TO ETHEL,

Otago Witness, Issue 1898, 19 June 1890, Page 38

TO ETHEL,

The silent day 1b closing in, So lone, bo still without you, And, sitting by the flickering fire, My thoughts are all about you. The day you went the sunbeams smiled, The morn was all a-glitter ; It seemed to me that cloud and rain And moaning wind were fitter. I sometimes fanoy you are here, And, rising, go to call you, And say, " How late the (child comes in 1 " That something must befall you. A moment only, then I know That you, dear, are not near ma— That many days will come and go Before you come to cheer me. Sometimes I waken from my Bleep, And, turning, move to preaa you ; My empty arms can only fall. Or heavenward lift to bless you. I seldom chided, for I thought V mr eoul was far above me, And all I asked my little one Was just to trust and love me. You know the day, the last we spent In conveiee sweet together. You brought me from the bleak hill side A sweet wild bunoh of heather ? It speaks to me in eloquence. With blossoms white : " Thus purely The soul may grow upon the hill, Aa hardy and as truly." Tis emblem, too, of your own life, A handful of sweet heather ; Ever to me a fragrant flower Through all the stormy weather. Your little ra'ssion aye has been, When there has been no roses, To spy a uook the rocks between, An<l bring me home the posies. May it be yours your whole life long To gather for another The sweet neglected wayside flowers. It may not be your mother Who shall receive, but as you go, Though on a desert stranded, Return as now with loving eyes, And never empty-handed. Your woman's mission be to bless, Twill be its own sweet blessing ; It may be sad —the comfot ter Receives not all oaressing. Life first must bruise, but balm will come, It may not be for mother ; But always in your generous hands Bring flowers for another. The hardy blossoms do not grow In the tweet summer breezes ; The holly and the heather, child, Bloom brightest when it freezes. And while I pray the rose for you In summer bright and merry, I ask you wear with noble heart The glowing winter berry. My words may seem a mystery now, But one day you will know them, When I perhaps may be not seen And heard, my dear, to show them. But I shall not be far away. Though earthly eyes may blind you ; No other world will be too far Dear girl, for me to find you. But we must live for years to come, In the same world together, And cull together all the flowers That grow In every weather. But I would rather lose you now Than see you live and losing The faith and universal love That seems your natural choosing. See with the eyes that now you see The worth of every creature, Smile aye as now, not at the gold, But on the honest feature. Be kind as now, and pardon sin, When you have aught to smother, Come always, as you always come, And tell it to your mother.

— AMCB.

June 11, 1890.