The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-10-07
SELECTED POETRY.
A Friend.

A Friend.
You ask why my face $ ssdI
why my steps are heavy and sIOul-
L have lost the truest friend
The truest could know.
All the old times are DER.
Twenty years and more
since nrst called hi.H my triehd ami 80
Ny heart il sick and
Would you now when nr-t we metz
-TEa- day that one does not forget.
We had fought through the sultry night.
We had fought through the blazing day.
And the plains we'were speeding sway
(Like seabirds seudding before the vind).
With numbers soreIy aud sadly thinned
Cnconqusred even in fight.
on my horses neck sunk low,
Bleeding and faint from a treacherOus blow
Dealt BY the deadly hand Of foe
rLose who were with rue drew rein
Now and again
10 give water. to ease my pain
Till one looked suddenly round and cried.
&" See, the enemy There they ride ."
And pointed sway to the far hillside,
Where. in the darkness beginning to fall,
Was = cloud OF dust-snd that was all
AM enough. for out OF the cloud
IAnee's sheen at times seen,
And some spSks low and some sp4ks loud
- We must not tarry Ourforce is small
For the sake Of one TO surrender all
Were folly and sim" So rose and cried
Liuger no more. my friends, but ride
save yourselves why tArry for met
will wait the enemy"
There ws0 time for more
could nbt say farewell " before
They had swOOped away o'er the barren PISin,
And, lifting my eyes, saw again
The hOrselnAn riding silently.
Ny heart sank, heavy As lea.
When thought Of my lone -nL,
How soon should lie on the coII s-s. .u.d dead
Abandoned by foe as by fr.ras,-
The vuIturss will scream ait.
The greedy kites hover above me.
Aud line = paper Will bear my fate
To the ears OF those that love me-"
L had stunbIed down from my horse.
And watched the riders fee,
When one them changed his eOurse.
And rode straight back to me
Then for a moment ny heart
IiHItsd and bounded fast
~ with pleasure aud pain and the smart
or = hope too bright to last
Could 1t be really truei
Ma a Easrely = MESSAGE he bore to mel
or could he be going TO hngsrl l-hs
Whom only by name knew
The brEvsst man Of Our company
Flung himself down the sand.
said. They not to blame
Yet sasrce understand
How all % taeIn leave yJa tloae u die
cannot do q Ht least. not l.
You would . much, sure for me.
Let us ssaoEs s91iPs together" said hs
With a silent grasp of the hand
WITH a staed sob tn my throat, maybe,
Ne sat together upon the -aud.
Aud Iausue,l and ehAttsd rizat merrily -
Oar more light,
Even death 10 as both looked bright.
FSr had a frisn.i b. my -ide-snd he
Well never happy, say. were
Than waiting for death that night
We anI tslk-I. awhile.
And tar horses feet drew near;
Then he arse said, with his careless smile,
For O9r lives let sell them dear"
- down a moment they
And the sAbrs- CLEANED like fame,
But out Of the dust and din bad rung
The voice a friend, that called his
in the kindly English tongue
All mistake ? for they
We're friends. not trAitorous foes.
some sembIancs OF eolor-sune sunbeam's ray
How the error befeII. who knowsl
We safe. and he my friend,
He krlped back 10 life.
And We stood BY each other In JOY strife
To his Iife'- gallant end
IL Is nearly twenty years ago
since We nrst looked death In the face together
'Fi-h the sinking in our eyes AgIOw.
side by side in the tropie weather.
Now . has left IA /: but well know.
In my last great struggle with deaths cold pain
Ne Will turn more a. he turned before,
And give me his hand again.
-ADELISE SERGEANT. in Cool Worfs