RHYMES OF OUR OWN LAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2379, 5 October 1899, Page 47

RHYMES OF OUR OWN LAND.

Br David M'Kee "Wright.

No. XL— THE SETTLEMENT

New clay roads that wore soft enough wheS the winter rain came down, Lean-to cottages scattered wide, and fifty nuleS from town ; Iron fences and bare brown fields, and a hungry cow or two, — That was the picture of Salem Downs, when, the settlement was new. For it's money, money makes, they say^ and it makes the farming pay: There were twenty men on Salem Downs that work in town to-day. There were twenty men that were all hard-up. for one that had money saved And nobody knew how thej- rubbed along, ancl nobody knew how they slaved; The ground v/as good, but the crops were poor, for the Feasons were hot and dry, And the strong nor'-westers of summer made the wiuter promise a lie. For it's money, money makes, they say f and it makes the farming pay;There were twenty men on Salem Downs " that work in town to-day. It was toil and toil from morn till night, witK never a taste of joy, And the farmer's girl had as bad a time a» the ragged farmer's boy; And the cows in the weary winter time wera bogged in the swampy creek, And the bitter fight went on and on for seven days a week. For money, money makes, they say. and it makes the farming pay; There were twenty men on Salem Downt that work in town to-day. There were twenty men gave up their ground, they were haggard and worn with toil, And another twenty tqok their place to battle with the soil ; And the rain came down, and the years were good, and the wheat was waving strong, And the kind land gave them sixty-fold with, never a thought of wrong. For money, money makes, they say, and it makes the farming pay; There were twenty men on Salem Downs that work in town to-day. Shady roads where the trees are high, homeBteads cheery and clean, You never would know by ita look to-day what Salem Downs has been, Trim gorse fences along the way, children trooping to school, , Cattle deep in the sweet, lush grass for tug farmer's cup is full. * For money, money makes, they say, an 3 it makes the farming pay; There were twenty men on Salem Downa-a they work in town to-day. Oamaru, September 26