True Fraternity.
A RECITAL
Do I know what's fraternity ? You'd better ask me, rather, If I know I had a mother, If I think I had a father, If I ever believe the world has bad As well as better leaven, If I hope to die a happy death Or long to live in Heaven. D'ye see this chap along o' t»e ? We both had different mothers, But there ain'Lno parents in the world As ever born sucb brothers. He's handsome ? Yes ; a lovely face. He's lame ? Too well I know it. That sorrow made oar hands our hearts ; If you listen, sir, I'll show it. We both was only workinor men, Not far, sir, from this quarter ; Bob used to carry up the bricks, I carried up the mortar. Together oft we'd smoke a pipe And things wenc like a bell, sir ; Till Bob, he loved a #irl, with whom I fell in lovej as well, sir. 'Twas once at dinner time, we sat Upon the brick pile eating. When a pretty girl came tripping by And gave a sort of greeting. Bob— he flushed right up to the eyes ; I sort of palpitated ; I looked at him, he looked «t me, And we kt-ew we both were fated. We both were youner, wo both were spruce» We both were sort of witty, And though we looked so rouijh at work, We often turned out pn.)t:y. And soon in time we came to know The girl as that slight bow did ; And where the sky had been so bright, For us it seemed but clouded. True, woman's love's as tender as The ivy round the oak, sir, But man's love's fierce— like lions, and — Well, lions seldom joke, sir ; And where we once were spruce and nice, We now looked vou^h and hulky, And where we'd been all smiles and jokes, We now were nought but sulky. She fancied him, I fancied her, And felt at him so vicious, That love and hate both shared my breast With passion so capricious. One day, when up the ladder high, Just as we reached the top, sir, I pushed him, as by accident, And I heard my rival drop, sir. I hurried down as quick as light, iiemorse already filled me ; And when I saw the horrid sight It very nearly killed me. I oursed all those that near him camo ; I cursed myself that missed him ; Then took him up and carried him, And, as I carried, kissed him. I nnrsed him night3, l nursed him days, I prayed to God to save him, And begged instead that I might have The fearful blow I gave him. At last, at last we pulled him through — He'd cross'd the fearful ripple, But though his heart beat just as true, His body was a cripple. That night, as by the fire we sat, . A mate came in and told us That she for whom love roused our hate Was false, and had but sold us. Without a thought for crippled Bob, Or poor remorseful Ned, sir, With some more wealthy, eilded youth, That very night she'd fled, sir; " I looked at Bob, he looked at me, And all our eyes were leaking ; I took Ms hand and he took mine, And we shook 'em without speaking. * * # And now when joy or sorrow oomes. We both together mix it, And if that ain't True Fraternity, It's as near as I can fix it. — Arthub Vivian.
The dismissal of the greatest statesman of this century, after virtually creating the new German Empire {ig one of the greatest facts of the year 1890. But lovers of really good whisky regard the introduction of the Distiller's brand to this market as of more importance. x
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TO18910124.2.7
Bibliographic details
Observer, Volume X, Issue 603, 24 January 1891, Page 4
Word Count
629True Fraternity. Observer, Volume X, Issue 603, 24 January 1891, Page 4
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