THEN AND NOW.

Otago Witness, Issue 2362, 1 June 1899, Page 60

THEN AND NOW.

I am (standing all alone, Gazing out upon the sea, Listening to its mournful tone, Wondering what life has for me. Will mine be a troubled life? Will its murmur never cease? Shall I oft encounter strife? Or its course be calm and peace?

But the ocean answers not All the questions that I ask, So I turn me from the spot And resume my daily task. I am young, and youth is sweet, All untried my dormant powers, So much joy in life I meet, Let me prize its fleeting hours,

I am walking by the sea, Tender arms about me tivined, Gentle whispers float "to me, Vows of love our natures bind. Hand in hand we move along. Heart to heart sweet love unites, Bid we dark despair begone; Life to us ia all delights. To our feet the wavelets roam As we move or loiter so, And around us breaks the foam ' As the billows come and go; O'er our heads the great pale moon Moves and sheds her soft love-light, In the trees the song birds croon — Ah! 'tis love makes earth co bright! I am sitting all alone, Sitting by the fire-light's glow, \ Swiftly year by year has flown, t)im the days> of long ago; Yet c'en now I can recall How I stood when but a maid, Dreaming of Life's prospects all — What a change the years have made I ICt Life's dajk'ning, as its dawn — Ah, me! I am left alone! All the dreams of youth are gone, All except the sea's sad tone. I am nearing Death's dark streams, Soon be swept into its tide, For we live and dream our dreams, When we die what does abide? — E. Gf.

Taieri Mouth,

Franco has now a law by which marriage may be dissolved without cost to the applicants. The Paris Divorce Court devotes Thursdays to gratuitous decrees. On one day Tecently 294 couples were divorced during a, session of four hours, an average of more than one divorce a minute. The applicants belonged to the working class, in which divorces were infrequent before the passage of the law.