THE RETURN.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15938, 27 June 1917, Page 7

THE RETURN.

(By our Unofficial Laureate.) M. Bethink thee. Joseph, that the liour draws nigh "When thou, and I, and all,our glittering ■train, Musi disembark upon Zcalandia'a soil Thero to iceumo our ordinary tasks. "W*. Bcslirow mo. ■William, how tho irkaomo thought Is over with mo. Tia but now I heard Yon caitiff captain urge tho engineer To "hit her up," and, lioaring, cursed 1 his birth. M. Nay,'nover curflo him; thug ho earns M 3 bread; But if, perchance, among yon firemen wights Ono might be found amenable to gold, A spanner, haply dropped among tho gears— W. 'Twero little -worth; for euro that by skill Marconi hath— M. Dogs desecrate his grave! Neither on land nor eca may peaco Lo found. "Allon demands moro moh than I can spare." "Herries is cutting out essential trains." Thus runs tho talc from woary hour to hour, Mark well yon sailor who doth now approach ; " 'Tie as I feared, yet more, and more, and more. "Tho Civil Servants seek enhanced largceso." " 'lis urged that no man after six shall drink." "Russell reports a quinnat in tho Hutt." Macdonald buys large store of Austral mice." •'Herdman and Findlay quarrel, hie thee home." "Hasten thine advance or the toto i 3 doomed." Such are ihe joys that wait us. W. Better far To plufige beneath tho mild encircling wave, But that come witless interfering fool, E'en with a boathook would defeat our aim. M. Hero tako this glass—mine eyes are strangely dim — And prithee tell me whom you canst decry On yonder shore. "W. In truth a mighty crowd. And deputations wait on every hand; Hero short-haired women, yonder longhaired men. While in their midst, in all bis stately robes. Stands the Lord Mayor. M. Great Heavens! Is it so? Then of another glass I stand in need, And thou, too, Joseph, ere we pass from hence l , And lose what still remains of liberty, I fain would pledge thee, and at my expense; Name then the compound; have this last with me.