FROM THE PORT'S CORNER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2667, 26 April 1905, Page 73

FROM THE PORT'S CORNER.

List! 'Tis the solemn murmur of the stream Above the shingie bars. N«y! List aS ' I surely heard the sound of coming Sb Upon the gravelly track. The murmufdies. Tis but the mountain torrents' monotone, That ever minds me of the vast, dim vale Where once, beneath the stars, I held her hand. Upon the darksome woodland path, while sha Gave life and melody to a home-like tale. Long lonely years his woodland life had been. A prayer, a passion, a despondent cry For sacred fellowship. The tender clouds That crept above the plumy rimua when me joyous spring festooned the vines witK flowers Seemed to him like the snowy wings that bore Sweet messages from Love. The gleamin* dew, ° Heavy on long, dank grasses, whispered love. J.he ferns, the mosses by the leaping stream, The birdies, wooing ardently, the winds, O fragrant from the woods, from tender corn, From budding clover and the steamy loamWere sweet with love. The lowly violet And blue forget-me-not were whisperers Of some supremest blessing, but there came JNo fellow for him. Other men and maids Kept company, were wedded, and made their homes About th-e valley, but, a dreamer still, He only heard the voice of his lone heart Pleading for higher fellowship. At dawn, At^jioon, at eventide he fondly kissed ~K little picture and" a tress of hair Treasured from childhood, for a girley love Had given them to him when her peopla went To other distant parts. He often thought Ah! she is wedded now, is not for me, Long, long she has forgotten that sweet hour When, in each other's arms, we fondly vowed To love each other till death. Meanwhile he told His pain in rugged stanzas, and they found A place in "Poet's Corner." Long he cried, Evoking no response ; but, oh, at last There came a letter from a hungry soul, Secluded as his own. His dreams were sweet Because of her, and all his days a dream Of bliss to be. Oh, spirit leapt to spirit, And either thrilling; to the other gave Full confidence. Then all the forest wava Were joyous. Bitter winds that wrapped the

crags With sullen cloud and swept the icy sleet About them, lnoaning in the mighty r>in-es, Brought solemn longings to him. How ho

yearned To seek and bless and cherish, his unseen

mate. And shelter from ihe cold and selfish world Her sensitive spirit. All the earth a^ain O-ave dewy incense to the tender breeze When he set forth to seek her. G-aily sang The lark above the hillside e'er the lieht Of dawn dispersed the shadows. Strongly]

sangThe lark ai noon, a speck against the blue; And drov/sily at' dusk the unseen lark Above the stream was singing. So at last) H> came to the secluded valley where She waitad. Oh, it was a blessed time! The crp3cent moon, with Hespeius beside, Above the far, dim hi'ls. gav<» beauty to The darkening west ; the shadowed streaM

below Murnrured beneath the dark manuka. They

met In the twilight. Hand in hand they loitered down, By mossy jjlacle and dewy meadow, clown To her mother's door, and as they went ha

thrilled To learn that she whom lie had loved so long "Was there betide him, sweet and true aa

•when. The boy and girl had vowed a Hfe-lons; love. — Chabi/bs Oscar Palmer. Birchclell, April 12, 1005.