Shone there ever such a rainbow.
Reaching down the hills to greet,
Since the first bright arch of promise
When earth’s cleansing was complete.
Spanned the smiling skies, but rested
On the earth his glorious feet?
Glowed there ever such a sunset
Since earth’s first glad day was done?
When did heaven such dazzling raiment
Wrap round earth, its cherished one—
Like the wondrous coat of colours
Jacob made for Rachel’s son?
Storms before and darkness after
O'er our souls have lost their power—
Safe and splendid heaven’s high temple,
Safe and splendid earth’s strong tower.
Part of both, and blest in either
Rest our souls this evening hour.
Rain-wet rocks, like jasper shining—
Earthly things wear heavenly grace.
Day looks back in evening’s mirror—
Sees his own all-glorious face.
Blazing West to bright East calleth,
"Surely God is in this place!”
Old
Old? Nonsense! the earth is as young as a kitten!
'Tis only her garments look old—
The wrappings of grey she put on that sad day
When the last fires of autumn grew cold.
Just give them a rinse in the wash-tub of winter,
A dip in the dye-bath of spring.
Then deck her and dress her; caress her and bless her—
The earth is a merry young thing.
The Wongan Wayside
PART II.—August, 1915
We closed our former article with a hint of possible industrial changes in the yet invisible future of the Wongan Hills.
To us, dwelling in the present, to whom pioneering has been made easy in a hundred ways, the industry of the past appears more fascinating, inasmuch as it is already written. We are not going back to ages' gone by, when in the beginning of things, some great giant seems to have gathered out some of the precious things that were hid in the earth—sorted out some gleams of copper, and specks of gold; snatched at some of the living radium stones, and then lost them among the rocks, amid the general disturbance he had brought about.
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