UNMASKED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12546, 13 April 1904, Page 3 (Supplement)

UNMASKED.

THE bit of toil, set hard between the teeth. Gave suddenly, and seemed to yield, us it 1 The iron hand that drove repented it. "Mow in tho name cf Him who gave thee power To make me beast of burden to thy rein. Give answer, Life!" I cried. "What freak hast thou? Why play'at thou with me, mocking me withal? Thou masked thing that- darest not show thy face! I know that thou must, drive, and I must run; f know that thou art master, and I slave: I know that though 1 weary to my heart. 01' thee, yet must I urge me on and on, A harnessed creature, lashed unto the end. ' But while I flung these bitter, brawling words Into the very ears and brain of Life, And waited, quivering. for the hissing - whip. Behold, a wonder did befall; for 10. The too familiar harness loosed, and down From every gall and smart dropped silently; And, us I turned, there in the dusk one stood, And drew tiio mask from olf my driver's brows. Then all the sons of morning sang to me Within my soul, for. as my soul dotli live. The face I saw was the dear face of Death. Oil. blinding: beautiful it is to see! Half air el and hall' lover, and all mine. And heavenly sweet the commune that we have, Drawn arm to arm and heart to heart at last,-- , One traveller,—along a shining road: God in the burning bush beside the way. E. S. PHELPS.