The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1882-04-28
pnetiral.
a STRANGE LAND.


MIR. EDITOR: l send you the following poem
hoping it will prove interesting to the readers of
1ke AgiS. 1t was given to me by the author. q
man not only well gifted in the talent for poeti
cal composition, but one who has held high po-
itlcal positions in this State, and with whom I
have passed many pleasant days in the far-away
lana he describes. Strange aud anomalous as the
subjects he speaks ofappear. yet his descriptions
for the most part true. He dedicates ii to his
Literary Society of Washingi on of which the late
President Garfield was member. 1t has never,
10 my knowledge, appeared in print. although
many of his poems have adorned the pages of our
literary magazines. .... . b.
To the Members of the Dahlgren Liter.
AIRY Society, Washington, ID. &.
On this strange secluded island, in these distant
The lovelest, yet the rudest land that greets the
ocean breeze:
Where the cannibal Maoris, like the Indians of our
Live with lazy wives and Maori stats. unused to
daily toll.
Where birds are really wingless although larger
than deer.
Their forms enr0hed in shining hair no common
feaihery gear;
Where beasts have heaks Of birds, and swans are
blacker than the nights
Where the mole lays eggs by hundreds, and the
eagles CLEAN in white!
Where ferns and nottles grow up to the height OF
forest trees.
And rivers, stead of turning 10, desert inviting
seas:
Where summer reigns when frost and snow in
wade our homes away,
And the heat runs up to ninety-nine on every
Christmas Day!
Where the north wind is the hot wind. and the
Where the humbest house is fitted up with cedar
as of Old:
Where the, fences are mahogany and myrtle
branches blaze
On every hearth, ms we burn oak on freezing win
try days.
Where birds have hrO0ms within their mouths,
instond Of old time tongue:
Where pears are grown Of solid wood, to massive
Where parrots the slender legs of sea enlls on
ward glide,
And cherries hang from fruitful boughs--the
stone on the outside!
IT'S said That far in Queensland a horse was one
day caught,
Whose covering of equinal hair amounted but to
naught;
Not sprig could be discovered on body, tail or
A curious native specimen that will meier he
found again.
But when il comes to intellectual! there indeed 5
the rub:
I cast ah"ut, but nowhere find the Literary
Club"
No hostess round whom graces drift like pillows
on the lrke:
No President of half the vim of our Chief JUS
tice Drake.
lips wet.
Read ny that charming authoress, our own Mrs.
Burnett;
No Mallory, of mart al air. no Cones, our man of
mark.
No Toner prince of mscuIaps, no valiant Colonel
Clarke.
No Garfield with rich silvery tones TO trance the
liST'ning crowd:
No Hoffman, on his feet each night with accents
clear and loud:
No lander with her splendid voice and histrionic
grace:
No Mrs Long whose presence bright lllumlnes
every place.
No poetess. like Nicely, with her calm and
thoughtful look.
Reading her matchlrss thoughts in verse from
some well freghtcd book;
Miss Lizzy whose essays in prose sink deep In
every heart:
No Mohun. best OF women, who so nobly bears
her part.
No Anna Hanson Dorsey, who though invalid and
frail.
Is known by strains of poesy, and many graphic
tale
Full OF pure thought and sentiment-slow come
the fatal time
That bears her from admirng friends to hoer,
brighter cline!
These fondly still remember on this far Austria
lian shore;
Dreams come Of pleasant seasons with those gent
al friends of yore.
pray them all the happiness that from earth 8
sources flow
God bless the club loved so well in the days of
long ago!
Sydney, " S. v Nov. 10. 1879.