THE OLD QUEEN AND THE NEW KING.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXV, Issue 33, 11 February 1901, Page 2

THE OLD QUEEN AND THE NEW KING.

"OUR EMPRESS-QUEEN." Oh, hast thou gone, great Queen of Queens, And left ub here to mourn ? Is Death's dark shadow thrown across An era newly born P Toll, toll, ye bells, ye flags droop down, Ye mourners, softly tread ; For she who wore her crown so well Js numbered with tbe dead ! Sweep on, thou slow procession, sweep From Osborne's royal gate ; Ye waters of the Solent bear That fleet in solemn state. Make way, ye eager multitudes, Ye gathering crowds give back ! See the great city deeply draped In purple and in black ! Toll forth, ye bells, from Westminster, And from yon ancient tower ; Hang low, ye flags, on mansions great, And on each humble bower. Behold, a nation mourns to-day ! A mighty Empire weeps ! And honours thus a Queen, beloc'd, Who now in silence sleeps. Come forth, ye warriors of all lands, Ye ships of every name, Ye poets and musicians come, And tell Victoria's fame ! Ab "Sovereign, Mother, Wife, or Friend, Of virtues rare possessed ; The people of her wide-spread realm Rise up and call her blest ! For she whose loss we mourn to-day i Though placed in high estate, In each relationship she filled Was good as well as great ! Yes, brightly shone our Empresß-(jueon Among the crown'd of earth ; Nor mostly for her talents great, But for her sterling worth. The truth of God within her heart Controlled each word and deed ; And urged her, by the love of heaven, The Buffering poor to heed. So while we mourn our noble Queen And toll the solemn knell, Methinks I hear a mingling tone Of gladness from the bell ! Our darkness is not only dark, — Nor sadness only sad ; The memory of a well-spent life Should surely make us glad ! Farewell, fa ewell, 0 Queen of Queens ! My numbers fail lo tell Thy royal north— but this record; Thy people loved thee well 1 God grant that he who fills thy throne And claims our homage now, May prove through happy years to come As great and good as thou. And this we learn from that blest faith Fast held by us and thee, Thou, in a kingdom yet to come, Shalt reign,— and so shall we ! F. J. Jeffbets. Nelson, 2nd bebruary, 1901.