The War God. From The Spectator.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume II, Issue 97, 18 January 1900, Page 3

The War God. From The Spectator.

Pakeha.

All hai\ to the War god'l His victims are williug — The wheels of his chariot are juicy with gore ; His sinews immortal ne'er slacken with killing ; He's caking our best, and he ravens for more. With Destiny's hammer, he plies blow on blow — The squelch of soft metal is heard from below— But his strokes it must feel, Till it ring true as steel, For he's welding the Empire the Future shall know. His service parting, and hardship, and dauger, Sad homes — loving hearts, with anxiety gnawed — The dying afar i-i the arms of the stranger — The sting of the bullet — the kiss of tho swordHe grinds from his blood rack each nerve- wrenching throe, Till he towers in form like a Demon of Woe, But the dark hidden face Fills with glory and grace, As lie measures the strength that the Future shall know. He cleanses corruption of ease and of pleasure — He scours off the rust of the long years of Peace — 'Tis manhood, not wealth, that lies defp in his measure, He stnpa hilse conceit like the shears strip the fleece. He bida the deop foaling of comradeship glow, Where shouMer to shoulder strong hearts front the foe ; And with blood and keen pain Is he forging the chain That shall anchor the Empire the Future shall know. Selfsacrifice — Duty — through suffering or slaughter : These pile up his altars — hia ceaseless demand ; By ages x>f hero blood, poured out like water, He tempers the steel to his worldblasting hand Through seven-fold fire must his handicraft go ; He bid the corpse stiffen — the burning tears flow — Yet in love doth he smite, Like an Angel of Light, J Welding Manhood and Bight that %he. Future shall know. . , :. I', .

" It takes my wife three days to go to a picnic." " How is that ?" " She takes a day to get ready, a day t to go^and a day to get over it."