The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1897-05-27
"oUR LADY OF THE SHOWS"

Title Bestowed on Them by Rud-
yard Kipling.
The following able dispatch to
the Toronto Tele gram has caused
no little discus sion throughout
Eastern Canada. Through the
versemaker's amiable intentions are
duly appreciated, ais conception of
Canada as land Of perpetual snow
is naturally resented:
London, April N,-The pro-Cana-
dian feeling which the announces
ment OF the Dominion's tariff with
the preferential clause in favor Of
England has aroused here has been
intensified by the journalistic com
ments recently published, and every
where Canada and the Canadians
are spoken of in enthusiastic terms.
Political parties OF all shades
unite in laudatory expressions about
the Dominion and her action in re-
gard to trade relations with the
Mother Country, and, it is safe to
say, that her visiting political, mill.
tary and other representatives will
be lionised at the jubilee festivities
As o proof OF the cordial manner ia
which the news OF Canada's action
is received here, the accompanying
fine poem by Mr.. Rudyard Kipling,
published in the London Times to-
day, will be convincing. The poem
is entitled "Our Lady of the Snows:"
A nation spoke to nation,
A queen sent word to throne,
Daughter am | in my mothers house
But mistress in my own;
The gates are mine to open
AS the gates are mine to close,
And l set my house in order,
Said the Lady OF the SHOWS.
Neither with laughter nor weeping,
Fear or the child's amaze,
Soberly under the white mans law
My white mon go their ways.
Not for the gentile's clamor,
Insult, or threat of blows,
Bow we the knee to Baal,
Said our Lady of the Shows.
My speech is clean and single,
talk of common things,
Words OF the wharf and market-place
And the ware the merchant brings.
Favor to those | favor,
But stumbling block to my foes,
Many there be that hate US,
Said our Lady OF the Shows.
/ called my chiefs TO council,
In the din of troubled year,
For the sake Of sign ye would not
see,
And word ye would not hear.
This is our message and answer,
This is the path We chose,
For we be also poople,
Said our Lady OF the Shows.
Garry the word to my sisters,
TO the queen of the East and
South,
/ have proved faitl in the heritage
By more than he word OF the
mouth,
They that are wise may follow,
Ere the worlds ar trumpet blows,
But |, | am the first in the battle;
Said our Lady OF the Shows.
A nation spoke to nation,
A queen sent word to throne,
Daughter am in my mothers house,
But mistress in my own.
The gates are mine to open
AS the gates are mine to close,
And / abide by my mothers house,
Said our Lady of the Shows.
The Montreal Star deals with the
matter in an article after Mr.. Kip
ling's style, but unpretentiously
printed without the irregularity in
length Of lines which distinguishes
the poets effort from the editors
prose poem. The Star says:
"a poet sung of nation in words
that were kindly meant, and his song
on ethereal pulses throughout the
Empire went. 1t breathed the I'm
perial spirit at which the bosom
glows, but he slurred the land that
he fain had, praised, as Our Lady of
the Shows. She has lands unknown
to Summer, but she keeps them for
a park for such as find little Europe
too small for ambitions mark. She
kaens than To pleasure Manson. for