A DEATH SONG.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 392, 10 August 1889, Page 3

A DEATH SONG.

Aim,, my chief, ala&, ray father, you sleep within a, narrow home ; Here standeth the great house of Mamilriri— tho house of thy building ; • > . '" Ils timbeisyclare upright, .its rafters yet.aic sound, Within its portals is warmth and rest for thee— for thee— ' • But now, alas, thy sleeping-place is cold— thy narrow homo is clay, Alas !, alas 1 0 Friend, O Preserver; now thou art clothed in the garments of everlasting darkness— The impenetrable' garments of the vast u'n-' known; , . Ko more Shall Pavakiove" engird thy loins — No nitfre in war or peace Shall the Atinroni he Jed- by thee— Alas ! alas ! JTo niovi shall ye grjsp Ngarnramata, thy weapon of war, . No more shall ye proudly adorn the points of thy. spears ; No more suall ye hurl your warriors forth ; Ko moro' shall ye stand in the ranks of war, ' i , Alas ! alas !

v We part for ever, and over and ever, W6 part tor over you und I ; Wo hand you over to the paths of Itafea, whose . ways are unfathomable. .Death, O ! death ia a powerful conqueror — stronger is he than yon 1 or I, His battlomcnts have ever been against us— against us, Alas'! alas! O, my groat parent, famous wertjhouin numberless ways ; Your possessions were vast— great were you in disputed wealth. Perhaps therein licth hidden the 'cause of thy untimely doom* in secret sped the arrow that -pierced thy heart. Alas! alas! Thy enemies rejoice with loud voices, they sing songs ot' triumph. Human tannvhas pick their teeth with glee and laugh a horrid laugh, Andlo ! in the horison distant the young women of Atihua dance tlio dance of joy. Alas! alas! Rejoice, rejoice! ye haters Qf him who is no ■ more ! ICahu's heir is lost to us. A descendant of mighty heroes, he came when ' . the aim was brightly^ shining— 'Aye, the sun shone brightly oa the battlements that guard tlje. long: road of Hei, Let thy enemies reie>ice with 'glee— l have no power to avenge thfce. ." ' ' lamentation, lamentation and tears of sadness , is my only reply. ' [ , "Alas! alas! Aye, brightly shoma-thc jriorning sun on the famous charge at Whatitokarua, The burial place of Ivahu, the "sleeping tomb of Porbtini, The celebrated ancestors qf Hotiiroa and oC Kamvevo. But now the sun is robed in gloom, the darkness thickens round us, Alas ! alas ! The people of Totoro will mourn, the people of distant places will bittorly lament ; They will weep with thy kindred, they will cry alolid in sorrow, O Father ! O Father ! Let thy memory be a rock—ar rock in the purges of strife, r ' Alas! alajs,!.. 'Thy memory shall not perish ; it shall remain with thy children for -over and' ever, > While we reside in the shelter of thy great house, our ever loycu abode. O Rerenga. R,erenga,.in the i d*rkness art thou cngulphed' 1 or evermore ! Terrible, terrible the.great disaster ! Wrecked. O wrecked,, is our canoe. 1 Alas ! alas ! An ancient war garment.

Getting Down to It— Judge-*" Jttiss, will v you please give yonf age'?" Witness — " 1 * am 27 years old "' ■ " Your correct a^e, ' please."" '• And 120 months." lj - ' • You will find, my clear boy, that the dearth , ' prized kiss, , , Which, with vapture you snatched from the half -willing missj ' Is sweeter by tay than the legalised kisses You give the same girl when ycm re made her your Mrs.