SLEEP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2391, 28 December 1899, Page 66

SLEEP.

Papt the shadows of evening, nfc first gorgeous With gay. colours reflected from Sol's magjc leap, When fair Nature hides shyly her charms beauteous! Over all in its silence doth strange Fancy creep ; And it seems like the touch of Night's gentle caress, With it 3 calming and charming and soothing to sleep. In this magical deep we indulgp in sweet lest, "With the stars twlinkling o'er vs — blest sym- j bols of peace! | Peeping out after sunset, when over the West } Dismal shadows are creeping with silent increase. I And they seem so suggestive of voiceless re- • quest I For all Nature to slumber till dawn in the East. 'Tis a slumbering- spell, by the darkness revealed To the wakeful, the worn, and to those who ara tired; J j In the light of bright day it is always concealed, - • But at night it is near us, and sweetly .desired — | By it 3 charm is our weakness and drowsiness healed! - I And we wake in the morning refreshed and inspired. What is sleep? 'Tis refreshing and soothing and sweet — j It is kind, since it heals all oxir griei and our , pain, _ | And so gentle an infant its charms "may entreat, , I And so good that we long for it always again ; It is holpsome and comforting, lightsome and deep, . • i And a blissful unconsciousness — Memory's chain ! j We are bound fast in sleep, and until we ' awake Wo arc helplessly waiting the coming tf dawn ! | When released by the light from its charms and its iate, f Wo awake— glad to find it is bright, 'fccnuteous morn — X I

a rnorn — X Our bodies refreshed , our hearts beating elate, And our minds clear and free, all our lassitude gone. After toiling is over, and labour is clone, And we knoft that to-day joins the realms of the past, We remember to-morrow will not on Uo oir.o Till the stillness of night doth its kind siadow cast; And the Earth, with her silence, invites slumber on With its mystic enchantment to bind Nature fast. 'Tis a land of forgetfulness — sometimes a dream, With its sweet fascination, will charm cur

repose ; To a beautiful land we are wafted, and seem As if all wo desired is now ours, and who knows? If c'elights then impressed on our senses so

keen Aro not real — only sleep can the secret disclose.

Flying Time is ,unheeded in sleep, and the hours, A3 they creep slowly by, leave no sadness behind, And we lie still and quiet in our fairy-like bowers ; Whilst the day that is past leaves impressions on mind! ' Tho' forgotten in sleep, still wo know they are

ours, For to-morrow is yesterday, night' hath definec 1 !

It is hard to define all the charms of sweet

sleep — 'Twas developed from chaos by Angels of Night ! And while Earth is its shadow, their vigils they keep, When they watch o'er its spell until morn is

in sight. For us all is the blessing of beautiful sleep! And its charms and its mysteries merge into light. Gentlo heave of the bosom and" soft-sighing breath, "With its rhythm so true from the sweet, graceful form, Seems to say, with its rest, with its peace, with its faith ! As she lies safe asleep tho' o'ercomc by its charm — With a gladness I welcome the sweet sleep of death ~-

To awake on the morn of tfjc Trumpet's " Alarm!

— H. A. C&BBLEDICK. Otautau, December 1899,

— Rev. Thomas Ladds, aged 93, jusl deceased, was for 50 years rector of Leighton Bromswold, Huntingdonshire. It is stated that during his incumbency of half a century's 1 duration he slept, out of his parish only enc night.

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