much iprsworn, t, As &ou, mti thou thyself as lorn And wrecked and reasonless as I, ? who mm not fit to live nor die, « — «— — {a] 3X>VBB AND LASS E I* was a lover and his hwsHow they ; walked «nd talked " ti And rejojcea in each other! a: |tAa s.x *■* t Jlowwr .ad to«©, a ; gover at ih» feet S! •Tie wfld bird's son*, *> Tie fi«l6\ the sky, oj And ithe flowing river. ' di

But the youth's heart Beat, beat to one wild tune; "W'oirw ME IMJiOUTAI. WITH A KISS.' And both felt .that in each other •Riey had found the secret of eternity : Others might die in due season, Bxit never would dea-th oozne to them. Oh! the glory of love; — To feel immortal in itself, And to deem that its idol cannot perish In the common way of mortal men! So they walked and talked, Tht* comely pair: Xt was new Bea.v«n and new earth ■Wih'^har soever they rambled. Su-oiy, said they in their hearts, ! Evil shall now cease I\}rev«: -and evermore. But though -they had their season of joy They also had their days of sorrow; And now they sleep in tte dust, In the deep, -quiet earth; And wiw are they that walk In -their lovetime's places? Whoever they m*y be I*et .hem walk and tali. And be happy in each other, Heedless of tbe shadow Gi the coming years. "Why rfiotrld the golden morn Sadden at thought of the gleaming grey?