ORIGINAL POETRY. SATAN'S PEOPOSBD VISIT TO TUAPEKA.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 119, 19 May 1870, Page 7

ORIGINAL POETRY. SATAN'S PEOPOSBD VISIT TO TUAPEKA.

Down in the murksoine depths below, With aspect sour and glum, The Devil sat, and slowly twirled His finger and his thumb. His coal-black hair streamed down bis face ; v His tail drooped down behind ; 1 %&£ evident that some great care 'Was on poor Satan's mind. His beetled brows bespoke the pain From which he sought relief ; He looked, in short, an ugly mass Of concentrated grief. The fact was this : his votaries Were swarming there in shoals — Too fast, in fact, for soon he found He'd run clean out of coals. He grieved because a roaring fire He could no longer keep ; And thus it was that he was plunged In meditation deep. While thus he mused at length he placed His finger on his nose ; "By Jove ! I have it now ! " he cried, And up he quickly rose. He called together all bis imps And ministers of State, Who, as they gather round his throne, His dread commands await. Thus spoke His Sable Majesty : " Attention to me lend : This night I leave you for a while, And to -the earth ascend. *' Of course you all well know about The scarcity of fuel — In fact, we haven't coals enough To boil our evening gruel. " Now, I have hib upon a plan (Which you'll admit is clever), By which, my children, we can have As good a fire as ever. " New Zealand, as you are aware, Is closer far to us Than men suppose— as close, indeed, As we to Erebus. " In Tuapeka lignite is Abundant, so you see I mean to take advantage of Its close proximity. " At present competition there Is brisk, and coals will fall ; But my old friend George M n Is cheaper than them all. " Tho' men from jealousy had tried Their best poor George to jew, He got his rights at last, and swore That he would see them through. "And now that he is of a pit The undisputed owner, I mean to visit him at once In 2»'opria po'sona. " So after all, my precious ones, Old Satan won't be done. For lie can get good lignite there At five and nine a ton. "And as long credit ill becomes A person of my rank, I'll pay at once (the cheque, of course, Will be upon my bank). " Apropos of fuel, then, One word before I go : I'll bore a hole straight through the earth, And drop the coals below." J. Wetherstones, May 18, 1870.