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Miscellaneous.

A Sea Dialogue.

CABIN PASSENGER. Friend, you seem thoughtful. I not wonder much That he who sails the ocean should be sad. lam myself reflective. When I think Of all this wallowing beast, the Sea has • sucked Between his sharp, thin lips, the wedgy waves, What heaps of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, pearls; What pilescfshekels, talants,ducats,crown-. What bales of Tyrian mantles, Indian shawls. Of laces that have blanked the weaver's eyes. Of silken tissues, wrought by worm and man, The half-starved workman, and the well-fed worm ; What marbles, bronzes, pictures, parchments, books; What many-lobulcd, thought-engendering brains; Lie with the gaping sea-shells in his maw— I, too am silent; for all language seems A mockery, and the speech of man is vain. 0 mariner, we look upon the waves And they rebuke our babbling. "IVacol" I bey say—"Mortal, be still 1” My noisy tongue is bushed. And witli my trembling linger on ray lips My soul exclaims in eestaey— MAX AT \VIIKI;V. Belay ! c,\lllN PAssKNtiKli. Ah yes 1•• Belay it calls." nor haste to break The charm of stillness with an idle word I" () mariner. 1 love thee, for thy thought Striili s even with my own—nay flies before. Thou ait a brother to the wind and wave ; Have they not music for thine ear as mine. When the wild tempest makes thy ship his lyre, Smiting a cavernous basso from the shrouds And climbing up his gamut through the stays, Through huntlines. bowlines, ratlines, till it shrills An alto keener than the locust sings, Ami all the great -Eolian orchestra Storms out its mad sonata in the gale? Is not the scone a wondrous ami— MAN AT WIIKia. Avast I CABIN JMSSEXBKK. Ah yes, a vast, a vast and wondrous -cone 1 1 see thy soul is open as the day That holds the sunshine in itsa/.ure bowl To all the solemn glories of the deep. Tell me, 0 mariner, dost thou never fee! The grandeur of thine office--to control The keel that cuts the ocean like a knife And leaves a wake behind it like a --am In the great shining garment of the -,s ■.rl 1 1 MAN at Belay y’r jaw, y’swab 1 y'hoss-nmrin- ! (To lh' Captain.) Ay, ay, sir ! Stiddy. sir.’ Sou'wes’ b’ sou'!

The Belle of Santa Maria Maggoire. —Anyone who lias ti ni in K one and lived uu the Ksi|iiilinc Hill nin~t have heeii struck by the beautifully tuned bells uf Santa Maria Maggoire, the largest and finest elmich of the district. According to (he legend, it was built in the year .'hil. The hells ring a sonorous peal on the clear winter air two hours after dark. If yon ash seriously about the cause of the bells ringing at that unusual hour, the following pretty story about the campanile, or bell-tower, which is of later date than the church itself, will be told you. One dark winter night a wealthy Uoman was out late, and lost his way in the Campagna, or waste land outside the city. The Campagna is rather a dangerous place to get lost in, os it is wild and uncultivated, full of ruins and deep pits. 11 was infested at that time, besides, by robbers and lawless people of every kind. He wandered about in darkness so thick that he could not see his linger b fore him. It was a starless, inclement night, and bitterly cold. He was just about to sink upon the wet ground, ami yield to sleep brought on by cold and exhaustion, from which he would probably never have awakened more ; already his eyes were closing. Suddenly he thought he heard the tinkle, of a well-known boll. He listened intently, and recognised the hells of the new bell tower of Santa Maria Maggoirc, which were being rung that evening fur some unknown cause. This sound revived his drooping courage. He knew now where he was After some mote groping, guided sf ill by the sound of tbe bells, lie succeeded in linding the highway, and readied his home at la-l in safety. In grateful remembrance of his escape, being a wealthy man, he lv •picafhed a large sum of money for ever to (he church of Santa Maria Maggoirc. ft was to bo employed to pay the lingers to i inea pealererv evening’, two bouts alter dark, during six months of the year. This has been done faithfully during many centuries. So should any poor wayfarer lose his wav in the wild Campagna on a gloomy winter night, he may have a chance of finding it again in safetv. They arc very beautiful bells, and when they ring out full and dear about bait-past seven on |a winter evening the Homan mothers say to their little children: " Hark to the bells, which say, ‘ babies to bed 1' Tray for all floor wanderers this night.'’

In a Battle Panorama Studio—The central platform is, of course, the standpoint from- which visitors will view the panorama- ami therefore the artists arc obliged to go to it frequently as the painting nears completion, in order* to observe the effect and progress of their work. This, too, is the place of cmiferenci, and despite the signs of No Admittance” within and without, visitors are frequent and usually welcome. These visitors are often veteran soldiers who took part in the action represented and who often made helpful suggestions. The Army stories that are told on the central platform, when old soldiers meet and discuss the, old days, would, if collccteilmakc a prodigious volume. The tioor of the platform is chalked and rechalked with diagrams, some referring to the panorama ibelt. hut more to illustrate occurrences upon other fields. The strong pine rail surrounding the platform is pencilled all over with kindred decorations, while scraps of paper, upon which are memoranda of incidents and a variety of data, as well as names ami addresses, are pinned to the convenient timber with thumb lacks. The artists paint steadily, every individual being mainly occupied in perfecting his own work, though never hesitating to or extend aid in some special direction. One artist, for instance, has an excellent figure of a mounted olUcor. all complete excepting the portrait, a photo, graph for which is pinned to the canvas. While this arlist goes to strengthen a line of battle, another one will rapidly paint in an admirable portrait for the incomplete figure. Soon another brush is busy with the horse while still another artist calls for some special saddle and bridle to he brought to the platform that he may paint the trappings. Now look at the hack of the photograph which is pinned to the canvas—a faded carte do visile of a young officer ; upon a slip of paper wc read the following: "Colonel K, now on General Sheridan's staff: then captain, General Thomas’ staff, H 17 (meaning section JIl, square IT of the panorama); French cap, blouse, captain’s straps—staffdark blue trousers, gold cord, cavalry boots, staff sword, McClellan saddle; Shabrack—black horse,” This instance will give au idea of the way in which facts are preserved when a panorama is painted by artists who conscientiously strive to make of the work a great historical painting.

A Profitable Baby.—Two tramps, a man and his wife, have recently been making a good living in Scotland by means of their baby. “We just gets 'im christened.” sa>s the father, “at all the towns we passes, and then ye sec, parson, he makes us a!i e.,infor table wi’ summat to eat and money for beds. On days awful bad, we have to do ’im twice.”

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAIST18870506.2.13.12

Bibliographic details

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue XX, 6 May 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

Word Count
1,268

Miscellaneous. Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue XX, 6 May 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

Miscellaneous. Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue XX, 6 May 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

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