A Game at the Brod.

Otago Witness, Issue 1764, 12 September 1885, Page 23

A Game at the Brod.

I sing nae o' war wi' its deadly alarms, Nor wine wi' its sparkle and sense-stealing charms, Nor sing I o' love wi' its heart meltin' flame, Nor croon-crackin' courage, nor star-reachin' fame. I sing o' the Dambrod, that fine cautious ploy, Which men o' a' colours an' creeds can enjoy"; The king on the throne an' the man wi' the'hod Are equal when seated in front o' the BrocL It's fine to engage in a weel battled game Wi' neebor or frien* on an ev'nin' at hame ; ' A " loss" c'en gi'es pleasure, a " draw" gars ye grin, An' there's positive bliss in a weel earned. " win." There's gran' satisfaction in movin'. compact, Yer men to the onset wi' gumption an' tact ; The en'my yer tactics may thwart an' explodeThat only gi'es zest to a game at the Brod. • Then difficult problems are bound to appear, An' certain defeat seems aunoyingly near ; You tackle the problem think weel ere you shiffc,. By-an'-bye in the clouds there's a clear little rfft,. Which gradually broadens an' brightens, aa'felien' The problem is solved; you have triumnbStagainj The mm' thus may rise to the skies fraothe clod. In fightin' for power, thro' a game at t&e-Brod. Thus too on the far wider dambrod. af life. Opposed by temptations an' error an' strife,, Dark problems confront us an' fjift us wi' awe» An' often we canna see thro\sgh them ava ; But tackle your problem, though dark an.' involv'd, Time, courage, an' faith will unerringly solve 't • Bright truth ever leads to the starry abode, An' solves every problem on Life's checkered brod. James Ogg, in Aberdeen Free Press.