OUR LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1682, 16 February 1884, Page 27

OUR LITTLE FOLKS.

The Legend of the Everlasting. (Written for the Witness' Little Folks.) By Minnie M'Nbuli. Through a'l the land the cry of war U ringing, All Germans Inste to join tho steadfast. banJ, Who with firm faith and loyal hearts unfllucbing-, Prepare to fight for homo and Fa'herland. Younp; Herman, too, had heard the c.ill to battle, To-day he bids farewell to love and home, Farewell to pirents dear, snd well-lovptl Qrofehen, Whom he had one d ly hoped to call hia own. As parting gift, she plucked for him some daisies, Knowing they were the flowers he loved beat ; Ho took (h-nn, vainly struggling for composure, Ai.d wilh these words ho liud thea> in .hia breast : " Next my heart, beloved I will ove<* wear them, And by' day and night through the war thoj '11 bo A memory lair of this happy sining time, A memory of home, aud cf lovo, and theo. " If I live I w ill bi ing them to thee aifain, And tbe thought of thy love shall nerve my-h nd To tight a. goo i li/ht a< each Gjrm^n should. For hjino, and lo» r ed one;), ar.d tVh/T'and." Brave men and mis were all the U-.rmtn so'dicra, Ytt none rf I hem \vtro braver r. i-n than ho Who 'nuath hid dark coat wore a bunch of daisies, And ever foremost in" tho flght would be. 'Iwas after one long day of desperate fighting-, When by a glorious victory they had won renown • A stray Ghob from a flying squadron Hit the gallanb Hei'man, and stiuck him down. He kaew full well his death wound had boen given • Hi 9 Jauqhing eyes with films of death grew dim • ' Ho longed with longing great to see the faces Of thote at home who were so dear to him. His heart was filled with doubts and sad misgivings He wondered if he might clAim for his o\\ n, ' Through the intercession of his gieat Redeemer A bright, a beautiful, an evcrla3ting home. ' He thought, "There is nought in this world immortal, Perhaps no immortality I'll ; When I have crossed death's dark and spent liver And left the shores of earthly life behind." ' Then he bethought him ot his Gretchen's da'sics A-id drew them forth to gnzd ou them oneo more When, lo ! to hia astonished gazo their heads uplifting, They were as blooming aa in days of yore. " They Bbalrt>e everlastings named," cried ho ; " I doubt uo more since in this world of ours, Amid its many fading earthly blossoms, I havo ut last found everlasting fbwors." In the quiet little German village, ' Parents and Gretchen oft^ogether pray, With all tho strength of warm and loving- hearts, For tho safety of Iheir dear oncfar a/.ay. They cannot see tho far-off battlefield, Tho aoldior lying on the blood-stained sod ; In his cold hand v, bunch of daißiea graopiujr Hi 3 icy face uplifted to hia Go J.