SPRICTS SONO.

Otago Witness, Issue 2545, 24 December 1902, Page 63

SPRICTS SONO.

By Yvoxxe. THe scene stretched before me is brimful of life — there is an intensity of colouring everywhere. In the foreground is a meadow ' with scarcely a dark speck to break the evenness of its colouring — that tenderly brilliant green which comes only with the spring. The stream tumbling down the hillside — a flash of silver in the sunlight — is bubbling away its young life in an abandon of joy. I can hear it, flinging out laughingly, 'I chatter, chatter, as I flow To join the brimming river. • For men may come and-^men may go, But I gc on for ever. There is the artless responsibility of a child in its prattle; and look! — that delicious fringe of colouring by its side. 'Tis the flowers "that come before the" swallows dare and take the winds^ of March with beauty," the daffodils, nodding their' gay. golden heads at the vagaries" of the brook as it rushes along. Now tliey^are peering down at their da'heing images in the cool brook ; they see perhaps a soaked daisy being borne past, then the capricious breeze .tilts their heads heavenwards to the illimitable dome of burning blue above. Sometimes there is a distinct ripple through the grass (that's the baby wind again at his prank's!) and then the flowers are a-tremble with joy — the careless melody of the stream making all the while a sweet undertone. Far in the background stretch the dim blue-gr*y hills — for distance mellows the tone as beautifully as the twilight. And life everywhere! — God's in His heaven, All's right with the world! And the all-pervading optimism of- it ; it is a delicious confusion of colouring — " shade and shine, breath and bloom, wonder and wealth." Not a cloud? you ask — nothing to mar the scene? Clouds? — no! But even as I speak, from nothingness, from infinity, from blueness never ending, come gauzy, unsubstantial forms pirouetting with daintiness inimitable. . These ar,e the only clouds, but they bear more the semblance of angels floating gracefully out from heaven .to see our earth in the glory of its springtime than of t the clouds ,which your drivelling pessimist gloats iover. . . See! the clouds and the' .wind have' " starred a race. Who will -win? -Tired.,j£ peering into the brook— even although their! own reflection is there — the "inquisite v daffodils stand, heads lifted to watch ; but the perverse wind, baby though he is, is not lacking in the wondrous strength which he inherits from his forefathers, so with an imperious grace, he turns their heads earthwards again. The flowers nod jauntily. " 'Tis great fun," they titter to a butterfly as it flies past. The wind ripples through the grass in great haste, and yet as melodiously .as the running up of minor chords. " Buzz-z-z-z-z-z-z-z," hums the dreamy insect life! A bird's rich melody ('tis an impromptu, too) is flowing up to heaven with many a luscious trill. The wind goes whistling - through the blaze of yellow, with such an impetuous force this time that one of the flowers is drooping'its tiny amber head in pain. And oh ! the" air is heavy and dreamy with the divine perfume. " Bubble ! bubble ! splash ! " continues the brook's shrill young voice And did anyone ever hear so incessant a chatterer as a brook in the springtime? But of the clouds and the wind— who wins? The clouds have gradually melted into thin ait, and the wind has panted away into silence. All is still — at least, -so far as form goes. Of course, the garrulous brook is still peuring confidences to the pebbles arid the grass and the flowers. The daffodils are murmuring, rather languidly, " Ob, if the zephyr would only come ! He is tenderer far than the boisterous wind ! "' Soon there is a gentle tremulous movement, and their beloved zephyr has set them tossing rhythmically to and fro. He lias been whispering the very tenderest things to the queen of t,ho daffodils : he has such an exquisitely light way of kissing — just as lightly as a leaf falls. Jv> the midst of this, the daffodils shiver, for they hear the rollicking wind rushing pa&t them. " Pooh ! — that milksop the zephyr." he laughs scornfully, and he is away with a rush, leaving the amorous breeze to sigh al will amongst the flowers. '• Tirra — lirra — lill — tereu ! tereu ! " sing the birds. " Buzz-buzz,' murmur the insects drowsily. The d iffodils are fluttering dreamily. " Bubble-bubble ! " cries the shrill brook, laughing still, I chatter, chatter, as I flow To join the brimming river, For men may come and men may go, But I go on for ever!

— The Capetown :orrespondenfc of The Times states that great interest is being manifested there in the suggested visit of the British Association in 1905. As. a preliminary measure, free passes on all the South African railways are promised for the delegates, while the Colonial Government will contribute £7000 towards the expenses of the voyage and of the stay in South Africa. Great danger may arise from neglecting a | bad cold or hacking cough. TTJSSICURA I wextfi ftll evil*