OUR EARLY HOMES.

Colonist, Issue 62, 25 May 1858, Page 3

OUR EARLY HOMES.

The daya of early childhood, the homes of girls arid: boys, They walk beside us'ever, with, all their love and joys; We brush the morning dew drops, from violets in the ---.lane,--- • ~.,,:■: ..^ ■■■(~..:■ ..■ ..-..• ....... Oive chase to summer's butterfly, arid cull its flowers again. The days of early childhood! the homes that we remember— . s ■ The first ripe fruits of autumn, and mirth of cold December; • The famous fun on the ice-pond, the revellinga mid the snow, -.-.'■■ The dear old halls where we hung the holly and mistletoe. . . ->..•.'■ The days of early childhood !, when gathering round the fire, , • We roasted the brown chestnuts, and watched the flames dance higher; Then many a laugh went round, then many a tale was told, -■.•v... And splendid castles built in air, upon that hearthstone old. The days of early childhood! the homes where,we were blest, When heart and brow unclouded knew little of unrest; When dreams were those of sunshiue, and soft hands wiped our tears As we whispered all our sorrow to loving listening ears. The days of early childhood! o'er land and sea afar, Through telling years we've wandered, but still that morning star . Has pierced through. days of darkness, hath beamed upon us ever— The body only emigrates, the spirit leaveth never. The days of early childhood! when rainbow colors decked The hopas we launched before us; the bygones that were wrecked : - By many a wild.ike hurricane upon our pictured shore, Till the shifting sands forbade us that we should trust them more. :. The days of early childhood! one link in memory's chain ■ Touched by the electric fire brings them all back again; . We stand beside the homestead, and see tho tall.grass wave,- . . . . ,':■' While the shade of the village spire falls on our mother's grave. '"•. The days; of earl^ Childhood! we've sought-the world around, "' - - • - i. •, . Life's bittera and its sweets mid; all our wanderings found; - ' \" Still from the hush of solitude, and through the city's noise, We take a loving, lingering look on the homes of girls and boys. ' kelson, May 11. r EH. Courage and Presence of Mind op a Lao.— Lately, a youngster, the son of Charles KeJlett, living on the Middle Creek, Ovens River, Victoria, disturbed a stone close to his father's house, when a brown snake sprang from beneath it and bit him in the middle finger of one hand. The lad, grasping the finger with all his force, started at a run to the house, and seeing his father, exclaimed, " Cut^ my finger off, father, a snake has bit me.". Seeing" the marks of the fangs, the father did not delay an instant, but seized a tomahawk and at once severed the finger in question from the hand, the lad holding but his hand firmly, and undergoing the operation without wincing.' The father then sucked the wound for some time, and we are happy to add that the bold little" boy was saved from the fatal consequences of the reptile's venom. Crinoline MisusED.~-The gigantic crinoline petticoats, which are still the fashion, have, it is known, been several times employed to defraud the octroi at Paius. At Toulouse, a few days ago, the octroi men, struck by the crinolines of a woman and her daughter, named Peguillan, had them searched by a female; and it turned out that under one crinoline not fewer than 12 patridgos, and under the other a hare and three rabbits were secreted! Madame Peguillan was oh Saturday for this fraud fined IOOf. by the Tribunal of Correctional Police of Toulouse; .her daughter, being under age, was not proceeded against.