A FORECAST.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume VIII, Issue 653, 6 December 1899, Page 2

A FORECAST.

And it came to pass in those days that there was sore trouble in the land, and the people thereof were sorely afneted. Aud many among them, elders of the people, rose and said, "I will deliver you fro in this sore travail," an I off a rod themselves for sacriiico ou the altar of despotism, ruled hy the. High l'riosl, aud the name of the altar was Liberalism, and the name of the High i'riest was .Soddon. And the names of those who offered themselves for sacrifice wore Moss, Palmer, De Bakker, Shera, McOullough, Stewart, Col dough, Ross, Deeblej and Drutnm. Aud these went to and fro on the face.of the land, and lo! the burdens were heavy on the people. And each spake unto the people and sard, "Hearken, O ye people unto me. I will sacrifice my all on the altar, yea, even myself, and yV'shall.be a free people." And the people answered then and said, "Not so, but we will choose one of you for sacrifice, and unto the one that is chosen we will give an honorarium of £240 per annum, and henceforth he shall be known amongnt us by the sign of the mystic letters, and these letters shall be M.H.R." And. the Higlr Priest was mighty in the land, and . spake to the people. And the people said unto the High Priest, " Say on," and he " sed on." And the High Priest spake thus unto the people, saying, " Great and glorious works have I performed -in the land, O ye people, and great is my might. Ye shall select for sacrifice the candidate whom I"shall name, and then shall ye be a free people, but if ye hearken not unto my words then shall your land not have prosperity at my-jJiands and grants for roads and bridges." And there arose certain among the people who murmured against the sayings of the High Priest, saying within themselves, "Has he not increased the national debt to £60 on every man, vroman, and child in the land, and forborne to say to us how this will be decreased." Then the High Priest was wroth and sent unto the people one named Cadman, who stood high in the estimation of the people. And ■ there arose a sect in the land who barracked for the High Priest, and the name of the sect was the Liberal and Labour Federation. And Cadman spake unto the people of the Federation, saying, " Ye shall hearken unto my words, and the victim for sacrifice shall be Palmer." Then the candidate whose name was Colclough arose in his wrath and denounced the emissary of the High Priest, saying, " He has done a dirty action." But the Federation smole among themselves, and said, " Colclough speaketh straight. Ho Mtteth out straight from the shoulder, yea his words are true and will have weight with the people. Therefore must we cast him out from among the Federation." But the people hearkened unto the voice of Colclough, saying among themselves, uHe is loyal to tho High Priest, but he speaketh the words of truth." Add the people arose in a body and went up unto the temple, which in named tho Ballot Box, and there cast lots as to who should be tho victim, for the people were sore exercised at the pressure put upon them. And the chief official of the High Priest, whose name was FeiY;ussou,_ whose duty it was to count the lot3, completed the task, ana the official seat to tho High Priest a message, saying that tho lot had fallen on one who was plump, and was popular in tho laud, one whos:> head was bare, for had he not torn out all his hair while thinking of the people. Then was the High Priest wroth, for the lot cast by the people had fallen on Moss. Aud the High Priest said, " Now has Prohibition fallen on the land, for the people are a rebellious people, and have not listened to the voice of Palmer."; Au 1 he lifted up his voice and wept. HieOOTKJH.