A VISION.

Te Aroha News, Volume XII, Issue 1771, 18 September 1895, Page 2

A VISION.

My hioiris grby, ¥ut hot with years.-: • WJ-'A . BybON.

VfjC>tiriSQg i the past-winter . Bridge Street, the pniiciple approach Jto Te Aroha, was left in a sad plight owing to the contractor being unable toypomp.lete his works in conl&equpn'cwpf.- the severe, weather. - A cor-. - us the'' following lines which wRI imiuortalise the Town Board.] I had a visioU-in my sleep WhiOh might ha-vo made a Stoic, weep, A fearful apparat.ion sent ' ; , ; i Of works half done, and gold mispent.. ,; , , If would have terrorised the hearts £ Of.ouYCOmmissipners, And the smarts ~, r , / Of consemnee caused them pqou to Oh Mosps, wherefore thus | .. And made the great soul of pur H Regret the money spent, of botching. ..V;,' ' Methought in.dire disrriay l stood '; ; Besifl^CHightj'sea r ,‘, i Of swaying, tossing, treacherous mud/‘Which gaped unceasingly . • Where noble horses fought for life, Men shouted in despair, ' . |i\ ; •.; SReep.bleiifced, oxen lowed, and all '; 5 ' Visa, confusion there/’ :T : v •• , Aii’d Ufainy tried to cross that sea, J . Btrongineir, and women - fair,. ■ Before.my horror-stricken gaze I > TheyWobn'had pGrished there, ; ... ... Yet e’er they sank for evermore . . ' - Their voices did combine , And to a warmer region all % . ’ Commissioners did consign, . .... ' j Abd;bitter!wailing filled the air, T cpuld not close mine ears ' eame.to.pass that I 1 Am- grey; but not with years. ' . Andiswiftly, swiftly, flowed the mud Eugnlphing great and small ; ; Au&f Pom its home in Bridge Street,' came Right up to Smardon’s Hall.; ' L •The.people then with one accord Fled up the Mount of Love v : . To find: a place thereon to rest* Like Noah’s ancient dove. And higher, higher rose the mud .. . Till o’er each land mark tall AU'd oil Te Aroha’s highest crest Spread like a funeral pall, ' / Then.dark ness shook her dusky wings The'SiJn had hid his face / ; ' ! And from the sombre canopy Flamed out the word—Disgrace.

Long years had passed, a scientist . Descending from the moon Did hover o’er a sea of mud In a patent air balloon, '// much tq see thereon . /' Ffyem'en of goodly mien' . /• / ~Wh(>%iey wander to and fro It / . Liko/preatures of a dream •< A®qqb':who;pohdered touch stud deep th^futtire/bright, •: ■ should; gleam beneath The fair.electric light, ; j ,- v . And one who had a frugal mind, Armed with a brush and paste Did deeprate the mud with bills ■ (His soql abhoreth waste), ~<. ... \ The others built them, aerial'roads . ; And footpaths passing fair, / / ; Imagination done the work ,/ ; 1 : For all was built in air, *• What js your doom yd awesome men, I prithee tell to mo,” i • ; They fixed their gloomy gaze, and said : ' Through all eternity •» > We’re dpomed to walk this muddy sea, See nought but mud always : Kismet, ottr fate is life-in-death For ever and a day. ".•■/ .*4 s 3 E. M. ■ •^lypp&S..;;f'