IN THE FIRELIGHT.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 8, 21 January 1905, Page 5 (Supplement)

IN THE FIRELIGHT.

I’m sitting in the firelight, love, and shadows come and go. While memories of bygone days, like seatide, ebb and flow. Ah, me! it seems but yesterday since I was young and gay; Life is not long: and swiftly speed the hours of youth away. I think of childhood’s early years, so free from thought'and care, When only sunshine fell on me, and every scene was fair; Of later years, when life began to wear an aspect real, When hope and love, with doubt and fear, would o’er my spirit steal ; v. days when skies grew dark and dreir, the sun obscured from view, When troubles Came, and friends fell off,, and all were false but you; When labour stern, with hand and brain, my portion seemed to be, And Fortune, like a phantom wild, for over fled from me; And then, of sweet and halcyon hours, when sitting side by side, I felt that 1 had conquered Fate, with you my gentle bride. Ah! only a few brief summer sunshines did you bring, And now though three long, long years have passed, methinks I hear you sing

The' simple lays you used to chant, in accents soft low, < As in the firelight, hand in hand, we Eat long years ago. A lonely path has been my lot, I’ve many changes seen. Shadow and shine, with varied cares, and smiles and tears between. Right, nobly did you counsel me to slack not hand or heart, But on the battlefield of life to bia.fiy act my part; And now the field is nearly won, the conflict nearly o’er, And clang and clash and loud hurrah will soon be heard no more. I, too, shall soon be with the past, my place will vacant lie. God grant that on the other shore I share a home with thee. My fire is burning low and dim, the shadows deeper grow, While sweet, sad memories crowd my heart of days long, long ago. —J. F. Burke. Aramoho.