THE LATE WRECKS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2407, 9 June 1882, Page 3

THE LATE WRECKS.

Tbe Theatre Royal m Wellington was crowded on Monday evening last to witness tho entertainment given m aid of tbe sufferers by the shipping disaster at Timaru. The chief incident of the entertainment was the reading of the following lines by Mr Thomas Bracken; M.H.8., which were gratefully oheered by the large audience as conveying tbe exact reutimrnts of each one preient : — Who are Earth*, heroes ? Who are they that claim A shrine immortal m their country's breast, A niche within the citadel of fame, : Or, higher still, a homo among the blest? One answers : " They are those who m the fight Win heav'n's approval and the world's applause ; The men who die for justice and for right— Thomen who bleed for freedom's holy cause." Another answers : " Heroes lead the van Of Peace and Progress m the march of mind, And spread God's treasures at the feet of man, And shed the rays of knowledge o'er iiiair kind." Ay, these and those are horoe3, true and brave, . Whose deeds and words ara treasured fond and fast — Whoso memories are untarnished by the grave; Heroes who build tho future on the past, "■)' And raise a stately edifice above '•■ - The Gulf of Ages, filled with blood and tears, . A hnman temple round whose shrine of love All men shall gather m the coming years. ■ - But there are other heroes on the earth— Heroes who often bow but seldom reap ' ~ The seed of glory 'til the Second Birth ; ""■ '.' Heroea who often sink and fall asleep In duty's arms, nnnoticed and unknown— Heroes who for their fellows nobly die, Heroes whose dirgo is ocean's solemn moan Mingled with orphan's sob and widow's sigh. Such are the heroes whom we honor here, • Men who have passed on to- the light beyond, And those they held m life most troo and dear Appeal to us for aid— shall we respond P What were their deeds? We open "up* the seene — • , . ■ ■- Behold a spreading city by the sea, Belted bj sunny slopes and plains of green, And skirted by the foam of breakers-free, That leap and dance for joy along the shore, Racing' like white-haiied ohildrea.cn the sand, Babbling their mother ocean's mvsjio lore, Whisp'ring her secrets to tho silent land. A Sabbath calm is resting o'or the place. And souls are soaring upward from their day; ; . . ■ Celestial sniilcs gild Nature's tranquil face, And Thought flies far above life's little day. Out on the sleeping waves tall Teasels ride At anchor; all is calm. Ah! will it last? "Look yonder, look! here come* a stormspent tide j The munn'ring fury of the distant blast Sweeps m npon ns. God ! we're lost, we'ra .-lost! The boats ! the boats ! Now pull for land ■and life !"- They're off ! they're safe ! they laud ! though billows tossed And breakers dashed around them, in thD strife. But lo ! along the shore the cry is raised, " Man, man the life-boat !" and a willing band ■ •■ ■ '• ■ ' <■ Rush forward at the call. The' crowd, aniaied, Behold the gallant fellows leave the land, And pJttDjro through seething surf and forions foam. . • " Hurrah ! Hurrah ! God speed ye gallant hearts ! " ' Ah ! well might they oiclaim, " God speed yo home! " •:.'• God took thorn home t the tear of pity starts. But not for those who went, but those .who weep . For husbands vanished and for fathers gone ; Be ours the task to honor them that sleep, By helping those they loved, now left alone ; B» onrs the task— nay, friends, 'tis not a task, It is a debt of duty we've t« pay ; God speaks to ns when babes and widows ask ; We hear his voice m theirs, and we obey.