VARIOUS VERSE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 313, 11 January 1908, Page 3

VARIOUS VERSE

THE MAMELUKE'S LEAK

[On March Ist, 1811, Mohammed Aii asha of Egypt, invited the Mameluke '•'■»»« to a least in the citadel at Cairo 'ml massacred all of them save one, '•-mm Ley, into whose mouth the following verses were put.] With clang of cymbals and rattle of drums, In scarlet and in gold, My mates and I went forth to die In the heart of the J'aslia's hold There.was never a voice to bid us'stav There was never a warning wor< j "' Hut the guests of the feast were the'un clean beast And the wide-winged scavenger bird.

But when we rode through the lornbazaar " The traders all made wav, And far and near men shrank in fear I'rom the sight of our array, As with clank of scabbard and clatter of hoof We rode to the Pasha's board The cream and llower of the power, The masters of the sword. When as we came to the citadel ramp _ I he sun was red and hi a h v Hut we looked our last ere his Ibdit ivi« passed ' " a - I poll (tod's good earth and sky l''»r as we rode up the citadel lane (And steep it is to ride) The way was blocked and the gates were locked, And death was on either side.

TheJ'asha's soldiers lined the road, Wild men from over sea, To left and right in kirtles Vh'te, With guns and musketry. Small hope was there to scale the walls That frowned on either hand. From overhead the Hying lead Made mock of steel and brand.

Tur blades leapt out, our heels drove home, We galloped to and fro. But never a man from rear or van Could reaeli the moeking foe. The red sparks Hew from our chargers' hoofs, The narrow roadway rang With curse and groan, with the bullet's moan, And armour's clash and clang. For me, I had passed the upper gate Or ever the fray began, And hand on haft'l turned and laughed As the murderers fired and ran. ° T drove my mare to the platform wide Where the black guns stand a-row. With a shake of the rein 1 spurred amain And leapt to the desert 'Mow.

A jarring crash and a whirl of sand —Tt was fifty foot and more— And inv marc lav dead, but I rose, and fled, Though body and heart wore sore, Through the Tombs of the Kings and the desert sand Till I mot with a caravan; And far from (lie ken of Pasha's men I dwell in Kordofan. Now the curse of Clod and the Prophet of Ooil. The curse of the Seven Imams, Lie heavy as lead on the Pasha's head And on each of his dog Nozams! Hut may grain and water of Paradise Be the lot of my pood grey mare, Who horc me clear from that house of fear When my comrades perished there! —J. H. Knight-Adkin in the "Spectator." Tilli Lwi<DLl.\U iS DAUJiITEII.

It was a lordling's daughter, the fairest one oi Uree, And on, sue loved a sailor lad, as well as well migut be, Dut ne sailed away at Christinas-tide, and Hie ship was lost at sea, And bitterly sue mourned mm. As m the spring she sat and wept beneain tiie budding spray, Auulliur lad thai loved uer well beside lier satliy lay, And look Her hand between his own and kissed her tears away, Who lavoured not nor scorned him. But as he kissed her, youth ,aud nature softly, bliudly strove, ' And to his lips without design her lips began to move; Her eyes were brimming so with tears she took him lor her love, And soltly, blindly kissed him. Then every tear awoke a kiss and every kiss a tear; Against his heart her heart was warm, and all the sweet o' the year Quickened the spirit through the blood, and since her love was there, She could no more resist him. Love is eternal, so we sing:' Ah, yet it is no shame For love to take another shape, another | heart and name, I And as for that she lost, before another [ Christmas came, I I think she hardly missed him. [ LAUGHTEK OK TEAKS. As the days go by and our wrinkle* grow, And our hair is touched with white, Are we witty and smart or dull and slow, As dwarfs remain, or to giants grow In the worth of our wrong or right. This is the greatest of all we learn In the things we dream and do, Ere the wheel lias slowed to its i'ujal turn, ; *' •'■'' And we rea)! the fruits that our years may earn, And the deeds we have done are lew, 80 few, The good deeds done are few. This is"the wisdom of all the years, The rap ; d and changeable, varying years, Wherever we strnv, at work and at play, Laughter is better than tears, Weak tears; 1 aii"hter is better than tears. ; ' \iuf this vou will know when yojjr Ul« ;« told.

Anil you've trodden the silent way. You have had your measure of heat and cold, . .. ~ | Your pleasures and penalties niamlold, Your work and worry and play. , \nd it's all the. worth of the way yon toil, L , And the will you bring to bear, Tf you've garnered armfuls of goodly spoil, Or scattered vour wicat and spilt your oil ' . IIn the weakness of despair. - Despair. The sadness of despair. Yes! this is the wisdom of all the years. The gathered experiences of hastening years, Wherever we stray, at work or at play. Laughter is better than tears, Vain tears; Laughter is better than tears. _By W. M. F.