MEETING AND PARTING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2695, 8 November 1905, Page 71

MEETING AND PARTING.

The long, loud roar of a steamer sounds drearily through the still air, and not the calm beauty of the deep blue skies above nor yet the loveliness of sea and hills, meadow land, and gleaming" sun-lighted roofs can avert that nameless sickening of the heart which seizes as in a grip many of the passengers — more of iheir friends — that numbing sense of the dread of the anguish of parting. Once, twice, thrice the hoarse cry resounds, gaining in its weird force each time, the last proclaiming that the parting hour has come. 'Tis true that to some the hour is the harbinger of happy meetings, of the reunion of friends for long present to one anotheT only in thought; yet in that dread hour "when ihe horn blows" only the exceeding bitterness of parting can be felt, and the heart becomes a prey to a chill fear that this may be the last handclasp,, the last good-bye — that it is not well thus to part ; that it can only be productive of ever-gnawing paifl. -From port to port it is the same. The horn sounds the knell of parting, and here .a .father and mother wave farewells through ' blinding tears to the dear son on board, who is leaving them in the hope of' bettering his fortunes elsewhere. There a sister is crying bitterly because' the vessel is bearing from her the brother' who „ has ever, been nearest 'to her heart. Father and: mother, brothers and sisters are bidding tenderest good-bye to the bright girl " whose place is now by another's side," and the grief of the daughter and sister swallows up for a time the joy of the young bride. Through the silence of the night, through the busy stir .of daily life, still I seem to hear that long hoarse cry. In all things there i 3 a strange 'mingling of joy and sorrow, and the same sound that is prelude to the severing of friends, and rending with many a pang of fond heart, is yet herald of many a sweet, glad meeting, many a long-yearned-for reunion.

Violet.