In The Days When The World Was Wide And Other Verses

IN THE DAYS WHEN THE WORLD WAS WIDE AND OTHER VERSES - PREFACE - Most of the verses contained in this voluine were first published in the Sydney Bulletin others in the Brisbane Boomerang, Sydney Freemans Journal, Town and Country Journal, Worker, and New Zealand Mail, whose editors and proprietors I desire to thank for past kindnesses and for present courtesy in granting me the right of reproduction in book form. In the Days When the World was Wide was written in Maoriiaild and some of the other verses in Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia. The dates of original publication are given in the Table of Contlents. Those undated are now printed for the first time. ZXENRY LAWSUN. TO AN OLD MATE Old Mate In t 7 g u sty old weatiter, W h our hopes and our troublas were new, In t11e years spent in wearing out leather, I fo 11zd you unselfish and true l have gathered these verses together For the saks of our friendship and you. Yozd may tlcink for atahile, and with reason, Tltough still with a kindly regret, That Ive left it full late in the season To prove I remember you yet But youll never jwlge me by their treason Who profit by frienh-and forget. . I rtmimber, Old Nun, I remember-The tracks that we followed are clear-T71e jovial last nights of December, The solemn Jirst days of the year, Long tramps tl rough th e clearhgs and timber, fihart partings on platform and pier. 8 I can still feel the spirit that bore W, And often tlce old stars uqill shine-I renlember t k last spree in choncs For tho sake of that other Laluy Syw, W h tlrs tracks lay divided before us, Your path through the future and mint. . Through tlle frost-wind that cut like whip-lashes, Through the ever-blind haze of thedrought-And in fanq at times by thc, flashes Of light in the darkness of doubt-I have follomed the tent poles and ashes Of camps that. we moved, further oust. You will fincl in these pages a trace of That sick of om past which was brigltt, Avzd recoprise sometimes the face of A friend wIm cm dropped oat of siylrt-I send tlcenz along in t k place of Tlce letters I promised to write. - CONTENTS -- PAGE TO AN OLD MATE Old Mate In the gusty old weather, 9 IN THE DAYS WHEN THE RORLD WAS WIDE I The world is narrow and ways are short, and our lives are dull and slow, . 21 Dec. - 1894 FACES IN THE STREET They lie, the men who tell us in a loud decisive tone . July-l8SS 26 HE ROARING DAYS The night too quickly passes . Dec. - 1 8 9 33, FORARD It is stuffy in the steerage where the second-classers deep, . . Dec. - 189,9 37 l l 12 CONTENTS PAGE THE DROVERS SWEETHEART An hour before the sun goes down . 44 J UW-18911 OUT BACK The old year went, and the new returned, in the withering weeks of drought, . 47 Sept. - 1833 THE FREE-SELECTORS DAUGHTER I met her on the Lachlan Side--. 51 May - 18911 3 SEZ YOU When the heavy sand is yielding backward from your blistered feet, . . a r . - t g 53 ANDYS GONE WITH CATTLE Our Andys gone to battle now . . 57 Oct. - 18881 JACK DUNN OF NEVERTIRE It chanced upon the very day wed got the shearing done, a . A U, . I 5 S 9 TROOPER CANIPBELL One day old Trooper Campbell . . 65 Apr. - 2891