CHAPTER XLV.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2033, 18 July 1885, Page 5 (Supplement)

CHAPTER XLV.

The afternoon sun shines upon ma- 1 biundless Pacific. Not a, cloud is in the sky; the sun app^is ia a doms of blue, fringed with gold; the oceaa rises and falls in peaceful swells, creating wonderful tints of blue from ultramarine to sea green. The white winged birds alone break the cerulean of the heavens. There is a breeze, but so gentle as almost to be imperceptible. A vessel, half boat half yacht, rides and falls with the swell of the tceau. In her are three men. Steering towards the derelict is a n^ble vessel, the sails but half filled by the idle wind. She has seen the signals and is bearing down to take the castaways back co the grutit world they have not seen ho long. They do not speak, these rnon. Two of them regard with eager eyes the deliverer and wave white flags. The third sits by himself, his gaze fixed upon the deep unfathomable ocean. Up, up the balloon had borne the boat when Ebby's desperate axe cut the rope. A picture, however, was indelibly fixed upon Herbert's mental retina : hia dead love, her murdered father, the cruel bloodthirsty crowd, the magnificent enraged young savage. Then all had vanished like the figures in a dream. At lose a tertible convulsion had swallowed i up the island, and the sinner and the sinned against bad disappeared for ever. Tha island had returned whence it had come. The ocean rolled placidly over the spot tkat had witnessed so many tragedies, that had «een so muck of honor, love and hate and passion and sorrow and happiness. It was no more 1 1101 l on, mighty ocean, calmly, coldly, placidly as if thou hidest nothing in thy awlul bosom ; roll on thou emblem of this world, of the Juggernaut of daily life that like thee hides everything in its breast and makes no sign ; that sweeps over love and hope and life and regards them not. lioll on thou glassy mirror, reflecting all things, feeling nothing ; roll on, roll on until Time ends and eventhe"n will be no more. Farewell Qrinora, lowliest and purest ; yet not farewell, for surely thou hast but passed beyond these golden gates, and yet watch those tha-t in love were dear unto thee. Thy hfo was not long, thy days of the knowledge of good and evil were few, but thou hast left behind a memory that wit never die, a bvvcet perfume that will fill the vorli of those that knew thoe ; an influence that will brighten and strengthen the souls of those thou loved so dearly. Batter to die in the dawn ere the (lowers had faded and the fruit became dust and ashes : thy reward is preferable to the baubles and gewgaws of a fleeting sinful world. Baautifnl vision — A young btar ! wln«Ji whone O or life — too sweet an imago for such glass ! A lovely being ; scarcoly formed or moulded : A roio with an ts iweetost loaves yet folded.

YVtj rnry be ji ;ve th%, !'y citnule s^^' ha^b^n reihst-d, anu ihac ia foinj Ptu. n j the 'p-iO£;!ed sea, iu^Auhornar, or a brigkiei 1 aud more glgnoua orb, thdte is tae home of the beuuiitul, the loviny Oi-»inoiu.