CHRISTMAS CHIMES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 305, 24 December 1891, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHRISTMAS CHIMES.

SECOND PRIZE

(By M. A. Sinclair, Thames,)

Church bolls ! church bells ! O'er bills and dolls, Ring r.ear, ring far away ; Oh. mellow chimes of olden times, Sweet bellu of Christmas Day. Ye trravely chime the flight of Time, While languor steeps our Southern climo. Church bells! church bells!. The music ■' swells By Kuiruner breezes sped. The good ships ride on tho flittering tide Blue bright, round tho old North Head. From stem to poop tho gay flages droop O'er many a gallant barque and sloop. Church bolls ! church bells ! Your magic s> pells Have wellnigh wakened tears, As o'er the sea, the hpi rib free Ko-livea the vanished year.?, The blame and praise of bygone days, All softened now by memory's haze. Cburcli bells ! church bells ! church bells ! church bells! The clouda hano; dense and grey, Nov/ loud, now low, across tho enow, The floating echoes play. The holly bough ! The mistletoe '. Tho Christmas waits of long a£o ! Church bells ! church bells ! How love impels True hearts, though far we stray On foreign shore, yet friends of yore beemneur on Christmas Day ! Oh ! they are near, as thought makea clear AiiectioKS balaocofor tho year.

O'er this love Island sunbeams troop To-day in golden mail; In grove, on height, the flowers are bright, And verdant, hill and dale. While by the sea, our Christmas tree In crimson blushes gloriously.

Oh ! bells of joy ! sweet bells of Yule, Ring long, and loud, and clear, Till hearts shall beat, and lips shall meet, And Arcady be here ! Love shall hold away, while ye convey ' Goodwill to men ' on Christmas Day.