AT THE SIGN OF THE LYRE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1266, 4 June 1896, Page 8

AT THE SIGN OF THE LYRE.

ORIGINAL VEIISE.

THE ORGANIST,

(Written/or the New Zealand Mail.J I am the Mago, I hold tho key Of Music and its mystery, The star-like harmonies in sloop Conceived by minds so ocean-doop, That, touch tho keys, at once out-rolls The scorching prayers of haunted souls ; Swelling the diapason vast Wo hear their flight before the blast, iVhere Hell pours forth her sulphurous breath, And high enthroned sits tyrant Death. But when I wake the tender trill From tho clear depths, sweet wood-notes fill My heart, forgotten meadows gleam Thro' sunlit showers as in a dream, Ami the bright streamlet glides along "Where thrush and blackbird pipe their early song. Again 1 loose the powers o( Sound, And distant thunder shakes the ground. For me the maiden lily opes Her petals with the rays of gold, While on the bare and briar-clad slopes The horned beetle bores the mould. I weave glad sounds and visions in my song-, Mad mirth and sorrow rush my keys along ; '] ho chant of Freedom and the kiss of Love Trembling in fear, and from tho roof above Tn ono fierej tumult of tempestuous breath Blends Lovo with Life, with Passion, Sin, and Death. Charlotte E. Mekkitt.

SELECTED VERSE

THE MARCH OF COMPANY A

" Forward, march .'" was tho captain's word. And the tramp of a hundred men was hoard, As they formed into line in the morning gray; Shoulder to shoulder went Company A.

Out of tho shadow into the sun, A hundred men who moved as ono ; Out of the dawning into the day In glittering files wont Company A.

Marching- along to tho rendezvous, By grassy meadows tho road rin through, By springing cornfields and orchards gay, Forward, forward, went Company A.

And the pink and white of the apple troen, Falling fast on tho fitful breeze, Scattered their dewy, scented spray Straight in the face of Company A.

A breath like a sigh ran through the ranks Treading those odonrous blossom banks, For tho orchard hillsides far away, The northern hillsides of Company A.

Forward, march ! and the dream was sped ; Out of the pine wood straight ahead Cluttered a troop of the southoru gray Face to face with Company A.

Forth with a flash in tho southern sun A hundred sabres leaped like one. Sudden drum-beat and bugle-play Sounded tho charge for Company A.

Halt! What is hero ? A slumbering child, Roused by tho blast of tho bugle wild, Botwoon tho ranks of the blue and the gray, Right in tho path of Company A.

Nothing knowing of North or South, Her dimpled finger within her mouth, Her gathered apron with blossoms gay,

Sho stared at tho guns of Company A

Straightway sot for a sign of truce Whitoly a handkerchief fluttered loose ; In front of tho steol of the southern gray Galloped tho captain of Company A.

To his saddle bow ho swung the child, With a kiss on tho baby lips that smiled, Whilo the boys in blue and tho boys in gray Cheered for tho captain of Company A.

Forth from the ranks of his halted men, While the wild hurrahs rang out again, The Southern leader spurred his way To moot the captain of Company A.

Out of the arms that hold her safe lie took with a smile the lil-.lle waif ; A grip of the hand 'twixt blue and gray, And back rode tho captain of Company A

Up there in tho distant cottage door A mother clasped her child onec more, Shuddered at sight of the smoke-cloud gray Shrouding tho path of Company A.

A little later and all was done, The battle was over, the victory won Nothing was left of the pitiless fray That swept tho ranks of Company A.

Nothing loft, save the bloody stain Darkening tho orchard's rosy rain; Dead tho cliiof of the southern gray Ami dead tho captain of Company A

Fallen together the gray and blue, (lone to the final rendezvous ; A grave to cover, a prayer to say, And—Forward, march ! wont Company A. —The Century Magazine